Gretchen Hale Inspires Students to Become Artists at St. Margaret Mary

Mrs. Hale’s hope for students in her classroom: “I hope they learn that every person is an artist!”

The enriching curriculum at Orlando Catholic Schools not only includes a solid foundation in the fundamentals – language, mathematics, science, and social studies – but also an education in the arts. Art classes provide students with the opportunity to expand their creativity, build fine motor skills, and develop their God-given talents.

At St. Margaret Mary Catholic School in Winter Park, Mrs. Gretchen Hale leads an exceptional art program. Students visit her imaginative Art Room once a week and create a variety of hands-on projects, including drawing, painting, sculpture, and printmaking.

Learn more about Mrs. Hale, her approach to inspiring students, and why she was selected as St. Margaret Mary’s Distinguished Catholic Educator of the Year.

From Art Student to Teacher: Inspired by Creativity

Mrs. Hale grew up in Ocala and attended Blessed Trinity Catholic School for her primary education. Attending Catholic school helped her build a solid foundation in both her faith and academics.

One of her most inspiring academic experiences was high school art class with Mr. Yakulevich (Mr. Y). “He taught me how to ‘see’ like an artist, and he always led us through fun projects that helped us to discover our own creativity,” she says.

Mrs. Hale studied Studio Art in college, where she also discovered a passion for teaching. She later became an assistant at an elementary school and then began teaching. During her first years as a teacher, her family moved frequently so she had the opportunity to teach in many different settings and at different grade levels.

She joined St. Margaret Mary in 2017, and now brings her 13 years of teaching experience as well as her passion for the arts to the classroom.

Helping Students Explore Their God-Given Talents

Mrs. Hale creates a caring, engaging space where students explore art media, study artists both past and present and practice how to use art as a means of self-expression – with many opportunities to share and display their artwork throughout the year.

She engages students in the learning experience through demonstration videos, music, storybooks, and art discussion. “The most rewarding part of my job,” she says, “is when a child is proud of what they have created! Especially when, at first, they thought it was something they would not be able to do.”

For Mrs. Hale, the classroom is also a place to form faith and teach important moral foundations, like service and compassion for others. “It is such a blessing that we can share our faith and incorporate prayer and our spiritual life into our daily lessons and interactions,” she says. “Our school is a very special place where the importance of helping others is taught and practiced every day in the classroom.”

Getting to Know Mrs. Hale

What does Mrs. Hale love outside the classroom? Here are a few fun facts:

• Her family has three fish and a gecko named Diva.

• She enjoys painting, traveling, gardening, reading, and visiting with friends and family.

• Her favorite book is “Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes.

• Her favorite movie is “Mary Poppins.”

• A Bible story she loves is the story of Ruth.

• Her favorite place to travel in Florence, Italy.

• If she could have any superpower, it would be the ability to be in two places at once!

We thank Mrs. Hale for the inspiration, kindness, and dedication she brings to her Art Room at St. Margaret Mary!

Faces of Catholic Education is an ongoing series in which we spotlight faculty and staff at Orlando Catholic Schools and celebrate the love they have in their hearts for seeing children grow through Catholic school education.