MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — For 39 years, Kelly Warne has taught students that the sky’s the limit when it comes to art.

Now, as Warne is nearing retirement, the Oneco Elementary School art teacher is being hailed as an A+ Teacher.

Pursuing this career was a perfect fit for Warne.

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“I come from a family of artists so art was always a part of my life,” she said. “I also come from a family of teachers.”

She’s been at this school since the beginning of her career and has loved coming to work each day.

“I love the creative process,” Warne said. “And kids have so much energy and enthusiasm for the creative process and it makes working every day fun.”

And her kids are having fun learning a subject that’s enjoyable and important, Warne said.

“Having information about how to decipher images and create images and interpret images and the process of that in your visual thinking is a good thing,” she said.

Warne said she’s made so many connections during her time here and she’ll take those with her at the end of May when she retires.

“I’m hopeful that there’s somebody that’s going to come to know and love Oneco,” Warne said. “And enjoy the students and the teachers as much as I do.”