Students in the Early College Experience UConn Drawing class, taught by Suzanne Starr have been involved in an important art lesson which shows the students' caring for those in need in our world. They have created art with a definite purpose in mind. The Memory Project is a world-wide project in which students from the United States paint portraits of children around the world who are disadvantaged, neglected, abused or orphaned. The portraits are painted from photos sent to interested high schools by the organizer of the project, Ben Shumaker, who began this project in 2004. The completed portraits are then sent to these children who have so very little. Upon recieving the painting, each child will know that there is a student who cares about him and has worked hard to create a piece of art in his image; a true gift from the heart.
Seven of our Wheeler High students have participated in this project. The children whose portraits they painted are in an orphanage in Sierra Leone. Here are photos of the final acrylic paintings along with the photos of the children they painted in the lower right hand corner of each one. We thank the NSPTO for funding this project. Student artists who participated in this project are Mark Grigg, Tyler Post, Alfredo Carlson, Kassondra Brokaw, Ruth Pruett, Mary Steinbrecher, and Rachel Hansen.
12/30/2011
Wheeler High School’s Oxfam Club hosting an Empty Bowls Project dinner
Thursday, February 23, 5:30-7:30 PM
Congregational Church of North Stonington, 89 Main Street
The Empty Bowls Project is described as “an international grassroots effort to fight hunger” created by the Imagine Render Group. The project is inclusive and community oriented, bringing artists, students, and educators together to create handmade clay bowls. The bowls are then displayed at a dinner at which guests are served a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, each guest will receive a hand-crafted bowl made by a Wheeler H.S. student or staff member as a way to remember those who face the issue of hunger. Donations are given to local organizations that work to combat hunger. Oxfam is one such organization that works to alleviate hunger in local areas.
A ticket for Wheeler’s dinner is $5 PP plus two non-perishable food, hygiene, or cleaning items. The ticket can be purchased at the door on the night of the event or in advance from Jessica Sullivan, sullivanj@northstonington.k12.ct.us. Proceeds will be donated to the Old Lyme Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, The United Way of Southeastern CT, and the MASH Shelter located in Mystic. To learn about the Empty Bowls Project, visit www.emptybowls.net.
by Tessa Roy
