Today we’d like to introduce you to Kassidy Crider.
Kassidy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have been an educator since 2017 and an artist at heart for as long as I can remember. As a mother to three amazing kiddos, including one with a developmental disability, my life has been beautifully shaped by resilience, creativity, patience, and unconditional love. My teaching career began in preschool, where I discovered the magic of early childhood education and the power of crafting as a tool for connection and growth. I quickly saw how art allows children to express what they may not yet have words for.
I currently serve as a Program Director at Community Stepping Stones, where I oversee staff, students, interns, and volunteers while leading the planning, execution, and evaluation of all program activities and events. I manage daily operations, develop classroom policies and procedures, and ensure organizational goals are met effectively and efficiently. In my previous role as an Art and Outreach Instructor, I designed and implemented engaging art lessons for students of all ages. I provided individualized instruction tailored to students’ skill levels and goals and led community workshops and outreach events.
Community Stepping Stones has been the heart of youth empowerment through art in Sulphur Springs since 1998. With a dedicated team of teaching artists, we offer free art programs to local youth, nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and community spirit. We believe in the transformative power of the arts to inspire, educate, and enrich lives. Through hands-on, engaging experiences, we work to blend education with self-expression to create safe spaces where young artists can explore, build confidence, and discover their unique voice.
Both my personal and professional journeys inspire the work I do every day. I believe art as the ability to transform lives, not just on canvas, but in our classrooms, homes, and communities. Every activity, every craft, and every lesson is an opportunity to help a child grow, heal, and shine to their fullest potential.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Consistent funding has always been one of the biggest struggles so far working for a non-profit. Community Stepping Stones provides art supplies for the students as well as nutritious snacks and meals during camps. Our main sources of funding are grants but these often cover only specific items or activities. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our supporters and partners who do make it possible for our program to meet our students needs and help our organization meet any funding gaps we may face.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We take so much pride in celebrating our students and their creations. Throughout the year, CSS students develop a wide range of skills while growing their artistic abilities. Using these skills, students create artwork that is showcased at exhibitions and events across the Tampa area. This presentation of their work builds confidence, strengthens their ability to follow project themes, and further enhances their art-making skills. Most of our art pieces celebrate sustainability and the power of reimagining everyday objects. We encourage our students to use recyclable materials to create works of art, showing that art can be made of anything. Our most recent artwork is now on display at Hillsborough County Center’s “Rising Voices: Creative Works by Hillsborough County Youth” art exhibit. We also showcased works of art at this year’s WMNF Tropical Heatwave Festival. We are not just teaching art; we are crafting brighter futures!
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I remember in art class one day the prompt was ‘paint a place that feels like home.” I watched my friends quickly start to paint their house or their bedroom, but I remember getting stuck at first. I knew what my home looked like, but I did not want to just paint my house. I was unsure how to turn a feeling from inside into an image on paper. I sat at my desk stuck for a few minutes. My teacher came over, my stomach dropped because I thought I was in trouble for not following directions, but she started to ask me some questions about what colors come to mind when I think about home, what specials things my mom does to make my happy, and other questions that reflected on what home felt like instead of what it looked like. That small conversation shifted everything for me. I ended up painting a version of my family in the center on the paper surrounded by a mix of things from my life at home that brough me comfort, covered with abstract swirls that made me feel happy and free. It didn’t look realistic or like any of the other students works of art, so I felt like I did something wrong, but my teacher didn’t correct it or suggest changes. She asked if she could use my art as an example in the next class. I was shocked and did not understand why so I asked “Why?”. She lifted my work for the whole class to see and expressed how it showed “feeling, not just objects,” which made me see my art differently. I was so proud of my creation after that moment, but what really stayed with me was not the painting itself, but the way the teacher treated imagination as something worth trusting, not something that needed to be fixed.
Pricing:
- Free for ages 5 to 13
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.communitysteppingstones.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/communitysteppingstones/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/communitysteppingstones
