CBA will host the inaugural Melinda Vooss Creative Arts Festival on May 18th from 2:30 – 4:00 pm. Melinda Vooss, the upper school art teacher at CBA, lost her battle with cancer in October 2022. To honor her legacy, the Vooss family has established the Melinda M. Vooss Artfully Yours Memorial Fund (MVAYM) to support and promote the power of art in education.
Melinda joined the CBA community in 2020 during the pandemic and worked tirelessly to build relationships with her students while supporting them in their creative endeavors. She worked with students both virtually and in her classroom on campus. While only serving at CBA for a short time before being diagnosed, Vooss’ dedication to her students and her colleagues were deep-rooted within the community. She is remembered for her bright smile and personality, and the warmth that radiated from within. “Melinda’s personality was infectious, as was her perseverance. She was an authentic human being who managed her struggles with dignity and grace. Melinda was a model for our students as they approached their own academic challenges, and they embraced her,” remarked Dr. Judy Jankowski, CBA Head of School.
While the annual student art show has been a CBA tradition for many years, the show will take on a new look this year by incorporating musical performances, poetry readings and maker creations, in addition to the visual arts. All of the pieces are crafted and performed by the school’s talented student artists and faculty members and feature a variety of different mediums. This year’s show will begin with a message from Head of School Dr. Jankowski and Scott Vooss, Melinda’s husband. Upper school literature teacher and award-winning poet, author and recording artist Synnika Lofton will share a piece in her memory, and the student choir will perform. Friends of CBA and the Vooss family are invited, and the event is open to the community.
Scott, and their children Zoey and Maxwell are creators of the fund and have been instrumental in the expansion of the event as a portion of the memorial fund will support the festival each year moving forward. ”Melinda had a true passion for teaching and took such joy in helping students become inquisitive, confident, and expressive artists. She found her place at CBA and was deeply committed to her work. I am honored to help advance her ideals and continue supporting the community and students that had such a profound impact on Melinda’s life,” shared Scott.
The mission of the fund is to honor Melinda’s legacy by supporting people and programs that awaken and inspire our inner artist and use the joy and power of art education as a platform to encourage curiosity, promote pride, spread positivity and build community.
