September Member Spotlight – Kara Rehm

Our September Member Spotlight recognizes Kara Rehm, for her advocacy of art education. Kara is an art teacher from Vineland Public Schools-Dr. John H. Winslow Elementary School.

Kara’s message as an art educator is for students to “make their mark”.  She believes learning and creating require taking risks and that teaching is about the mark you make on other people’s lives. She believes that as educators we should make a positive, impactful mark while leaving a legacy worth aspiring toward. 

In 2013, Kara initiated and inspired Dr. John H. Winslow Elementary School’s first Dot Day. Dot Day is based on the story, “The Dot,” where an art teacher dares a hesitant student to “make a mark” to see where it will take her. At the opening of each school year she involves parents, staff and students to make their mark by creating dots later displayed during the first weeks of school.

Each year since, on International Dot Day everyone wears their most creative dot attire in celebration. Dot Day ignites motivation and instills confidence in students at the start of the school year. For the past five years, Dr. John H. Winslow Elementary School’s Dot Day celebration has created and inspired the community of families, staff and students to work together in creating an art installation and connect with millions of others participating in Dot Day worldwide.