Venice Elementary's Young named Teacher of the Year

Heather Young, the K-5 visual arts teacher at Venice Elementary School, was named the 2020 Sarasota school district teacher of the year at a ceremony on Dec. 11 and is now in the running for the honor statewide. 

A former gifted teacher who has been teaching for 22 years, Young took on the role of visual art teacher this year. She looks for innovative ways to level the playing field and facilitate problem-solving, risk-taking and creative decision-making skills in her students.

"What better way to spend your day then getting to be the creative outlet for kids and trying to get them to get over asking, 'Can I do this? Can I color it this way?'" Young said. "And saying 'You don't have to ask permission to be creative.' This is just a place where they come and they can just create and relax."