MARKED TREE, Ark. — Mallory Harrington, the art teacher for 7th through 12th grade at Marked Tree High School, has devoted 10 years of her life to doing what she loves.
“I’ve always loved art,” said Harrington. “There’s never been a time when I haven’t been doing art of some sort, and there’s a lot of stability in teaching. I like teaching kids, so it’s worked out perfectly.”
Harrington takes solace in the safe space she has created for her students.
“I feel like I do have a different relationship with my stents because of the structure of the class and how it is so different from the rest of them,” she explained.
Harrington aims to provide a place of acceptance for her students.
“I love that coming in here is a relief for some students,” she continued.
Harrington recognizes that arts programs are sometimes overshadowed by athletics, and she does her best to remedy that. She realizes athletes attract more attention, but knows her students love that same attention, as well.
“Once a year, we have a big fine arts night, but that’s once a year,” Harrington said. “With football players, it’s every Friday night. They get lined up. They get pictures. They say their names over the intercom.”
Harrington’s mission is not to simply be the art teacher. Instead, she wants to develop character in the students who walk into her classroom. Speaking of art’s value to her students, Harrington said, “It helps them be more open-minded, and it helps them not get stuck in a rigid set of ways.”
Harrington realizes that not all of her students will go on to have a career in the arts, but she takes pride in their work, nonetheless.
She showcased a painting by one of her students, who is a football player and aims to be a civil engineer.
She shared Brayden Ivy’s piece, focused on what was truly a huge societal concern. “This piece is in response to the vices and activities we took on during the COVID shutdown,” she described.
Another student poured her emotions into a piece dedicated to loss. “It is in response to her older brother dying and the concept of living without him,” Harrington said of the piece by Harleigh Greenway, who aspires to be a tattoo artist.
Harrington’s goal is to create a place of acceptance for all students, regardless of their abilities.
She even had some career advice for this artistically challenged reporter who was once told her stick-man drawing resembled a mosquito.
Harrington advised, “ If you ever decide to retire from reporting, you could draw mosquitoes. That may be a big thing here.”
As part of the Ramsons Arts Partnership, a $1,000 donation will be made to support the district’s art programs, courtesy of our friends at Ramsons!
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