Ambassador

Cheryl Lunger started her career as a zookeeper, which kept her active both physically and mentally. After 10 years of working with most major mammals, and focusing on primates, Lunger transferred to the Education Department, where she worked almost four years and trained animals for Outreach Programs, working primarily with elementary-aged children. She then went on to run the Art/Exhibits Department for 10 more years. Strangely, this prepared her well for her career as a teacher. When she was given the opportunity to teach at a new school, LaVilla School of the Arts, Lunger jumped at it. She had always had a goal of ending her career as a teacher, and the school allowed her to merge her interests in art, science, and history into a curriculum. Anyone who knows Lunger knows that she believes in knowledge, not just data. Data, though useful, is facts that are not understood. She has always pushed her students to go beyond things you can memorize and toward things you understand—gain knowledge and imbue it. Her projects always wrapped around real-world issues, quite often showcasing environmental harm, human development issues, and self-reflection and empathy toward others. That is why the ARTEFFECT Competition fit so well. Painting a beautiful painting has its place, but creating meaningful work creates an artist.