By Krysthel Cisneros
Staff Writer

With hard work, creativity, and a paintbrush in hand, Mr. Eduardo Lacayo has been awarded this year’s Teacher of the Year award for MAST Academy. In his 23rd year of being in the arts education, he has distinguished himself as both a keen artist and a driven professor. Mr. Lacayo has been an active member of the MAST community and has immersed himself in the colorful nature found within the artistic world. Having participated in numerous exhibitions, collaborated on murals across several institutions, and taught generations of students on the studies of the arts would only be describing the surface of his vibrant career.

Moving as a young adult to Miami, Florida all the way from Managua, Nicaragua has allowed Mr. Lacayo to draw inspiration from his arduous journey. He would come to Miami to pursue degrees in architecture, fine arts, and arts education at Miami-Dade Community College and NOVA Southeastern University. As he began making his own mark in the public education system, he developed his artistic capabilities as well. When asked what inspires his pieces, he said “Life inspires me. My paintings become a visual record of my moods and feelings.” He managed to blend his passions for education and the arts in what could be described as his ideal profession, becoming not only a high school art teacher but a leader in his community.

A large portion of his journey as both an artist and teacher has been his students. Mr. Lacayo says that his goal is to “provide my students with opportunities to express their own feelings, ideas” and for his students to “learn about art as well as develop certain personal and behavioral skills such as 

confidence, creativity, responsibility, and aesthetic awareness through the study of art.” His aim as a teacher can be reflected in the nature of his students and how they now view art, many thanks to Mr. Lacayo’s expertise and guidance. Junior Amaya Monem says, “His assignments always excite me. The diversity in his lessons allows me to step out of my comfort zone and explore my artistic style.” Gianna DeGracia shared this similar experience, “He gives feedback and always encourages us to think outside the box to create something interesting,” she said. 

Mr. Lacayo’s art journey has been filled with vibrant projects and countless memories, and he is still looking forward to creating many more. With time he has managed to develop a more philosophical perspective regarding art and the way it impacts the world. He believes that art cannot compare to the beauty of nature, but nature cannot be compared to the beauty of a brushstroke. These observations have translated into his bodies of work and it has also influenced his approach to the way the art education career, one in which his primary goal is to uplift those around him through their own expressive journey of the arts. These ambitions can now all be displayed on the reflections of his MAST Academy teacher of the Year Award which will serve as a reminder of how far he has come, and how much work he plans on making.