Artist Ana Mendieta once stated, "I believe in the power of art to change lives." These words prove to be true for approximately 700 students enrolled in our school. For grades K-8th, Art class means energetic exploration, collaboration, and finding more than one solution to a problem.
Our students are some of the strongest and most innovative young people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing; with many of them never having a single art class in their past, they easily grasp mature concepts and techniques.
Since the school's opening in 2009, I have had the privilege to watch my students grow as individuals, experiment with new materials, and ultimately develop how they use art to communicate.
We are a Title I school with many diverse learners from diverse backgrounds. Art provides our unique population with alternative ways of retaining knowledge, solving problems, and communicating ideas; additionally, it is the perfect vehicle to connect various academic disciplines and helps subjects like Math, Science, and Social Studies become more tangible and relevant.
My students are not "one-size-fits-all" learners - they work best when challenged and have the freedom to experiment. They love collaborating, discussing contemporary art, and exploring other cultures.
My Project
Art empowers my students every day because its versatile nature means no one fails or gets left behind. It also allows students to help develop and define the curriculum with me to best suit needs and interests.
Each year securing adequate funding for our art program gets more difficult, which has fortunately created a beautiful thing: incredible resourcefulness. We recycle, create works from found objects, and often work in groups to create one large project. However, with our unique population, limited funds often means limited experimentation. The materials I am requesting for our school will help replenish the most basic items (paint, glue, tape, etc.) needed in any art classroom. Currently, we are very limited on paint, drawing supplies, and adaptive tools. Materials on the purchase order will fund classes for the entire school (elementary and middle), including 2 art elective courses, and the after school Art Club members.
An art program without proper materials is equal to a car without wheels.
Donations will guarantee the program will run smoothly for the remainder of the year by providing all grades with the tools to create. My students demonstrate that creative arts are necessary to a well-rounded education, and in a district that continues to cut art programs from schools, they are beyond grateful ours remains. We are proof that Art changes lives - your support helps the positivity continue to grow.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Ganzelli and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.