The School of Education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' (UAF) mission is to prepare and retain high quality educators who are prepared to serve children in a state that is geographically, linguistically and culturally diverse. In the K-12 Art Licensure Program, interns are paired with a qualified mentor teacher in an elementary art program in the fall semester, and a secondary art classroom in the spring semester. This sequence of placements provides the opportunity for the intern to hone teaching and classroom management skills across a range of grades, while building professional relationships within their community, oftentimes in more than one school. The yearlong internship allows future teachers to experience a school year from beginning to end, building skills and practicing new strategies provided in their coursework while being supported by their mentor teacher, university supervisor and instructors. They graduate prepared to enter the education profession with confidence and competence in pedagogical skills, as well as a deep understanding of and responsiveness to the cultural, environmental, and social emotional context of the children for whom they share responsibility with families and community. This success story shares background about the K-12 Art Licensure Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks through the experiences of Robin Child, assistant professor of elementary education, and Grace Bieber, a recent graduate of the program.