Past projects 1
Instilling Confidence, Joy, and Resilience Through Art
Funded Feb 8, 2022This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and one other donor.
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Engaging in creative activities has been found to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Art can heal emotional injuries, increase understanding of oneself and others, help develop a capacity for self-reflection, and alter negative thinking patterns. At this time, our school does not have an art program beyond what the teachers integrate into core subjects. The paints and supplies I am asking for through this project are vital to enable students to express the emotions and the experiences that are so difficult to put into words, such as the impact of the social isolation has had on them caused by the pandemic. This project has the ability to enhance the moods and emotions of my students, as well as having many other direct, and meaningful effects such as preparing students to be open and ready for learning. These paints and supplies will help my students integrate their feelings and experiences of the pandemic into their life story. This kind of artistic self-expression contributes to the construction of a positive identity and has the ability to calm emotional trauma. By having these materials available, students will have time and space to make connections with each other, their experiences, and their learning. During the pandemic, my students have spent most of their academic time interacting with digital devices for their academic learning. The pandemic has robbed them of many hands-on experiences they would have experienced during in-person school with shared materials. They also have had little choice or control of how or when learning would happen. These supplies would give them an additional way to work through, and synthesize their experiences of the pandemic.