Carolyn Kreiter-ForondaKreiter is pronounced like Writer (born 1946) is an American poet, artist, and educator. She was named Poet Laureate of Virginia by the Governor, Tim Kaine in 2006, and served in this position through 2008. She has published numerous poetry collections. Kreiter-Foronda is also an abstract colorist painter, and her paintings have been featured in solo exhibitions.

Early life Kreiter-Foronda was born in Central Virginia in 1946. Her mother, Lucille Kreiter, was her teacher in fifth and sixth grades. Her father, Victor Kreiter, Sr., was her high school principal at Highland Springs High School. She spent her youth in Crewe, Pulaski, and Sandston, Virginia. As a child, she read poetry and wrote her first poem before entering elementary school. Encouraged by her parents, she devoted hours to writing poetry and fiction. Her parents also influenced her decision to become an English and creative writing teacher.

While attending high school, she developed an interest in journalism and became a staff member of the school newspaper, Highland Fling. She also served as a youth page correspondent for the Richmond News Leader. She was inducted into Quill and Scroll and the Beta Club. During her sophomore year, she received a Citizenship Award, and as a senior, she was awarded a Future Teachers of America Scholarship and the Dr. Joseph Haven Hoge Memorial Scholarship for university study.

She attended Mary Washington College (now the University of Mary Washington). While there, she was a member of Hoofprints and won several first-place awards in horse shows. During her senior year, she served as president of the Student Education Association and as vice-president of the Student Virginia Education Association. In 1969, she graduated with a B.A. in English (Mortar Board).

She received a Master of Arts, a Master in Education, and a Ph.D. degree from George Mason University, where she studied creative writing under Peter Klappert and Ai. In 1983, she was awarded the first doctorate presented by the school. She won a Scholarship and Service Award and a Letter of Recognition for Quality Research from the Virginia Educational Research Association for her dissertation, Gathering Light: A Poet's Approach to Poetry Analysis.

Career In August 1969, Kreiter-Foronda started her teaching career at West Springfield High School in Springfield, Virginia. After retiring from a 31-year career in education, she developed a statewide poetry-in-the-schools program at the request of the Poetry Society of Virginia to promote poetry at all instructional levels (K-University). She co-edited with Edward W. Lull an instructional guide, entitled Four Virginia Poets Laureate: A Teaching Guide and secured grant funding to place copies of this book in various educational settings and libraries. She also led an effort through the Poetry Society of Virginia to fund an endowed poetry prize for deserving creative writing students at Virginia colleges and universities. To date, the College Prize, under the auspices of the Academy of American Poets, has been established at the College of William and Mary, the University of Mary Washington, Old Dominion University, the University of Richmond, and Virginia Tech.

Kreiter-Foronda was named Poet Laureate of Virginia by the Governor, Tim Kaine, on June 26, 2006, and served in this position from June 2006 to July 2008.Virginia Law and Library of Congress List of Poets Laureate of Virginia While Poet Laureate, she launched a Poetry Book Giveaway Project. White Pine Press, University of Arkansas Press, and the Poetry Society of Virginia have contributed books, poetry DVDs, and CDs to this effort. She distributed these educational materials to universities and high schools throughout Virginia. She set up a Poet's Spotlight Page on her website to highlight the work of poets who have a strong Virginia connection. She gave poetry readings and workshops throughout the state. During her term as Poet Laureate, the Virginia State Board of Education honored her efforts with a Resolution of Appreciation for her recognition as Poet Laureate and for “her sustained leadership and devotion to promoting the writing and reading of poetry among Virginia's young people and to raising the study of the Arts to the highest level.”

From 2010 to 2011, she served as a literary arts specialist with Claudia Emerson, on a Metrorail Public Art Project conceived by the Art-in-Transit Program of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.Kreiter-Foronda also works as an abstract artist. She studied art for seventeen years under Irene Wood-Montgomery. Her paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in galleries, educational settings, and nursing homes throughout Virginia.. She is an abstract colorist whose preferred medium is acrylic.

Kreiter-Foronda is a member of the Katherine Anne Porter Society, the Poetry Society of America, the Chesapeake Bay Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, and the Associated Writers Program.

Academic positions and work experience Fairfax County Public Schools: English Specialist in Area II Administrative office; Writing Resource Teacher in Area III Administrative office; Teacher of Advanced Placement English and Creative Writing I, II, III; English Department Chairperson; Director, Writing Center, West Springfield High School (1969–2000) Teacher/Consultant in Writing, Northern Virginia Writing Project, George Mason University (1978–2000) Coordinator, George Mason University's Conference on the Teaching and Writing of Poetry and Fiction (1980) Instructor, The Writing Place, George Mason University (1980–1981) Creative Writing Instructor, workshops for young poets, Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland (1981–1983) Poet/Artist, Poetry in the Schools, Alexandria City Public Schools, Virginia (1985–1987) Adjunct Professor, George Mason University (1985–1989) Host, Cable Television, Channel 21, production of Teacher Feature, Fairfax County Public Schools (1988–1991) TV Host, Cable Television, Channel 21, production of “Focus On,” Interviewed teachers, K–12, volunteer parents, and students, Fairfax County Public Schools (1991–1992) Guest, Multicultural Show, A Rainbow of Colors, Channel 25, Fairfax County Public Schools (1992) Television Host, Cable Television, Channel 21, School scene, Red Apple, Fairfax County Public Schools (1993–1998) Independent Writing Consultant, Poet and Artist—Includes stints teaching art-inspired writing workshops for the Phillips Collection and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Statewide Partnership program (2000–present) Artist-in-Residency, Lancaster High School, funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and organized by the Rappahannock Art League (2009) Artist-in-Residency, Richmond Community High School, funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Richmond Public Schools (2011) Residency, “Poetry Comes Alive,” Kersey Creek Elementary School, funded by Hanover Education Foundation and PTA funds

