Twenty-one students were honored Tuesday for their artwork, which was selected to be displayed for the year in the district’s Board of Education room within the district’s administration building.
The students received certificates for their accomplishment and shook hands with school board members.
Melissa Cramer, an art teacher at Manor Elementary, said the district has been displaying student art in the board room for about 20 years.
“The art is selected from all of the art work submitted for display at the Monroe County Fair Little Red Schoolhouse from Monroe Public Schools,” she said.
More than 200 pieces were submitted before the final 21 were chosen.
Elliott Moore, a sixth-grader at Manor Elementary, is among the young artists to have a piece selected. His piece features brightly-colored symmetrical cut paper figures.
“I’m very excited,” Elliott said of his artwork being selected. “Now, my art will be up here for a whole year for others to see.”
The youth said he enjoys art class.
“It’s just fun to express yourself,” Elliott said.
Bonnie Ritsema from Arborwood and Melanie Castellese from Raisinville have taken over the board room display since Steve Simons, a former Custer art teacher, retired.
The art work remains in the board room until new art is selected each November. Students are then honored at the December board meeting.
The elementary art department has a unified curriculum created for each trimester assessment, Ms. Cramer explained. Students learn self-portraits and figure drawing, study still life and finally landscape. Yet, art teachers also introduce additional elements of art to expand students’ knowledge. The three main parts of the curriculum, and others, are reflected in the pieces in the board room.
"We chose these three genres as they are the most prevalent in historic art,” Ms. Cramer said. “At the elementary level all art teachers introduce students to these genres with each year building on the previous, introducing students to more complex concepts as they get older in each area of study. This creates a consistent foundation for all students so when they move to the middle school and high school they all have the same basic knowledge allowing those teachers to expand on higher level thinking and creating.”
Ms. Cramer said the district has supported the art department.
“Our administration understands to create a whole student we need to ensure that they have the enrichment opportunities to allow them to grow, investigate and discover new talents and avenues that they would otherwise miss out on if MPS didn’t believe in educating the whole student,” she said. “We are more than blessed to have a district that supports fine arts in all of its forms.”