Ne-Yo and Carol Treat

Ne-Yo born October 18, 1979 in Camden, Arkansas, is an acclaimed pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and occasional rapper.

Born Shaffer Chimere Smith, the name “Ne-Yo” was coined by a producer Ne-Yo once worked with, Big D Evans, because Evans claimed that Ne-Yo sees music much like how the character Neo sees the world in the film The Matrix.

Ne-Yo broke into the recording industry as a songwriter after penning the hit “Let Me Love You” for singer Mario. In 2006, he released his debut album, In My Own Words, which contained the US number-one hit “So Sick”. The album was number one on Billboard 200, selling over 301,000 copies in the first week. His second album, Because of You, also debuted at number one and Year of the Gentleman, his third album, at number two. All three albums were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Ne-Yo has received fourteen Grammy Award nominations, including four wins. In 2009, he took home three Grammies, including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for “Miss Independent,” and Best Contemporary R&B Album for Growing Pains.

Ne-Yo frequently co-writes with Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen of the Norwegian production team Stargate. He has also collaborated with several other artists on works including Rihanna's top-ten single “Unfaithful” and her number-one hit “Take a Bow”, and Beyoncé Knowles’ Billboard Hot 100 number-one single “Irreplaceable.”

Ne-Yo opened his own recording studio called Carrington House in Atlanta, Georgia and, in 2007, started his own production company, Compound Entertainment. Compound has since become a record label with artists such as Paula Campbell, Sixx John, and Shanell.

Also a talented actor, Ne-Yo has appeared in such films as Stomp the Yard and Save the Last Dance 2. He currently is set to appear in Red Tails in 2009 and 4Chosen in 2010.

Bio compiled from Wikipedia and from the Internet Movie Database

Ms. Carol Treat was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. She attended the University of Missouri, Columbia where she initially majored in biology. After realizing that her true passion lay in the visual arts, Carol changed majors and eventually transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She then received her master’s degree in Creative Arts in Education from Lesley University.

Carol teaches at the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts, a fine arts magnet high school. She teaches a wide variety of media and techniques including technical skills of drawing and painting, art history, art aesthetics and concepts of design.

While she teaches technical skills in a formal manner, Ms. Treat always encourages her students to explore and invent new approaches to their artwork through observation, investigation and experimentation. She compares her teaching method to how a scientist uses the scientific method for investigation. Working in Las Vegas, Ms. Treat uses the unique environment and makes sure that her students observe and react to their environment.

Teaching at a fine arts school allows Ms. Treat to push her students in a direction that might be too intimidating at a regular high school. Her students are encouraged to explore subject matter dealing with their opinions on social issues, religion, politics and the environment. Ms. Treat makes sure to provide a safe environment where students can share ideas, defend their own opinions, and know that what they have to say is valid and respected.

After teaching art in various settings throughout her life, Carol still loves the challenges it brings. She has two sons, who have both had the privilege of being her students as well.

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