Academic/Elective Enrichment Program
Name of School: Living Word Christian Academy
Location: West Haven, CT
Program Objectives: (1) to provide students with opportunities to communicate through art; (2) to have students experience the enjoyment of working toward goals and accomplishing an objective, despite the length of the process; (3) to help students understand the relationship between art and the real world, with art as a vehicle to learn about society and themselves, and with an increased interest in art, music, and history; and (4) to provide an arena for building a stronger, more positive school community
Summary of Program:
As you listen to the sound of beautiful music played by a student ensemble, a Renaissance-costumed maiden greets you in Italian and hands you a list of tips for viewing the gallery. Passing the Italian busts on sculpture stands, you begin walking through several long halls, crowded with people admiring artwork. You view the exhibits, one from each class in the school. You see Michelangelo’s David created by first graders and self-portraits created by middle schoolers. You notice the kindergartners’ Leaning Tower of Pisa, the eighth graders’ tea-stained inventions on parchment, the seventh graders’ grid enlargements of Renaissance paintings, and the stained-glass rosette windows made by the fourth graders. Some students are serving hors d’oeuvres, while others are regaling visiting children with stories of Italy, art galleries, and princesses.
You turn to enter the Sistine Chapel. The softly lit room reveals hand-drawn replicas of Sistene art drawn by a high school student, along with information about Michelangelo. You see mounted on the ceiling the kindergartners’ hand-painted scenes of Creation.
Nearby, a student is softly playing the piano. You walk past works fashioned after those of Botticelli, Raphael, Brunelleschi, and other artists; and you read the accompanying information. At the gym doors, you find reliefs created by students to resemble Ghiberti’s Doors of Paradise. As you exit the festival, strains of music follow you from an experience you will long remember.
The scenario above describes Living Word Christian Academy’s 2003 Winter Art Festival. The entire school participates in this interactive, multisensory production. The unique event combines opportunities to teach and produce two- and three-dimensional artwork with appreciation for gallery exhibiting. Teachers and students explore a historical time period that comes to life. Each grade studies and bases projects on an artist of their choice from the selected time period. These works become displays in the festival. Students enjoy creating the artwork and the gallery.
The art fair experience fosters creativity as students respond positively to visitors’ reactions. Students learn both to communicate through artwork and to work through long-term goals patiently. Preparation for the fair impacts students’ thinking skills as they synthesize the varied aspects of each display.
From the three-year-old nursery up through the high school, the fair showcases the work of all! The fair is combined with an open house for prospective parents, and it is advertised in the community. The evening allows everyone—families, staff, students, friends, and visitors alike—the opportunity to mingle, talk, and forge relationships. The fair builds a strong community.
The school tries to enhance the program each year, gaining an understanding of the program’s effectiveness in two ways. First, as guests leave, they receive an evaluation form. Second, each teacher conducts age-appropriate follow-up activities, including evaluations and hidden tests.
Winter Art Festival 2003 6.5