Other positions, posts, and appointments Virginia Regional Advisory Board, National Scholastic Magazines (1979–1980) Virginia Association of Teachers of English Speakers’ Bureau (1979–1999) Alumni Board of Directors, George Mason University (Dean's representative, College of Education and Human Services, 1987–1989; Graduate Dean's representative, 1989–1990) Editorial Board, SCOP Publications, Inc. (1993–2000) Poetry in the Schools Director, Poetry Society of Virginia (2001-2006) Board of Directors, Chick Cove Association, Inc. (2004–2006) Board of Directors, Yates House Fine Art and Craft Gallery (2006–2008) Executive Director, Poetry Society of Virginia (2007-2013)Poetry Society of Virginia website ~ officers Consulting Editor for San Francisco Bay Press (2008–2009) Appointed Member, The Poetry Committee of the Greater Washington, D.C.

Honors and awards

Honors

Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda Day, West Springfield High School in Fairfax, VA (2006) Honorary lifetime member, Chesapeake Bay Writers (2006)Chesapeake Bay Writers homepage Honorary lifetime member, The Virginia Writers Club (2006) Honorary member, Tennessee State Poetry League (2007) Master poet, Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, VA (2007) Lifetime membership award, Poetry Society of Virginia (2008) Phi Beta Kappa (Kappa of Virginia chapter), alumni member, University of Mary Washington (2008)

Awards First-place award, Alexandria Pen Women (1981) Phoebe poetry award (1983) First place, Spree Poetry Award, featured in Riverstone, Poets of the Foothills Arts Center (1984–1985) Third Prize, Passages North Poetry Competition (1986) Virginia Cultural Laureate Award in American Literature, poetry (invested for life into the VA Cultural Laureate Society by Governor Douglas Wilder) (1992) Edgar Allan Poe Poetry Award for "On Sturgeon Creek," Poetry Society of Virginia Adult Poetry Contest (1993)The Poetry Society of Virginia website ~ Adult Poetry Contest Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' Recognition Award, Contributions to the Commonwealth of Virginia in writing instruction (1994) Recognition, Outstanding Educator, National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (1994) Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Recognition Award, Excellence in Writing Instruction (1996) Recognition, Outstanding Educator, National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (1996) National Scholastic Teacher Portfolio Award (one of five recipients in the USA) (1997) Rotary Meritorious Educator of the Year Award (1997) Hodgson Award for Excellence in Teaching English, Fairfax County School Board (1997) Teacher of the Year Award, selected by class of 1999, West Springfield High School, Fairfax County, Virginia (1999) Multiple Awards in Poetry, National League of American Pen Women, Chesapeake Bay Branch (2002, 2004) The Neuman Award and The Terrell Award, National League American Pen Women, Morning Glory Gallery, Gloucester, Virginia (2005) First Place Award in Poetry Competition, National League of American Pen Women, Chesapeake Bay Branch (2005)National League of American Pen Women Resolution of Appreciation for Sustained Leadership and Devotion to Promoting the Writing and Reading of Poetry among Virginia's young people, presented by the Virginia Board of Education (2006) University of Mary Washington’s Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award (2007)University of Mary Washington Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award 2007 George Mason University’s Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award (2007)George Mason Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award 2007 Honored Poet, Art on the Half Shell, Middlesex Art Guild, Urbanna, Virginia (2008) Ellen Anderson Award, Poetry Society of Virginia (2011) Art in Literature: Mary Lynn Kotz Award for The Embrace: Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo (2014)

Fellowships and grants Sabbatical Leave Grant, Fairfax County Public Schools (1980–1981) Grant Award, Writing Instruction, Fairfax County Public Schools (1981) Mini-Sabbatical Grant, Fairfax County Public Schools (1988) Three Artist-in-Education Study Grants, Virginia Commission for the Arts (1986, 1987, 1988) Arts-on-the-Road grant recipient, Virginia Commission for the Arts (1989) Jenny McKean Moore Fellowship, poetry, George Washington University, Washington D.C. (1990) Fellowship, Independent Study in the Humanities, "The Poetry of Pablo Neruda," Council for Basic Education (1991) Phi Delta Kappa Grant, "Award for Excellence: Technology in the Classroom" (1999)

Personal life Kreiter-Foronda and her husband reside in the River Country region of Virginia, where they have established a Backyard Wildlife Habitat, certified by the National Wildlife Federation. During their leisure time, they enjoy kayaking, Latin dancing, and American-style ballroom dancing.

Selected publications

Poetry collections Contrary Visions (as Carolyn Kreiter-Kurylo). Potomac, MD: Scripta Humanistica, 1988. .