Below are the artists and educators contributing to this year's project. We are grateful to each of them!
Nicholas Gulig - Thai-American Writer, Photographer, Scholar, Wisconsin Poet Laureate
Nicholas Gulig - A Thai-American poet from Wisconsin, Nicholas Gulig was educated at the University of Montana (BA), the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop (MFA), and the University of Denver (PhD). A 2011 Fulbright Scholar to Thailand, Dr. Gulig has received numerous awards for his work, including the CSU 2017 Open Book Poetry Award, the Wisconsin People & Ideas Poetry Prize, the Grist ProForma Prize, the Black Warrior Review Poetry Prize, the Ruskin Arts Club Award, and the Cutbank Prose Poetry Award. With over 30 print and online publications to his credit, Dr. Gulig is also the author of the poetry collections North of Order (YesYes Books), Book of Lake (CutBank), and Orient (Cleveland State University). An Assistant Professor at he University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, he currently resides in Fort Atkinson with his wife and daughter.
Marie Douglas - Composer
Marie A. Douglas, a composer hailing from Atlanta, has garnered widespread acclaim for her exceptional talent in seamlessly blending genres and textures within her captivating concert stage pieces. Her music serves as a profound reflection of her inner-city upbringing and her diverse musical experiences, infusing a genuine and authentic essence into each composition. Douglas draws significant inspiration from the African Diaspora, effectively integrating elements of hip-hop and western art music idioms to create compositions that resonate with a wide range of audiences. With her works captivating concert-goers across the United States and Canada, Marie's artistry extends beyond the stage as she collaborates with various ensembles and lends her creative prowess to the world of film music, as well as hip hop and r&b. Marie earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Memphis under the guidance of distinguished mentors Kamran Ince and Albert Nguyen, her unwavering dedication to sonic innovation continues to shape the evolving tapestry of her artistic expression.
AJ Juarez - Dancer & Founder/Director of Barrio Dance, Madison, WI
AJ Juarez - I'm AJ, founder and director of Barrio Dance. Barrio has been my lifelong dream. Growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I was surrounded by diverse and high-quality training for dancers of all ages in studios. I am ambitious to combine this idea with the concept of 'barrio,' or neighborhood, like the ones I grew up in, where every neighbor had each others' backs and there was such a strong sense of community and support.
I began dance training in latin ballroom, but quickly discovered a love for lyrical jazz, musical theatre, hip hop, and modern contemporary styles. I studied dance at the Julio Bocca School of Musical Theatre and immediately began performing in productions of “Applause” and “Aladdin” in Argentina’s Broadway. I was member of Chet Walker’s Fosse company, a featured dancer on Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, and I have danced and choreographed for Argentina’s “Dancing with the Stars,” “Singing for a Dream,” and “Dreaming to Dance.” In the states, I've choreographed commercials, choreographed for Carnival in Los Angeles, and connected with some of the best dance leaders in the Midwest.
Scott Terry - Visual Artist & Educator
Scott Terry is a Wisconsin-based visual artist whose work is a look into the power, presence and lives of the black diaspora. Using oil pastels, watercolor and other mediums, Terry weaves his ideas and themes into beautiful portraits of life and history
Wauwatosa East High School Theatre Arts - Colleen Jaskulski, theatre arts educator
The Tosa East Players produce two full-scale theatrical productions each year. The Tosa East Players also present a Players Showcase each year. This showcase offers students the opportunity to show their talents in ways they may not have the opportunity to do to in the main stage shows. The Tosa East Players strive to create exceptional theatre experiences for our students, staff, and community, while providing a safe and positive educational atmosphere for all who participate in our productions.
Colleen Jaskulski
Colleen Jaskulski received her degree in K-12 Theatre Education from UW-Milwaukee in 2017 and has been teaching theatre in the Milwaukee area ever since. She is currently in her sixth year as the director of the Wauwatosa East Players and the theatre teacher at Wauwatosa East. She also serves as the president of the Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Educators. She is passionate about working with young people to tell stories and create works that are rooted in empathy, understanding, and creativity.
Matt Wigdahl - Media Artist
Matt is an educator with a passion for animation, motion graphics & interdisciplinary design. He lives, teaches, and makes things in Menomonie.
He graduated as a Fine Arts major from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where his first loves were watercolor and drawing. He recently earned a Master of Fine Arts in Design at U.W. Stout, researching motion design and tangible user interface—while also leveling up in glass design, 3D printing, instructional installation design, and cinematography.
He is National Board certified as an elementary educator and has taught in Minnesota, Alaska, and Wisconsin. His goal is to design inspiring, surprising, and authentic instructional experiences for students. To this end, he draws upon—and continually seeks better insight into—good design and human motivation.
Darlayne Coughlin - Music Educator, Kromrey Middle School, Middleton-Cross Plains School District
Mrs. Coughlin is the lead teacher for 6th & 8th grade band. She also pushes in to help 5th and 7th grade band. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and her Master's in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. She is in her 17th year of teaching and is thrilled to be starting another school year and excited to connect with all of her band students and families!
