Denton ISD announced the recipient of the inaugural Corky Stuckenbruck Impact Award at the opening reception of the Greater Denton Arts Council’s Youth Art Month exhibit on Thursday night.
James Rosin, who is in his sixteenth year teaching art at Denton High School, was selected as this year’s winner of the award, which will be given annually to a Denton ISD fine arts educator with 10 years or more in the district. The award is named for the late Corky Stuckenbruck, a local artist and Texas Woman’s University professor, who was known to encourage, understand and inspire her students to gain confidence in their abilities.
The Corky Stuckenbruck Impact Award is funded through the Mark and Barbara Smith Endowment with the Denton Public School Foundation. Each recipient will receive an honorarium of $3,000.
“We are very grateful that Mark and Barbara Smith have created this award so that an outstanding fine arts educator in Denton ISD can be recognized and rewarded for the long-standing positive impact they have made on their students,” said Eddy Russell, Director of Fine Arts. “Mr. Rosin has made a positive impact on hundreds of art students at Denton High School, and he exemplifies the spirit of this award and who it is named for – Corky Stuckenbruck. We are thankful to have Mr. Rosin teaching in Denton ISD and at Denton High.”
Mr. Rosin’s teaching philosophy centers around creating a safe and encouraging environment where every student feels valued and empowered to explore their creativity in
the classroom. He has served as the Denton High Art Club sponsor since 2008 and extends his classroom hours by opening his door in the summer and on Saturdays, so students can have extra studio time.
Many of Mr. Rosin’s students have gone on to pursue careers in the arts, working at Disney, Pixar Animation and as art curators, professional artists and even as art educators.
In addition to his work in the classroom, Mr. Rosin is also a practicing artist himself. He has work on display at a gallery in Fort Worth and throughout Denton High.
“My teaching philosophy has evolved over the years, driven by a deepening understanding of the profound impact educators have on their students,” Mr. Rosin said. “Initially, my focus was on sharing my passion for art and art making while inspiring students to develop their confidence while challenging themselves creatively. However, as I matured in my role as an instructor, I came to realize the immense importance of being a positive role model in students' lives and leading by example.”
