Art teacher was ‘influential’

Editor, OBSERVER

I read the article that was published 5/14 to honor Gary Worosz and Michele Dolce from Forestville Elementary. I had Mr. Worosz in second grade, and Mrs. Dolce as a fifth grade teacher.

Although I had a lovely experience with Mr. Worosz, and he deserves recognition for his outstanding teaching career. I would like to add that Kristin Britz is by far the most influential person mentioned in that article without any recognition.

She was my elementary art teacher and in my senior year of high school, Mrs. Beth Runkel had retired and Mrs. Britz had taken over for her (2013-2014 school year). I have memories of many art projects I did in elementary and they have still impacted my life today. In my senior year I took independent study of art and Mrs. Britz had let me assist in art classes from time to time with the seventh graders since I was in her class for three class periods.

Since moving from Forestville, I have moved to Los Angeles and have a degree in Anthropology and History of Art and Visual Cultures. I work in a small historical museum, independently research cultures, and make scientific drawings for Archeologists, and conservation work.

I am a published artist and have gotten additional opportunities because of my art and the courage I was given when young to feed my passions in art.

My life is surrounded by art and my career path has art woven throughout it. Mrs. Britz was there to encourage my natural talents for art from the beginning, In kindergarten through fifth grade and to see me on my way into the world my senior year.

Mrs. Britz was there consistently throughout everyone’s elementary experience for decades, and she deserves not only more recognition but more reverence and appreciation for the impact she made in the Forestville Central School

KATRINA CLUGSTON

Forestville Class 2014

Redondo Beach, Calif.