GST BOCES congratulates:

J o h n  V o n a

Art Education is the culmination of all of life's lessons, regardless of age, placed in one convenient package. Art has existed since the dawn of the human being and continually changes to reflect society. To ignore, or worse yet, abolish art education is to condemn humanity.

John David Vona has always had a vivid imagination.  Fortunately,  he was encouraged by his parents - his mother, an elementary teacher and his father, a technology teacher - to explore it! Following in his parents' footsteps, John now teaches K-6 music at Tuscarora and Valley Elementary Schools in the Addison Central School District.  He has a bachelor and master of music in education degree from Ithaca College with a Master of Educational Administration at SUNY Brockport.  He has been teaching Marching Band,  Concert Band and Junior High Band since 1985 and at Addison since 1989.  Other school activities include Color Guard/Majorette Advisor,  Marching Band Director, Musical Director/Conductor (Drama),  NYSSMA Solo Festivals/Area All-State and All County Festival.  He is a member of the Steuben County Music Teachers Association,  the New York State School Music Association,  the Music Educators National Conference,  Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity and the Empire Statesmen Senior Drum and Bugle Corps.

As a teacher, John has successfully rebuilt elementary, junior high and high school band programs, and assisted in the rebuilding of the Addison Central School Drama program,  with the emphasis on students.    Having a gift for set design (which he credits having inherited from his father,  a long-time technology teacher at Watkins Glen),  John is able to transform a stage into a world of its own - even if doing so requires perfecting an optical illusion.  During the staging of Snow White,  for example,  it became a problem that Snow White was shorter than some of the dwarves!  John,  using carpentry skills and knowledge of perspective and some tricks employed by none other than Walt Disney,  was able to build a stage which effectively created an illusion of height for the fairy tale heroine.

A working musician as well, he is a performer with the Corning Community Band, Pro Musical, Cantata Singers and the Empire Statesmen Drum and Bugle Corps. Currently, he is a Brass Instructor with The White Sabers Drum and Bugle Corps of Dansville New York.  His future plans include keeping music education an active part of every child's education in the changing world of education. 

He was awarded a mini-grant for developing high school band students as mentors for elementary band soloist. He earned Addison Teacher of the Year in 2002 and is featured in Who's Who in American Education since 2003.

For John,  the interaction with students who are eager to learn and curious about the possibilities of the future are the things he likes best about teaching.

 

John nominated Kathryne W. as the Arts Student in the News.Teachers in Elementary School are thrilled with her success because they predicted it.  They have all said  "she's going to be something."  She was a little shy as a dwarf,  but when she became a caterpillar - {We never have seen that particular side of her..." That's one of the reasons I thought of K.  In K. I see the potential to do whatever she wants to do.  It's an area she has strengths.  Roles she has played include Snow White, Milque Toast - she was the shy dwarf.    In 8th grade she was the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland.  In the Adventures of Robin Hood,  she was Midge, the Miller.  She has been acting since she was in 5th grade.

She likes acting because you can be a different person.  Drama is a way to pull in drama and music all together. 

    Although she aspires to be a teacher and  has no plans to pursue acting as a career, Kathryne was one of those students  thought to "have what it takes" to do anything she set her mind to doing - including acting.  And act she has done - she has played everything from a bashful dwarf to a color changing caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland. Although a little shy in person, on stage,  she becomes somebody  her teachers do not recognize.  Her drama skills only keep increasing,  which will,  according to Mr. Vona, greatly assist her when she finds herself in front of a classroom. "It's all acting,"  John laughs.  Just wait until you are really tired and do not feel like teaching.......you will have to act as if it's the place you want to be more than anywhere in the world!" 

 It is apparent that Kathryne shines in whatever role she chooses,  and it is obvious to see the wonderful rapport that John Vona has

with his students.

 

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