Melissa Bowman

Melissa Bowman grew up in Lockport, New York. She has danced since the age of 3 and began performing in musicals when she was in middle school. Starting in middle school, she volunteered for the Skating Association for the Blind and Handicapped (SABAH) for 9 years. In high school, she taught dance classes at the Diane Mulvey Dance Academy . Her love for the arts translated into her choosing a career as an art educator. Several teachers, including Ms. Angela LiPome and Mr. Robert Rimmer, also inspired her to teach art. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from Buffalo State College in 2006. Melissa was hired by the Barker Central School District in 2007 to teach middle and high school students. She completed her Masters work in 2008 in Art Education while teaching at Barker.

Melissa takes pride in her students, her community, and her career. Along with the art-related activities she does, Melissa has also coached the girls’ modified soccer team at Barker for the past 3 years. Melissa has also choreographed several musicals for the high school. She writes grants every year in order to fund the projects she plans with her students. The funding from companies and the community has helped students gain experiences that they would not normally have had. In her time at Barker, Melissa has taken groups of students to the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York, participated in the Art Alive competition at the same gallery (winning one year), completed a large metal sculpture outside of Barker’s school auditorium, set up a “Going Green” art exhibit at the Market Street Art Center, and is currently working with senior students to paint a community wall in Lockport depicting the best venues in Niagara County. Melissa looks forward to doing more influential projects in the future to help her community prosper.