OVIEDO, Fla. — A Seminole County A+ Teacher is “cutting up” in the classroom, allowing her students to let their hair down and express themselves.

With every snip of the scissors and each brush stroke of glue, creativity is encouraged in Madison Obear's art class at Evans Elementary School in Oviedo.

Obear is excited to be recognized for her one-of-a-kind teaching style.

"We have a saying, 'Mess it up, dress it up', because if you made a mistake, I believe that you can fix it with your own creativity," she said.

Her students say that type of encouragement is refreshing.

"Every time I need help, because I'm not a good artist, I always ask her for help, and she always gives me positive stuff and it just fills my day,” said Joshua Singletary, a student. “I think I have improved a lot, on my drawing, coloring, even crafting."

While her students’ art project was to use recycled items to create a castle sculpture, Obear's own foundation that led to a career in teaching was sparked in high school, thanks to an amazing ceramics teacher.

"I always felt really safe in that classroom, like I could just be myself. I could create what I wanted to create within the boundaries that he gave me, and I thought it was so important for kids to feel that way,” Obear said. “These kids have such great ideas, and they need an outlet to express themselves with art in my classroom."