Meet Ms. Allen: The new face of room 302
By Linda I.
This year, Airport high school welcomes Ms.Skyler Allen, an enthusiastic new addition to the faculty. Let’s take some time to get to know her.
Ms. Allen was born in Lexington, South Carolina and was raised in Columbia, SC. Ms. Allen attended Winthrop University and graduated in 2024, earning a degree in Fine Arts and a degree in Art Education with a concentration in K-12 Teaching.
Ms. Allen completed her student teaching at York Road Elementary and Catawba Ridge High School. She has been teaching in some capacity since 2021, just a year after graduating high school in 2020. When asked about what it was like to graduate high school during a pandemic, she said, “Graduating during the pandemic was weird. I was ready to be done with high school and didn’t quite understand the magnitude of how big the pandemic would get. Once I realized how serious it was, it was a very sad time!.”
Some things about her personal life is that she lives alone with her female cat named Stevie, she enjoys hammocking by the river in her spare time, and spending time with her best friend Jack.
Ms. Allen was inspired to teach after truly seeing how teachers work on a daily basis. This experience started her passion for wanting to inspire and teach students. She has wanted to become a teacher since the age of fourteen. She says, “I have always been a very creative person, and I noticed how creative teachers get to be on a daily basis (making engaging lessons, creating different learning opportunities and events, and helping children to create original artwork).”
From the first day of class, Ms. Allen’s approach has been unique and personable. She believes that art should be a personal expression and encourages students to be involved. “Art should be an individually immersive experience, it should involve a student's whole attention and dedication,” she says. “Art is not everyone's favorite thing to partake in, but that does not minimize the positive impact being engaged in the arts provides. Students should be given artistic challenges that prove to them that they can do difficult things outside of their comfort zone while creating something beautiful.”
Her teaching methods have quickly won over students. Freshman Isabella G. shares, “Ms. Allen makes every project feel like an adventure. She encourages us to take risks with our art, and it's so much fun!” This approach allows students to express themselves in the art by having them leave their comfort zone and explore their inner creativity.
Another student, David I., loves how Ms. Allen brings art history into her lessons. He says, “She connects us to artists and movements from the past before doing every project, and then we get to create our own versions.” By teaching her students historical context for each project, Ms.Allen educates them about the understanding of the art world and how art has been around for a very long time.
In just a short time, Ms.Allen has become a beloved figure at Airport High School, inspiring students to embrace their creativity and explore the world of art. With her dedication as a teacher, she isn’t just simply teaching art; she is pushing us to share our voice with the world.