Twenty-eight esteemed middle and high school educators, including Sol C. Johnson High School Visual Arts Teacher and Department Chair Sarah Pascual, have been selected for online professional development focused on Unsung Heroes and will develop innovative capstone projects for their classrooms and communities.  The prestigious visual arts education online fellowship for educators working directly with students in grades 6-12, is a Nationwide Visual Arts Education Initiative of the Lowell Milken Family Foundation.

The 28 fellows of the 2025-26 cohort hail from 17 states and include 22 visual art teachers. Members of the cohort represent diverse educational, professional, and geographic backgrounds, including specializations in visual arts, social studies, STEAM, and administration. This year’s ARTEFFECT Ambassadors will participate in a yearlong series of online professional development sessions, learning from other high-level practitioners in a collegial, peer-learning community. These virtual sessions—four of which are also open to all interested educators and free to join—explore varied themes with a focus on Unsung Heroes including character education, visual storytelling, Holocaust education, and STEAM, accompanied by visual arts lesson plans.

Pascual says, “Through the ARTEFFECT Ambassadors fellowship, I hope to show my students that history is not just about the past; it is about people who were once young, uncertain, and searching for their place in the world, just like them. These individuals chose to act with courage and creativity, and in doing so, they made lasting contributions to a better society. As an art educator, I believe that creativity can be a bridge between past and present.”

“At ARTEFFECT, we believe art is more than expression—it’s a catalyst for change,” said Dr. Toni Guglielmo, executive director of ARTEFFECT. “By empowering educators and their students through visual arts education focused on the remarkable stories of Unsung Heroes from history, we aim to inspire empathy, spark positive action, and collectively shape a more compassionate world. The impact of this transformative work is both immediate and enduring.”

In the online sessions, participants will:

• Explore creative approaches for interpreting the stories of Unsung Heroes as role models through the visual arts.

• Access lesson plans focused on Unsung Heroes that provide step-by-step modeling for young artists to create artworks in varied 2D and 3D mediums with impact statements.

• Engage with other educators nationwide to deepen their own instructional practices.

The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (LMC) works with students and educators to discover and develop the stories of Unsung Heroes from history—individuals not commonly known who took extraordinary actions in service to others and society.

LMC and ARTEFFECT Founder Lowell Milken noted, “ArtEffect ensures that stories of Unsung Heroes live on as guiding lights for future generations. By offering young people and educators the opportunity to express these stories through art, we inspire them to embrace the power of history and creativity, lead with purpose, and make a lasting difference in the world.”

In addition to participating in professional development modules, Ambassadors develop learner-centered visual-arts-based capstone projects. Ambassadors are supported through their capstone projects by four ARTEFFECT Mentors, seasoned visual art educators experienced with ARTEFFECT’s teaching and learning. The program runs through June 2026 and culminates with the presentations of the capstone projects—such as developing a new lesson plan, a student art exhibition, a teacher-training program, a publication, or other activities—that have been implemented effectively within their classrooms and communities. The projects create new pathways in visual art education by harnessing the inspiring stories of Unsung Heroes at the core of ARTEFFECT’s offerings, including its professional development, student art competition, and online exhibitions. ARTEFFECT Ambassadors receive an unrestricted stipend of $1,250, a $250 materials credit, and a Certificate of Participation upon completion.

Founded by Lowell Milken in 2016, ARTEFFECT extends the Unsung Heroes mission through original visual art and reflection. In addition to the ARTEFFECT Ambassadors Visual Arts Fellowship, offerings include an annual international art competition for middle and high school students. Last year’s ARTEFFECT competition awarded over $35,000 in prizes. The current cycle is accepting submissions from October 1, 2025, through April 21, 2026. ARTEFFECT also produces exhibitions including Visualizing Impact, featuring over 40 award‑winning ARTEFFECT student artworks in a new, permanent gallery at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in Washington, D.C.

To learn more about the ARTEFFECT visual arts education initiative, visit the website at www.arteffectlmc.org.