KIBSD Assistant Superintendent to Receive Governor’s Award

Marilyn Davidson. Kayla Desroches / KMXT
Marilyn Davidson. Kayla Desroches / KMXT

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

One of the major players in how arts education looks in the Kodiak Island Borough School District just learned that she’ll receive a Governor’s Award for her work.

The award recognizes individuals and organizations who have been influential to arts and humanities in Alaska, and there are a total of eight recipients, of which school district assistant superintendent Marilyn Davidson is one.

Davidson says when she heard the news, she cried.

“I was overwhelmed and I still am. I’m just really honored when I look at the other people who are receiving awards this year and, having worked with several of them, seeing those who have received the awards in the past, it’s just very meaningful for me, and I hope that some of the work that I’ve done will impact others in the way that I’ve been impacted.”

Davidson has committed her time to the arts scene both locally and statewide. During her 40-plus years in education, Davidson has been on the National Advisory Committee for the Kennedy Center Partners in Education program and served as the KIBSD representative to that program.

She’s also a founding member of the Alaska Arts Education Consortium and has worked on implementing artist residences in schools with the Alaska State Council on the Arts. When asked to highlight the projects she’s most proud of in the Kodiak School District, she inevitably ends up mentioning all of them.

The message is that, for Davidson, arts are vital to a well-rounded education.

“If we’re going to be creative, if we’re gonna to change things, if we’re going to take science forward, there has to be creative edge to that, and the arts are where that comes from. It allows them to use that science and math in new ways. And so, it’s not just about making music, it’s not just about creating a piece of art, but it’s about learning to think in that creative way.”

Davidson and the other recipients will attend an awards ceremony in Juneau to take place in late January.

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