As a Kids’ Country Resident Artist and Curriculum Specialist since 2012, JP has inspired our STEAM programs and teaches a number of Enrichment classes and specialty camps like STEAM: Curiosity Kids, Creative Arts, Building Your Own Video Game, and Stop Motion Animation.

“STEAM has no boundaries!” JP exclaims. “My role is to inspire kids by asking ‘what if?’ with no boundaries or wrong ideas.”

JP’s specialty is using human-centered design thinking as her approach to creating and tailoring curriculum to specific students and age groups. “I ask kids what they like and what they want to know,” she explains. “This provides a foundation of interest.”

She then helps her young students find the design aspect of their ideas. “How does this thing work?” she asks. “You want wheels? Let’s research how wheels work and then build a prototype to see if you can make it run,” she continues.

JP sees her role at Kids’ Country as helping instill a sense of wonder and creative process in her students. It seems to be working. During the summer, students follow her from one Specialty Camp to the next.

When asked how her work at Kids’ Country has impacted her own art, JP says, “So much of my art has been about perfection. But working with kids, I’ve learned to do ‘creative warm-ups’ before starting a big painting. It may be drawing stick figures, which make me laugh. If I’m laughing, I can freely paint and draw.”