COLD LAKE - In a world where the arts often struggle for recognition, Aimee Alger is ensuring they flourish.
A fine arts teacher at Cold Lake Junior High where she teaches Grades 7, 8, and 9, Alger is not just shaping young artists, she's creating a cultural movement. She is also one of the nominees for this year's Cold Lake Women of Influence Arts and Culture Award.
"I think it was the kids in the Drama Club who maybe spearheaded it, I'm not exactly sure. I'm pretty sure they did," Alger said, reflecting on the nomination process.
Teaching at the school for three years, Alger has dedicated herself to expanding the role of the arts in education.
“Trying to grow the arts has always been kind of my desire since I got this job, because there was not a designated art teacher here. It was a middle school before and so when they were advertising a drama and art specific job at a junior high, I knew that was kind of a rare thing and those are my two things that I love to do."
Alger’s work is having a profound effect, particularly on students who struggle to find their voice elsewhere.
“I see a ton of especially quieter girls who usually don't have that space to show off talent and feel confident."
Empowering youth is at the heart of her teaching philosophy.
"I've seen students who don't really converse as much with other people. They feel comfortable in here, they find their voice and if they don't feel confident maybe in the classroom, they feel confident on stage,” she explained.
For Alger, drama and art classes are about more than just creative expression, they are life lessons.
"It gives them that feeling of bravery. It gives them that feeling of being able to do something well that not everybody can do."
Her classroom is a space where every student, regardless of background, can find success.
"And some of them are really, really artistic and they might not excel in all areas of academics. And that's not just girls, that's everybody. They find that they love this class. They'll show up for this class specifically. They enjoy making art."
Alger takes pride in building confidence in her students.
"They feel that validation of creating something, and I really enjoy showing kids who didn't know they had that talent that they do have it."
As a role model for young women, Alger is intentional about the lessons she teaches beyond the arts.
"I really advocate for girls. I try and talk a lot about how being strong doesn't necessarily mean being loud. There are lots of ways to be strong as a girl and a woman. And I try and represent that as myself and the programs that I run."
She leads by example, setting high expectations for her students, ensuring participation, and fostering perseverance, creativity, and problem-solving skills through art.
Her journey into teaching was shaped by her own experiences as a student.
"I had really influential teachers all throughout my years - especially in my high school years. My drama teachers, my English teachers, my art teachers were people that I really looked up to and admired. And so, when I thought about careers, I thought about the way that I liked going to them and talking to them and building that relationship with them. And I thought it would be really cool if I could be that for somebody someday.”
Alger’s career has spanned multiple roles and grades, but her passion for the arts has never wavered. "I always wanted to teach art, I always wanted to teach theatre, and I didn't ever kind of expect . . . that I could do both."
Now, she has built a thriving arts program at Cold Lake Junior High.
“I've created a culture where art is an expectation . . . You're going to be creative and I've created a sense of theatrics. We've improved public speaking. We've improved conversation skills in the school.”
Reflecting on her time at the school, she sees the progress her students have made.
"When I first started, it was right after COVID, I think 2022, and I said, the first game we're going to play is making eye contact - and the panic was real . . . Once they've gone through three years of drama with me, they love that. It's a way for kids to still play at a junior high. They don't realize they're learning social skills.”
As she awaits the results of her nomination, she remains grateful for the path she has taken.
"Knowing that my students feel like I am a person of influence . . . you don't do this job to get awards, you don't do this job to get accolades, you do it so that the students you teach get those awards and get those accolades later on in life."
Her advice to young women echoes the lessons she teaches in her classroom.
"Go for what makes you happy and put your passion into it. Put your all into it. Find joy in it as much as you can. The more that you find joy, the more that people are going to respond to that and gravitate towards that. Be confident in yourself, be confident in your own abilities, and stand firm on your boundaries and your beliefs."
The Women of Influence Awards take place on March 7 at the Cold Lake Agriplex and will feature guest speaker Jelena Mrdjenovich, a Canadian professional boxer. Tickets to the event are $40 each.
