Aldine ISD Art Teacher Anitra Ashewood Selected for CAMH Teacher Advisory Group

Aldine Ninth Grade School educator will help shape museum programming while bringing new perspectives and creative experiences to students.

Anitra Ashewood, a visual arts teacher at Aldine Ninth Grade School, has been selected for the 2026–27 Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), marking the third consecutive year an Aldine ISD visual arts educator has been represented.

Launched in October 2021, CAMH’s Teacher Advisory Group brings together passionate educators to share their knowledge and experience with museum staff as they shape future programs and the vision for the museum’s Education and Public Programs department. Members provide strategic recommendations, support the development of exhibition-specific educational materials, and advocate for CAMH programs in their classrooms, schools, and communities.

For Ashewood, the opportunity is about more than professional growth. A fine art photographer whose work is shared under the name The Kept Light, she brings an artist’s perspective to her classroom, where she encourages students to explore their identities, build creative confidence, and connect art to their cultures and everyday experiences.

“Whether because of financial or logistical barriers, limited exposure, or the feeling that museums aren’t meant for them, many students don’t see museums as spaces meant for them,” Ashewood said. “One of my biggest goals is helping them know art belongs to them, too.”

Ashewood first learned about TAG during her first year teaching at Aldine, after another district educator was selected. Inspired by the opportunity to connect with Houston’s arts community, she wanted to learn from other teachers, discover contemporary artists, and find creative ways to bring those experiences back to her students.

Through TAG, Ashewood will collaborate with fellow educators and CAMH staff to explore contemporary art, share classroom experiences, and help shape museum programs and educational resources. She also hopes to contribute her students’ perspectives to conversations about making museum programs more welcoming and meaningful for young people from diverse backgrounds.

“I want my students to understand that art is a way to tell their stories, ask questions, and see the world differently,” Ashewood said. “Art gives them a voice, especially when they don’t always have the words, and for many of my multilingual students and emergent English learners, that matters a lot.”

Making Art Personal

In her classroom, Ashewood introduces students to modern and contemporary artists and encourages them to connect the artwork to their own lives. Through visual investigations, discussions, and hands-on projects, students experiment with different ways to communicate ideas and express themselves.

One of her favorite projects, the Butterfly Identity Collage, invites students to explore their identities through color, texture, and personal symbolism. Each wing represents a different aspect of a student’s identity, resulting in a collection of butterflies that tell individual stories.

The project reflects Ashewood’s belief that students’ everyday experiences can become meaningful works of art and that young people should have the freedom to make creative choices and share their perspectives.

“I want them to realize that contemporary artists are people just like them,” she said. “Their voices, cultures, and experiences matter, and they can become artists themselves.”

Kaileigh Newman, Aldine ISD director of visual arts, said Ashewood’s selection continues a meaningful tradition of Aldine educators contributing to Houston’s arts community.

“Having an Aldine ISD visual arts educator represented in CAMH’s Teacher Advisory Group for the third consecutive year speaks to the talent, dedication, and professional curiosity of our teachers,” Newman said. “Anitra brings a valuable perspective as an artist and educator who understands the importance of helping students see themselves and their experiences reflected in art. Opportunities like this strengthen our teachers’ practice and help create meaningful experiences that encourage students to explore their creativity, share their stories and recognize their place in the broader arts community.”

Connecting Art, Science and Culture

Ashewood’s commitment to connecting art and culture extends beyond her classroom. In 2026, Asia Society Texas recognized her as an intercultural bridge builder through its Y. Ping Sun Awards for Educators.

She was also named a 2026 Fund for Teachers Fellow, allowing her to conduct research in several cities in China, Japan, and South Korea — Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Busan, and Seoul — global material systems, bio-art processes, and ecological patterns. Her goal was to develop hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) curriculum that incorporates culturally relevant, contemporary Asian art practices, and strengthens students’ creative inquiry, systems thinking and scientific understanding.

During her fellowship, Ashewood explored traditional and contemporary art practices, including traditional Korean hanji papermaking, natural dyeing, and cyanotype printing.

She plans to bring what she learned into her classroom through hands-on lessons that connect art and science. One idea involves using microscopes to help students examine natural patterns and textures and translate their observations into original artwork. She also plans to introduce students to artists she discovered during her travels, encouraging students to explore how materials, culture, and the natural world can inspire creative expression.

Through these experiences, Ashewood hopes students will discover that art can emerge from everyday materials and that creativity connects cultures and disciplines.

Ashewood has five years of teaching experience, including three years with Aldine ISD. Through her classroom work and involvement in Houston’s arts community, she hopes to strengthen connections between museums, schools, and the communities they serve.

Her goal is for students to leave her classroom knowing their stories matter, their creativity has value, and they belong in Houston’s artistic community.