Robin Lakso, art teacher at Bob Jones High School, was selected as a finalist for the “Teacher Hall of Fame” by Jacksonville State University. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Robin Lakso was selected as a finalist for the “Teacher Hall of Fame,” a tradition that Jacksonville State University (JSU) conducts for educators.

Lakso teaches art I, II, III, IV and advanced, along with advanced-placement Art Studio, at Bob Jones High School. Lakso sponsors homecoming and National Art Honor Society.

“Jacksonville State believes in teachers and our commitment to our students. It was an honor to meet and be interviewed by Dr. Kelly Ryan and the selection committee consisting of university staff and community representatives,” Lakso said.

The committee considered five secondary, five middle school and five elementary teachers as finalists.

Finalists aren’t necessarily alumni of JSU. “These awards were started in 1969 celebrating educators across the state, regardless of where they went to college,” Lakso said.

During her teaching career, Lakso “will never forget Laurie McKelvie who taught art at Bob Jones for 10-plus years. She took me under her wing and taught me what it’s like to teach foundations of art, something I still do today.”

In addition, McKelvie showed Lakso that “teaching a student is so much more important than teaching a ‘class of students.’ They all learn in their own way and at their own time,” Lakso said.

Lakso earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree at Western Maryland (McDaniel) College. She earned extra credits from Athens State University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Before teaching the last 10 years at Bob Jones, Lakso also taught at Fort Meade and Clarksville, Md.

She and husband Scott have two children: Erik and Vic Lakso and daughters Emma and Sophie, and Liz and Alex Vaughn and son Magnus.

“My husband’s job moved us to this area in 1999. We chose Madison, and particularly Bob Jones, because our daughter was an ‘arts student’ … not only art but music and tech theater,” Robin said. “We needed to allow our daughter the best arts education we could. We found that at Bob Jones.”

Lakso was 2014 “Secondary Teacher of the Year” for Madison City Schools.