In addition to teaching band, Mrs. Coughlin is a member of the Tundra Line, the official drumline of the Green Bay Packers. She has been performing at all home Packer games for what will hopefully be her 16th season. She has two cute kiddos: Danicka who is 9 and goes to Northside and LOVES playing the flute and piano. (In August 2022, she played a flute solo in a recital in New York City)! Derrick is a 6 year old aspiring drummer who's favorite songs to play are "We Will Rock You" and "Seven Nation Army". You will likely see Mrs. Coughlin's husband, Patrick around Kromrey too! He is a college athletic band director in Waukesha, WI and a percussionist. Outside of school, Mrs. Coughlin enjoys teaching young children in group piano classes, spending time with her nieces and nephew and keeping busy with friends and family.
Devon Calvert - Art Educator, Harmony & Consolidated Elementary Schools, Milton Area School District
Devon Calvert is a dedicated art educator who has passionately shared his love for art history and contemporary art with K-3 students in Milton, Wisconsin, for over a decade. His commitment to art education extends beyond the classroom. He has served as President of the Wisconsin Art Education Association, advocating for quality art education across the state. Most recently, he completed his term as the National Art Education Association’s Elementary Division Director, influencing art education practices on a national scale. Devon regularly presents, sharing his expertise at both state and national conferences on the integration of digital and contemporary art within the elementary curriculum. Outside of his professional life, Devon enjoys a variety of personal pursuits. He likes to go on backpacking adventures, expresses his creativity through painting, and appreciates watching movies. He also enjoys the hands-on challenge of remodeling his home. Above all, he cherishes time spent with his wife, Julia, his son, Sully, and their dog, Birdie.
Dannielle Arneson - Media Art Educator, Sheboygan North High and CHANGE Academy
Dannielle has been a Wisconsin-based art educator for over 22 years teaching to all ages from kindergarten to adult. She is a Nationally Board Certified Art Educator and Wisconsin Master Educator. In 2023, she was named Secondary Art Educator of the Year in Wisconsin. Her art lessons have been featured in national magazines and publications. She is a freelance professional artist, photographer, and graphic designer. When she is not in the art classroom, you can find Dannielle… well, all over. She remains busy with her three sons, husband, and dog at numerous sporting events, outdoor explorations, home improvements, and traveling in wonderlust. She appreciates noise, chaos, and never-ending projects as the entertaining parts of life. In her downtime, she likes to paint (oil is her favorite), draw in ink, create 3D sculptures, or experiment with all types of art media in her home studio.
Lucie Wrona Sullivan - Dance Educator
Lucie Sullivan is an enthusiastic dancer and educator inspired by the everyday ‘lightbulb’ moments of life. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in May 2025 with dual degrees in Dance and Elementary Education and certificates in Pilates and Early Childhood. Lucie is a motivated and energized individual who is always looking for something to do! While in school, she was a five-year member and captain of the UW Dance Team and held several mentorship opportunities through the UW Dance Department and the We Are Queens 501(c)(3) organization. Lucie currently serves as a teaching artist for the UW Dance Exchange as well as a performing artist for Gus Legacy Company in Chicago. She believes dance education holds immense potential to catalyze positive change, both within individuals and communities. By promoting movement and community involvement, dance education has the power to transform lives and contribute to a better society. Lucie approaches teaching grounded in the belief that every child deserves to feel capable, valued, and unique in nurturing spaces that encourage individual exploration and development. Whether she finds herself in a classroom or onstage, she is excited to further her artistic growth and inspire others to find movement in their own lives.
Amanda Leurquin - Theatre Arts & English Educator, Marshfield High School
After joining high school theatre on a whim, when her high school produced 1776, she assistant directed as a sophomore with the show Fiddler on the Roof. From there on, Leurquin appeared briefly on stage, but mostly as an assistant director and backstage crew, and never thought she’d be teaching theatre until her first teaching position needed a one-act play advisor. After that year, she spent four years in the Merrill School District, teaching English and directing the school musical annually. While in the Wausau area, she assistant directed shows with the Central Wisconsin Educational Theatre Alliance (CWETA) which brings together talent from 12+ schools in the Wausau Area bi-annually, to perform a large-scale production with an emphasis on educational opportunities for audiences and theatre education for students involved.
In 2013, she accepted her current position at Marshfield High School, her Alma Mater, and has been developing a theatre education program through her drama classes, English coursework and the annual play and musical. Her newest role is as advisor for the International Thespian Troupe, which the Drama Club joined in 2023. In the summer, she contributes to the Chestnut Center for the Arts in Marshfield, leading a summer theatre camp for the youth, as well as a middle school summer course with the school district. Leurquin received her M.S. in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado - Greely in 2022, her teacher certification from Lawrence University in 2008, and her undergraduate degrees in English and Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2004. One of the greatest gifts that involvement in theatre provides students with is a love for creativity and the arts throughout their lives, benefiting the community as whole with unique interests, creative thinkers and culture!
UW-Madison Concert Choir, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble (Recordings)
UW Concert Choir - Mariana De Oliveria Farah
UW Symphony Orchestra - Oriol Sans
UW Wind Ensemble - Scott Teeple