KUNSMILLER CREATIVE ARTS ACADEMY
Middle School Program
Imagining and Achieving since 2009
MIDDLE SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS TEAM
Drama Department
Martha Burgess - martha_burgess@dpsk12.org
6th Grade Exploratory Language Arts and Middle School Performing Arts
Martha Crouse is the 6th grade Exploratory
Arts teacher and one of the teachers who
help found Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy
in 2009. Her love for the performing arts began in elementary school and lead to a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theater Performance from the University of South Dakota. In 2007, Ms. Crouse earned a Master’s degree in Drama Therapy from Kansas State University and joined the charter Denver corps of Teach for America. She became a registered Drama Therapist and was inducted into the National Association for Drama Therapy in November of 2011. Ms. Crouse has been awarded the Mile High teacher of the year in 2007 (Rachel B. Noel) and 2012 (KCAA) and enjoys directing the annual Staff Musical at KCAA. She believes that the arts are an amazing tool for building self confidence, social awareness, and empathy for others. Through the 6th grade Exploratory Arts class at KCAA she hopes to inspire a life long joy of learning and expressing ones self through the arts.
Lacey Ruskin - lacey_ruskin@dpsk12.org
Middle and High School Drama
The adventure of teaching at Kunsmiller is a
dream come true! A warrior from an early age, I
have been forging unknown territory from the
beginning. Originally from New Jersey, I came to
Colorado via Florida and Alaska. Travelling
around the country as a musical theatre performer, I traded in my desire to work professionally as an actor to stay in Talkeetna, Alaska for almost ten years. While there, I served as the Executive Director for Denali Arts Council where I founded a youth summer stock theatre program, directing shows such as Pippin, Godspell and Schoolhouse Rocks! I came to Colorado in 2008 to make a career change to education, and it was the best decision I ever made! As the first person in my family to earn a master’s degree, (M.A.Ed) I feel an awesome responsibility to myself, my family and most importantly the students at KCAA, to do my best each day and seek out opportunities for improvement. I can’t wait to experience all that this year has to offer with the amazing staff and students here at Kunsmiller.
Sarah Burton - sara_burton@dpsk12.org
Middle School Vocal Music and Keyboarding and High School Musical Theatre
Luke Wachter - luke_wachter@dpsk12.org
Middle and High School Instrumental Music
Luke Wachter is now in his 4thYear at KCAA
teaching instrumental and general music. As a
Denver native, he is excited to continue bringing
an innovative arts education to students in the
Denver community. Mr. Wachter holds
bachelor’s degrees in both Music Education and Percussion Performance, summa cum laude, from the Metropolitan State University of Denver. In addition to teaching band, strings, rock band, piano, sound painting and general music at KCAA, Mr. Wachter is also an active performing artist on drums and percussion in Denver and the front range areas playing everything from jazz to opera to classical music. In his spare time he enjoys cooking, reading, and riding his bike to work off the cooking.