by Christy Rodriguez de Conte

Longtime arts educator, Julie Childers, reminds us that the arts matter as she spearheads the 18th annual Tallahassee Chalk Walk on March 22.

According to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, Florida ranks 10th in the nation for its total legislative appropriations per capita at $3.76. Though a notable jump from their 25th ranking in 2021 to $0.79 per capita, the arts still need funding.

However, over the past two decades, one local Tallahassee teacher has actively changed that. With the hopes of providing visibility to our artistic youth, founder Julie Childers created and sustained the Tallahassee Chalk Walk.

Over the years, the Tallahassee Chalk Walk has evolved into a county-wide collaboration between the Tallahassee/Leon County Council on Arts & Culture, the Leon County Schools, and the Division of Arts and Culture as a way to celebrate students and their achievements.

And for the first time since 2020, this year’s Chalk Walk at the Capitol will be in-person again.

Childers is no stranger to the classroom or the fight to build a fruitful and fulfilling arts curriculum. After a chance encounter with some southern Georgia peaches while studying overseas, Childers always fancied the South. She followed that feeling to the University of Georgia, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Painting. A positive career in digital design gave Childers the technical understanding she’d need in her future classrooms.

Living by the motto, “You have to do what you love, or you’ll be miserable,” Childers earned a Masters in Arts Education at Florida State University, which drew her back to her original love of drawing and painting.

In the mid-1990s, when computer and digital art programs in schools were neither standardized nor the norm, Childers created a comprehensive curriculum to support a Career & Technical Education Program at Godby High School. The program was so successful that a few years later, Childers was asked to start the same program when Lawton Chiles High School opened its doors.

Over the years, Childers has developed an arts program that serves many skilled students in various mediums, including computer art, graphic design, technical education, and even silk screen printing. Additionally, Childers teaches Advanced Placement Art History, where she instills the value of problem-solving. Childers believes art allows you to think critically and creatively and teaches you how to think.

Her goal is for students to process and adapt what they learn in her class for themselves, personally and professionally.

“My hope is that all the kids that come through my [class]room will appreciate design creativity and want to support it throughout their lives. I tell them, ‘Most of you will not be a graphic designer, but you are still going to have to think creatively,’” says Childers. “This class teaches discipline, passion, responsibility, and deadlines.” These are all things Childers professes will help them in their lives.

Julie Childers will retire this year. She seems torn over her choice but believes it is a necessity. She shares that COVID-19 has changed the experience of education and educators, leaving some, like Childers, with a yearning for more. “I’ve taught for 35 years. I want to do some art myself,” admits Childers. “I haven’t painted in years – all of my creativity has gone into creating curriculum…Even if it’s just for me and nobody else sees it, it’s just the act of creating.”

Childers leaves a legacy of several students who have continued to work within and support the arts. She will cherish the blocks of art painted in her room by the art students but will not miss the 4:30 a.m. start to her day.

Continuing events such as the Tallahassee Chalk Walk highlight the impact of Childers. It is seen in the works of students painstakingly recreating the works of famous artists on the sidewalks of the Capitol.

It is also in the minds of state officials and legislators walking by during session. Hopefully, it reminds everyone of the difference and importance of the arts and how each artist always leaves their mark.

Read the article on the Tallahassee Democrat.