HAMMOND – Teacher Jennifer Gwiazda already has a unique resume, guiding both art and science classes at Bishop Noll Institute, but the Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship she just received will help hone her skills and broaden her horizons.
Providing grants to support personal and professional renewal projects, the program invites educators to develop and propose their own projects, continuing a program established in 1987 by Lilly Endowment Inc. to support the renewal of Indiana K-12 educators with grants of up to $15,000 each to 129 educators working in schools throughout the state.
The grants fund renewal projects the educators design themselves, which the endowment hopes will help restore their commitment to their profession, foster creativity and, in turn, enhance the educational experiences of their students. “The reaction of my students, especially the freshmen who will definitely be here when I return, was a lot of clapping and questions like, ‘Where are you going?’ and ‘What are you going to do?’”
Gwiazda’s project focuses on her passion for art – specifically sculpture – and travel. First, the fellowship will fund the purchase of a kiln for Gwiazda’s Schererville home to enhance her personal artistry. Secondly, it will enable her to travel to Italy in the summer of 2026.
She will spend a week at Salemi Ceramics Retreat, a hands-on experience in Sicily that will give her full exposure to her medium of choice. “They provide meals and all the materials, and they even ship our works home,” said the Illinois native. “My husband, Christopher Siatta, is coming with me and will also join the retreat, so I’ll be giving him some ceramics lessons in advance so he’ll be more confident about participating. I have found us an Airbnb nearby, which should make it very convenient.”
After the retreat, the couple will head to Rome for another week of immersion – this time in the art, architecture, culture and history of Italy. “The reason I planned the trip for the summer of 2026 was because I anticipated how crowded Rome will be during this Jubilee Year, and I wanted to make getting around easier. I look forward to seeing the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, art museums and other iconic sites, taking a lot of guided tours and doing a lot of journaling.
“This opportunity is truly life-changing,” she added. “The journey is not just about renewal, but a celebration of perseverance,” continued the classroom veteran. “Being chosen for this fellowship is such an affirming moment, and I’m beyond grateful to see this dream come to life. I can’t wait to share this experience and continue growing as both an artist and an educator, but also to realize that if they are passionate about something, it’s worth dedicating themselves to achieve it, no matter how ambitious their dreams may be,” Gwiazda said.
A graduate of Thornton Fractional North High School in Calumet City, Ill., Gwiarzda pursued a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Biology at DePaul University, “but I also took a lot of art classes, because it was another of my loves.”
After graduation and student teaching, Gwiarzda took a position teaching science at Seton Academy in South Holland, Ill., but due to a last-minute staff change, she also added an art course. “I taught at Seton until it closed in 2016, and then taught just art in grades 3-7 for one year at Gary Lighthouse Academy before I joined the Bishop Noll faculty. Now I’m teaching integrated chemistry and physics, and also ceramics, in addition to sponsoring the Art Club,” she said. “I wanted to be back teaching in a Catholic school,”
Ceramics is a popular course at BNI using the school’s state-of-the-art Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics Lab. Students create pinch bowls, coil pots, slab boxes and other sculptures, then apply all of the techniques they have learned to make a final project of their choice.
Firing of projects is done in a new Skutt-brand kiln. The high-quality kiln even boasts a Wi-Fi feature that allows Gwiazda to check the temperature and firing status from her phone elsewhere in the school.
The Endowment launched the Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program in 1987 to offer encouragement and support to Indiana’s K-12 educators working in public and private schools. This year’s fellows are classroom teachers, principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, counselors, social workers, librarians and media specialists. The 129 fellowship recipients this year work in a variety of school settings, including traditional public schools, charter schools and private schools (both independent and religiously affiliated). These schools are located in cities and towns and in suburban and rural communities throughout Indiana.
As in previous years, educators proposed a variety of renewal projects that reflect their longing to establish habits that nurture their physical and emotional wellbeing through exercise, meditation and journaling. Two educators will explore so-called Blue Zones in Japan and Greece, places defined by daily practices that promote wellness. Other projects involve intellectual interests, such as participating in an archeological dig and learning new languages. Some projects include exploring nature and national parks in the United States and Canada, where educators will climb the highest peaks, seek solitude in the backcountry and experience the beauty and tranquility of islands and seashores.
Several projects are devoted to creative pursuits, such as plein air painting, leatherworking, Irish dancing, art history and architecture. Other fellows will travel to Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America to discover new cultures or explore personal ancestries.
Caption: Jennifer Gwiazda, who teaches both art and science classes at Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, measures some materials for ceramics class students last month. She will be taking a ceramics retreat in Sicily, Italy in 2026 and also spend a week absorbing the art and culture of Rome thanks to a Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship she recently received. (Provided photo)