Phoebe Moyer, East Central High School, First Minnesota Reflective Artist Award Recipient

May 27, 2025

Congratulations to the first recipient of the Minnesota Reflective Artist Award, Phoebe Moyer! Moyer is a junior at East Central High School in Finlayson, MN. Phoebe’s advisor was Amber Benner, East Central Theater Director of the fall and spring plays.

Phoebe is completing her junior year at East Central High School and she has been involved in theater since third grade. Her sister encouraged her to join back then, and theater quickly became a big part of her life. Phoebe loves to be on stage, but she has also helped with other aspects of the productions including set design, painting, costumes, and makeup.

L to R: Amber Benner, East Central Theater Director; Phoebe Moyer, Minnesota Reflective Artist Award recipient; Dr. Stephanie Lein Walseth, Perpich Theater Education Specialist; Dr. Wendy Barden, Perpich Director of Professional Development and Resource Programs

Phoebe was encouraged to work on the Minnesota Reflective Artist Award by her theater director, Amber Benner, both as a personal challenge and a role model for future thespians at East Central. Of her talented and hard-working student, Benner said, “Some students raise the bar—Phoebe painted it, memorized and acted it, and turned it into a masterpiece. Winning this incredible award is just the latest stroke of brilliance from an artist who turns limitless imagination into unforgettable art. I couldn’t be prouder of our sweet Phoebe!”

When asked what she is most proud of in her work, Phoebe responded, “I’m proud of every outcome with my portfolio, but if I had to choose, I would say the video clip I submitted from [our fall] show, Honk! The Musical.”

The award was presented to Phoebe Moyer at the East Central High School Theatre Awards Night on May 23, 2025 by Perpich Center’s Dr. Stephanie Lein Walseth, Theater Education Specialist, and Dr. Wendy Barden, Director of Professional Development and Resource Programs. Barden reflected, “We are very proud of the work and growth we saw in Phoebe Moyer’s portfolio, and we know there are many others across Minnesota who would be up to this challenge. This is a great opportunity to recognize the achievement of individual students in the Arts!”

The Minnesota Reflective Artist Award is open to students across the state in grades 11 and 12. Students select one arts area—dance, media arts, music, theater, or visual arts. They develop a portfolio of two projects in that arts area for which they create an original work, respond to artwork of others, and/or perform an existing work or present a collection of artwork. Each project is accompanied by a journal that follows the development of that work, then a culminating reflection brings together experiences, insights, and growth over the two projects. Through their work on this award, students fine tune their artistic craft, but also focus more intentionally on often hidden skills in the arts that also transfer to college and career—analyzing, evaluating, goal-setting, being persistent, problem-solving, and reflecting. Journals help to make these hidden skills more visible.

Phoebe Moyer is from Sandstone, MN and is the child of Shelley and Frank Moyer.