Teaching Testimonials: Youth & Community Arts Facilitation
"I managed Jenni when she was a lead teaching artist during an intergenerational storytelling program at ArtWorks for Milwaukee, an organization that merges professional development and the arts through paid internships for high school students. Jenni was one of the most successful teaching artists I managed in 1.5 years at ArtWorks. I attribute much of this to her business-mindedness, allowing her to juggle both the creative and administrative aspects of the program - a skill set that has been difficult to find, due to the demands of the teaching artist positions at ArtWorks. Jenni…facilitated program activities with care and intention, and stayed on track with the unique requirements of her role (focusing on the students' job and art skills equally). Also notable was her innovation with developing a new theme when COVID-10 abruptly interrupted our program. I hired Jenni for her talents as a performing artist, but when programs transitioned to virtual, the easiest art form to use was visual arts - a form with which she was not necessarily comfortable, but was more than willing to adapt to it. We lost about 75% of the students in the program and had to start new processes with our several program partners in light of the pandemic. Jenni was flexible, realistic, communicative, and calm with rerouting the program, and essentially, her entire position…I also appreciated and admired Jenni's honesty. She was curious, asked questions, made suggestions, and contributed in ways that showed she deeply cared about the students' and program's success…I feel incredibly lucky to have had Jenni as a lead artist during one of the most challenging times in my career. She provided support to me, the program partners, the students, and ArtWorks as an organization with positivity, and a very appreciated lens of reality - our organization was small, time was running out, and she fully understood what we needed to do to work with the limitations. I am so happy to recommend Jenni. Her skills shine in community arts facilitation, arts education, performing arts, nonprofit/business management, and outstanding professionalism. Any organization would be lucky to have her!"
- Lauren Zens, Program Manager, ArtWorks for Milwaukee (direct supervisor)
"Throughout Jenni’s time with us, I received positive feedback from students, parents, and teachers…Jenni’s extensive background as a performing artist prepared her to share her creative/artistic practice and translate it to students of different ages and abilities. The children had fun as they were being stimulated and inspired."
- Priscilla Bovée, School Director, New World Montessori School (direct supervisor)
"During the approximately eighteen months that she taught me, Jenni showed enthusiasm, patience and dedication…In part, as a result of Jenni’s patience and dedication, I continue practicing the violin and regularly play with a community orchestra. During our lessons, whenever Jenni demonstrated a musical piece, her playing was beautiful and inspiring…Jenni is a successful musician who wants to take her students along the same path. Her enthusiasm, her desire and ability to teach, her willingness to inspire confidence, and her own playing skill made her a positive part of my musical journey."
- Donna Kolb (intermediate adult violin student)
“Being new to string playing, I was unsure how to adapt the more traditional Suzuki string methodology for school classroom use, and with Jenni’s guidance we were able to pick and choose what would work best for our situation. To this day I use many materials and games Jenni gave me, and I have become a stronger string teacher as a result…The ease at which Jenni took suggestions from me and adapted these suggestions to suit her teaching style impressed me…such grace for someone so new to the field…a ‘natural!’ Children loved her and couldn’t wait to be in Miss Jenni’s presence."
- Twila J. Bergeron, Music Teacher, Stormonth Elementary School (co-teacher, mentor)
- Lauren Zens, Program Manager, ArtWorks for Milwaukee (direct supervisor)
"Throughout Jenni’s time with us, I received positive feedback from students, parents, and teachers…Jenni’s extensive background as a performing artist prepared her to share her creative/artistic practice and translate it to students of different ages and abilities. The children had fun as they were being stimulated and inspired."
- Priscilla Bovée, School Director, New World Montessori School (direct supervisor)
"During the approximately eighteen months that she taught me, Jenni showed enthusiasm, patience and dedication…In part, as a result of Jenni’s patience and dedication, I continue practicing the violin and regularly play with a community orchestra. During our lessons, whenever Jenni demonstrated a musical piece, her playing was beautiful and inspiring…Jenni is a successful musician who wants to take her students along the same path. Her enthusiasm, her desire and ability to teach, her willingness to inspire confidence, and her own playing skill made her a positive part of my musical journey."
- Donna Kolb (intermediate adult violin student)
“Being new to string playing, I was unsure how to adapt the more traditional Suzuki string methodology for school classroom use, and with Jenni’s guidance we were able to pick and choose what would work best for our situation. To this day I use many materials and games Jenni gave me, and I have become a stronger string teacher as a result…The ease at which Jenni took suggestions from me and adapted these suggestions to suit her teaching style impressed me…such grace for someone so new to the field…a ‘natural!’ Children loved her and couldn’t wait to be in Miss Jenni’s presence."
- Twila J. Bergeron, Music Teacher, Stormonth Elementary School (co-teacher, mentor)