Ms. Summers, one of Kent’s newest faculty members, brings a young, creative spin to our art department here at Kent School. Originally from Hudson, New York, and most recently based in New York City, she joined Kent this year and quickly became a beloved teacher in the art community. A graduate of American University (the first to earn a BA in photography there) and NYU (with a Master’s in Art Education), Ms. Summers is passionate about arts education and student growth. One interesting fact is that she is the first new hire in the Art Department in 30 years.

When asked about her favorite part of teaching, Ms. Summers shared that she loves the freedom and creativity her classes offer. Unlike traditional subjects, photography and architecture allow students to express their personalities and think outside the box. She says, “I feel like I’m able to build strong relationships with students because I get to see more of who they are.”

Ms. Summers describes her teaching style as flexible. She gives students the space to explore their interests as long as they understand the core techniques. Whether it’s learning how to use a camera or something else, she encourages a balance of skill and self-expression.

Although photography has always been her main passion, she was asked to teach architecture for the first time here, a subject she had not taught before. “It’s taught me a lot and helped me grow as a teacher,” she explained. 

Living in North Dorm, which is all boys,  she’s still adjusting to the loud noise. And she is expecting a newborn baby, her first, in three weeks. She is excited to see how she will adapt to being a mother on campus, as well as being a busy teacher with three new courses to teach.  She has some tricks for keeping herself going,  both when creating and grading. Her go-to snacks include popcorn, dark chocolate, pretzels, and a raspberry-flavored Poppi drink. All in all, she enjoys being part of this tight-knit community, which she defines as the one word she would use to describe Kent.