Earlier this month, Truth Elementary launched an art program in its Innovation Lab, administered by The Art Effect and facilitated through City Connects.
Fifteen first and second grade students are taking part in the workshop program, which was created after more art instruction was the top response on a student interest survey conducted by school caseworker Robert Servellon. He said it’s the first of what he hopes will be several enrichment programs offering such activities as swimming, martial arts and other sports.
“I believe the more they’re involved in now, the more that they’re interested in coming to school, the better they’ll behave and be ready to learn.”
The students, during their first meeting with The Art Effect’s Amina Kearney, created autobiographical bookmarks. The mood was fairly quiet for the first half-hour or so as students drafted what facts about themselves they wanted to include and drew a self-portrait in colored pencil. Then, Kearney made an announcement that brought the kids to life:
“If you guys want to add pieces of construction paper, I have it right here.”
A voice immediately rang from one of the tables: “I want some!”
Soon enough, scissors, glue and glitter were also out on the tables and the creativity bloomed. The March 2 activity coincided with National Read Across America Day.
At the end, Kearney collected the bookmarks to be laminated and returned to the students during their next class March 23.
Kearney, the program manager for The Art Effect’s PK B.A.Y., said the goal of the project was to focus on internal reflection. A future project will involve creating an autobiographical book and a personal quilt.
“We wanted it all to be related to internal history,” she said. “I wanted to make sure it’s about them.”