Jennifer Bell, holder of a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts / glass art from the University of Texas at Arlington, has been awarded two deserved recognitions for her contributions to the advancement of student understanding.

For the 2008 - 2009 school year, Ms. Bell is the teacher occupying the Angela D. Paulos Chair for Teaching Excellence in Visual Arts. Given to an exemplary Fort Worth Independent School District art teacher each year, Ms. Bell epitomised the teacher that exceeded what is expected on a daily basis both inside the classroom and outside the normal school hours. In receiving this honor, the Fort Worth ISD recognized her for tireless efforts. For the Twentieth Anniversary Imagination Celebration Parade, for example, she worked with and guided the students in the use of recyclables to make Egyptian costumes, as well as using a laundry basket and papier mache to build a large representation of the school's mascot cobra. Not only have her students also won Best of Show for their age group at the Main Streets Arts Festival with their glass jewelry, Ms. Bell has also provided workshops for other teachers, college studnets, and parents of students who are attending tutoring on Saturdays.

Recently Ms. Bell learned, and was surprised, that Humanities Texas has selected her as one of only twelve teachers in the state to receive the 2008-2009 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award. These prestigious awards are presented annually to exemplary teachers of history, literature, foreign languages, government, social studies, and other hunmanties classes in the state. She was chosen from a state-wide field of highly qualified nominees, and will be presented with her award at a formal awards presentation once the 2009-2010 school year has begun.