FACULTY

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Indira Cureton-Cummings is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood/Career and Technical Education. She received a Masters in Fine Arts in Theatre Administration from New York City's Columbia University School of the Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Public Communication and the Arts from the State University of New York at Buffalo. As the Director of Drama at Eau Claire High School, she was recognized as Teacher of the Year 2011-12 and was an award recipient and grant writer for Disney's Music in You-High School Musical. Indira served as Co-Chair for the Career and Technical Education Standards Revision Committee for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. She also served as co-chair for the revision committee for National Board's policy statement What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do- the document that defines the Five Core Propositions. Indira was also the chair for the SC Theatre Standards Revision committee in 2017, South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency.  She has worked with the summer professional development institute Curriculum Leadership Institute in the Arts (CLIA) for over a decade and now serves as the CLIA Coordinator and Grants Manager.  

Cierra Asmond, a native of Columbia, SC began her studies in Richland School District One where she graduated from Keenan High School. She credits her success as a professional musician from the amazing foundation given by her grade school teachers (Anne Ezell, Brian McCants, Freddie Grace and Christi Lewis).  After graduating high school, Cierra furthered her studies at Converse College (Spartanburg, SC) where she studied with Miles Hoffman (Minute with Miles, NPR). After graduating with her Bachelor of Music in Performance she continued her studies at DePaul University (Chicago, IL), where she received her Master of Music in Viola Performance with the late Rami Solomonow. Cierra currently performs with orchestras in the southeast region (The Aiken Symphony Orchestra and The Rock Hill Symphony Orchestra), she is also a substitute musician with The South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra and The Greenville Symphony Orchestra. When time permits Cierra performs with The Colour of Music Festival and The Gateways Music Festival, both celebrating and acknowledging the importance of African-Americans in the Classical Music genre.

Nicole Czekalski, Director - has taught in public schools for 13 years, including 4 years at Round Top Elementary as the dance educator. While at Round Top, Ms. Hardenbergh taught creative dance, ballet, jazz and contemporary techniques, as well as choreographed and produced full-length ballet productions of The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and Wizard of Oz. She is in her eighth year as the Dance program director for PCA, where she recently directed Harry Potter the Ballet, Mary Poppins the Ballet, Pocahontas, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, Tarzan, The Lion King, Coppelia and Cinderella to rave reviews. A graduate of Winthrop University with a BA in Dance, Ms. Hardenbergh has also taught ballet, contemporary, lyrical and jazz for 11 years with the Tri-District Arts Consortium and is on Artistic staff at Ann Brodie's Carolina Ballet

Mrs. Czekalski also serves as choreographer for PCA Theatre including such musicals as Thoroughly Modern Millie, Grease, A Chorus Line, Hairspray, Fame, Seussical Into the Woods and Aida! 

Charlotte Fletcher is new to Richland Northeast High School! She is from Baltimore, Maryland, and a graduate of Towson University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Theatre Studies, and the University of South Carolina where she received a Master's degree in teaching Theatre. She is beyond thrilled to be here teaching Theatre 1, Theatre 3, Technical Theatre, as well as Theatre 1 PCA. She has experience in directing students, collegiate performances, professional performances, as well as school performances. She knows exactly how fulfilling it can be to be a part of a Theatre Department as a student and now as a teacher!    

Ms. Sharon Jacobs, 3 Dimensional and Level 1 Art Teacher at Richland Northeast High School Bachelors of Fine Arts, General Fine Arts, Maryland Institute of Art, Baltimore Maryland Masters of Arts in Teaching, Art Education, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC Ms. Jacobs joined RNE in August 2016 to teach the 3D classes such as ceramics, sculpture, and advanced 3D visual art in addition to the PCA Art 1 magnet honors. She has taught in public and private schools throughout South Carolina since 2005. Before earning her MAT she was part of the United States Army Reserve with a seven-year stint on active duty with the 18th Airborne Corps and 101st Airborne Air Assault Division. In her spare time, Ms. Jacobs rides horses, does art and crafts, reads, and spends time volunteering. She is an active member of the United States Pony Club and serves on the Greenville Foothills Pony Club board and the Carolina Region Board of Directors. She wants her students to "get messy and make mistakes".

Dr. Elizabeth Mears - graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Furman University. After teaching at Hughes Middle School in Greenville, she was named the school's Teacher of the Year. Dr. Mears then completed her Master of Music Education Degree at the University of South Carolina. She traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, where she taught at Eastern High School. Her choirs received "superior" ratings at local, state, and national festivals and were chosen to perform at the Kentucky Music Educators' State Convention. In 2001, Dr. Mears completed her studies and received a Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree from the University of South Carolina with an emphasis in choral conducting. She has continued her work with school and church choirs and is currently part of the Fine Arts Faculty at Richland Northeast High School.

Mary Catherine B. Raines is a 2009 National Board Certified visual art teacher; earned an MAT in Art Education and a BFA (concentration in painting and drawing) in Studio Art from the University of South Carolina. Currently, she teaches the International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Classes, Advanced Placement Art, PCA 2, Advanced 2-D Design, Painting, and Art 1. She sells works with the Trenholm Artist Guild in the 1425 Inn, the TAG market and show, Best Mattress on Devine, and personally at Haven's Gallery on Devine Street. Past exhibitions include a 4 person show at Certus Bank on Main, the Columbia Museum of Art Educators Gallery, HOFP Gallery, Sandlapper Art Gallery, Columbia College Invitational, Lipscomb Gallery, and McMaster Gallery at the University of South Carolina. In the 2014 South Carolina State Fair, Mary Catherine Raines won 2nd place in the Professional painting division for her artwork, Britt's Beach. Every Year Ms. Raines' PCA students win National and State Gold and Silver Scholastic Awards. For seven years, Mrs. Raines was honored to receive an award for the most student winners at the South Carolina State Fair. The PCA Visual Arts program had the honor of exhibiting collections of student works at the internationally acclaimed Martin Gallery in Charleston, SC three years in a row! The students also exhibit at the Village Artists Gallery, the Good Life Cafe, TAPP's on Main Street, and other venues in the greater Columbia area.    

   Garrick D. Rivers is a native of Atlanta, GA where his passion for music began at an early age. While studying from various musicians, mentors, and directors around the country such as Mr. Anthony J. Maiello and Dr. Marvin Pryor, he went on to graduate from Stephenson High School under the Musical direction of Mr. Nelson L. Render. Upon graduation, Mr. Rivers went on to study Music Education at South Carolina State University.  While attending SCSU he studied tuba with Mr. Joseph Celmer, Conducting Methods with Mr. Eddie Ellis, and Orchestration and Arranging with Mr. Benjamin McKnight. Mr. Rivers was a very successful musician and student leader, participating in a number of musical ensembles and organizations such as Student Director and Arranger for the “Marching 101” Band, Brass Quintet, Principle Tuba in the SCSU Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, and President of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity Inc.,  Mr. Rivers began his teaching career in 2010 at Martin Luther King, Jr. High School in Lithonia, GA as the Assistant Director of Bands. He has also served as the Assistant Band Director, Low Brass Professor, and Arranger at South Carolina State University.  Mr. Rivers most recently served as the Director of Bands at W. J. Keenan High School in Richland School District One and is currently enrolled in the Masters of Music Education Program at Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina.  As the Director of Bands at Richland Northeast High School it is his personal goal to utilize a visionary approach with a dependable formula to help students succeed in all future endeavors. As an eager and creative educator, he believes that all students can learn, perform, and thrive in a musical learning environment that is structured for growth. Ultimately, Mr. Rivers would like to serve as a positive male role model for students in the field of music, along with the community where he works.