The Operation Art Adventures™ (OAA) philanthropic program is designed to fund in-school projects that enrich cultural and/or arts experiences for students in Salem-Keizer Title I elementary schools. During the 2021-22 school year OAA awarded three grants to elementary school teachers. Teachers were asked to write an evaluation about their experience. This is what we learned from two:
1) Oscar Rodriguez, from Grant Community School whose students used sculpture to create pieces showing what they had learned in their Social Studies lessons: “They were learning, step by step, the use of the clay and the pottery wheel…. They really enjoyed working with clay and making their creations. There was integration between the content, all the reading, writing, and research with the clay projects. They were very engaged and interested in continuing with similar projects.”
2) Chelsea Thomas, from Hayesville Elementary School, whose students made portraits of “Changemakers” on ceramic tiles, with the help and instruction from a local artist, Doug Dacar. Chelsea said: “The students loved it. They were especially excited to work with “a real artist.” The students learned so much about leaders, activists, writers, and others.”
Both teachers said that it was easy to connect their art projects to other areas in their curriculum. Chelsea also added: “…When we were reading in the text, (Social Studies), many of the changemakers’ names came up. The students would light up –Hey! that’s so and so’s a change maker!” Both Oscar and Chelsea expressed gratitude for the grant and said they would recommend this program to their fellow teachers.
The Operation Art Adventure Committee will be preparing for another grant offering to Title I elementary schools for the 2022-23 school year. The desire is to award up to ten teachers $500 to $1,000 for an art project, supplies, or learning opportunity to make an impression of the importance of art and culture in their students’ lives. The feedback from Oscar and Chelsea affirms the importance of art in children’s lives and school curriculum to keep them engaged and learning. Lois Calame, Operation Art Adventures™ Chair
The Operation Art Adventures™ (OAA) philanthropic program is designed to fund in-school projects that enrich cultural and/or arts experiences for students in Salem-Keizer Title I elementary schools. During the 2021-22 school year OAA awarded three grants to elementary school teachers. Teachers were asked to write an evaluation about their experience. This is what we learned from two:
Both Oscar and Chelsea expressed gratitude for the grant and said they would recommend this program to their fellow teachers.
