Nurturing the artistic self in young people helps shape them into the people they have yet to become. It’s important that they learn to believe that they have value in this world. And we as teaching artists have the privilege of helping to nourish that growth by encouraging them to embrace their creativity and imagination. This is my mission at WhyArts.

Jenna is a freestyle visual artist and drama instructor. She spends most of her free time imagining new ways of putting her thoughts to paper with paint or working as an actor in independent film. She is deeply invested in studying her craft through not only literature, but by watching countless hours of film and television.

She began her decades of performing at 5 years old when her parents put her in her first acting class. She’s proud to say she nailed her first performance as a tree in the class’s production of Cinderella. Since then, she’s gone on to take on many lead and supporting roles throughout her school years, studied musical theater at NYU’s Tisch school of the arts, and accepted many wonderful roles in Omaha’s community theater and independent film. Most recently she was nominated for Best Actress in a short film at a film festival in New Jersey.
Aside from acting, Jenna enjoys filling her free time by painting and drawing using many mediums such as acrylic, oil pastel, and simple markers. One of her paintings is currently being displayed at Memoir downtown. Abstract art is her specialty, but she does enjoy a bit of jewelry making and sewing from time to time as well.
This will be Jenna’s 4th year teaching for WhyArts. She also has experience teaching preschool, has worked as a paraprofessional in the resource department in Bennington, and worked as a para at Brook Valley high school helping non-verbal students. All these teaching experiences have been incredible. She’s very grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know so many wonderful kids.