NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – North Adams visual arts teacher Kyle Strack is teaching his students how to design a logo for their products. 

Strack, who is now at Drury High School, was recently awarded the Distinguished Arts Educator Advocate Award for Visual Art from Arts|Learning, a nonprofit promoting art education in Massachusetts.

“To be recognized in the work that we did at Greylock and through North Adams and just to see that others are appreciating it and the community coming together, it's really special to receive," said Kyle Strack.

Strack has been teaching for five years. He was nominated for this award for his efforts to increase access to visual arts opportunities for students when teaching at Greylock Elementary.

“Kyle’s work has been great because he has taken it upon himself to seek out and provide additional opportunities for students to support their visual arts education,” North Adams Public Schools art and communications coordiantor Leslie Appleget said.

Some of the additional projects he spearheaded at Greylock Elementary was to partner with the Berkshire Museum to bring museum objects into the classroom and have art educators from the museum talk to the class as well.

Strack hopes to leave an impact on his students, just as his teachers did.

“Leaving an impact with the students and just making sure they have their voice and their work no matter what kind of artwork they are making is kind of the most important thing I want to leave behind,” said Strack.

Strack will be recognized Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Worcester Art Museum.