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Miranda Kent

3,165

Bold Points

2x

Nominee

1x

Finalist

Bio

My name is Miranda Kent and I am a 2020 graduate from SUNY New Paltz. After receiving my Bachelor's Degree and NYS Teaching Certification, I immediately started teaching during the unprecedented 2020 - 2021 school year. At my current low-income district, I teach Pottery, Advanced Pottery, Sculpture, and Studio Art at the High School level. My passion resides in providing my students with inclusive, modern art education practices, topics, and art history and diversity in being the only openly Non-binary and Queer teacher in my district. In addition to this, I started going by my true name and pronouns this school year (i.e. Mx. Kent and they/them pronouns) which has been scary but extremely meaningful and inspiring to my fellow LGBTQ+ students. I cherish being an adult in my students lives that sees value in them, no matter their background or skill sets, as that is a strong pillar of my teaching philosophy. In my free time I create and sell a lot of the artwork I make to earn extra money and for therapeutic, fun purposes. I like to make everything from paintings and drawings to jewelry to pottery and beyond. Since this does not bring in a consistent stream of money however, financial assistance will be necessary for me to afford getting my Master's Degree this year. I'm hoping to find some financial support so I can afford the MSEd in Visual Arts Education Master's program I've been accepted to at SUNY New Paltz!

Education

State University of New York at New Paltz

Master's degree program
2022 - 2023
  • Majors:
    • Visual and Performing Arts, Other

State University of New York at New Paltz

Bachelor's degree program
2016 - 2020
  • Majors:
    • Fine and Studio Arts
    • Education, Other
  • Minors:
    • Psychology, General
  • GPA:
    3.8

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Fine and Studio Arts
    • Education, Other
    • Educational Administration and Supervision
    • Special Education and Teaching
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Arts

    • Dream career goals:

      Continuing to further my Art/Art Education career as an inclusive art educator and practicing artist online while I teach full time.

    • Club President

      Art Education Student Association at SUNY New Paltz
      2018 – 20213 years
    • Barista

      Starbucks
      2016 – 20226 years
    • Camp Pottery Specialist

      Boys & Girls Club of Schenectady
      2020 – 20211 year
    • Art Teacher

      Glens Falls City School District
      2021 – Present3 years
    • Camp Counselor

      TSL Adventures
      2019 – 20201 year

    Sports

    Tae Kwon Do

    2009 – 20145 years

    Awards

    • First Degree Black Belt

    Research

    • Animal Sciences

      Hudson Valley Community College — Researcher
      2018 – 2018

    Arts

    • Redbubble

      Design
      I have uploaded over 70 different designs on Redbubble based on drawings, paintings, illustrations, and Inktober artwork from my entire career as an artist.
      2019 – Present
    • Etsy

      Jewelry
      I have created 4 different earring collections with polymer clay and metal that I sell through Etsy.
      2020 – Present
    • SUNY New Paltz

      Ceramics
      I have created hundreds of pieces since I started working with clay in 2018.
      2019 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Emerging Leaders Program — Program Graduate
      2017 – 2018

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Politics

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Bold Be You Scholarship
    "Be so completely yourself that everyone else feels safe to be themselves too." - Unknown When I think about how I try to stay true to my most authentic self in my daily life, I always think of this quote. Despite not being a very liked person growing up, I've learned the best way to live my truth is to be my full self even when it is not always received well. Although I understand that lesson now, it was not always like this. In the past, I felt bogged down by others' expectations and opinions of me. The society of today puts heavy pressure on young people to fit a specific mold or construct that is typically very limiting. With the weight of handling a specific, falsely positive presence on social media and in person, growing up and finding my place in the world felt almost too difficult to do. Through the many phases I went through on the tough decade long journey to really knowing who I am, I got very mixed reviews from those around me. It took me until my final year of High School to actually begin to understand that I do have worth, even if I'm treated by others like I don't. Flash forward to today - I'm a full time High School Art Teacher that is openly non-binary and queer. Despite my hiring fears relating to being openly who I am, I fought against my past instinct to fold to someone else's will. Now that I'm actually living my truth, I know I've been able to help countless students of mine work towards finding themselves too. Being able to help my students stay true to themselves just by being who I am is truly one of the most fulfilling aspects of my life!
    Bold Empathy Scholarship
    Empathy is arguably the lifeblood of the human experience. The constant routine of mundane life provides an internal struggle sometimes that can be hard to break. But even with these challenges, dismantling this cycle and prioritizing others above ourselves is truly the formula to shaping a more peaceful and loving world. Ever since I was little, I've always been interested in the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others. This fascination with appreciating all the little things that make us different and how one good deed at a time can create larger change has been a constant mantra in my life. Although I experienced significant, sometimes violent bullying through my upbringing, I never lost sight of my belief in others. It was a hard lesson to keep consistent in my mind when I felt like no one else felt empathy for me the way I did for them, but it was necessary for my well being and development. Today, I am an art educator, artist, and lover of psychology and all things personal to those around me. My empathetic soul has led me through some of the best experiences and people I've had the pleasure of knowing and for that I am eternally grateful. Without my constant pool of feelings for those around me, who knows where life would've taken me. Even at my lowest points mentally, my love and hope for other people in the world kept me sane and convinced that being alive is probably better than the alternative. Connecting with others through conversation, sharing of emotions and experiences, and commonalities we all share is genuinely my favorite thing in life. Transcending past social barriers and realizing we're all people that deserve love, appreciation, and support is necessary for true happiness. And in that sense, I am truly happy.
    Bold Hobbies Scholarship
    As an artist, I've picked up many hobbies over the years. Although many of these relate back to art and creation, they all have provided me with different products, outcomes, and growth. When I was little I knew I always wanted to be an artist and an art teacher, but didn't know what types of art materials I liked. Throughout my childhood, I absolutely loved drawing and coloring. The joy coloring within the lines and creating ombre effects with colored pencils gave me was almost addicting. This eventually manifested into me creating my own characters and even selling some of my drawings for fancy pencils and other materials (until the school found out that is). Traversing through Middle and High School proved to be very challenging for me, so art was genuinely there for me when nothing else seemed to be. I stayed in at least 1-2 art classes throughout my upper levels of grade school and strengthened my observational drawing, painting, photography, and creative problem solving skills. Once I got to college, my entire art career and preferred hobbies drastically changed. Just like my dad, I'm an art educator that in general preferred working with 2D mediums. Through my dad's advice, I took my first Ceramics class after learning his first job was teaching with clay despite having zero experience with it. By the end of that first semester, I had an artistic epiphany where I felt like I finally found my calling as an artist. Flash forward to today, I have been working with clay and other 3D mediums including jewelry-making and metalsmithing for over 4 years and have never looked back. As a current Ceramics teacher, I can't put into words how thankful I am for my art journey - without it who knows where I'd be!