Wednesday, Jun. 03, 2009

Carolina Forest students let our creativity

Students, staff and community members had a chance to unleash their creativity and discover new ways to express themselves at the recent Carolina Forest Elementary School's Fine Arts Day.

The day began with a performance by the Carolina Forest High School Choir that was attended by the entire student body. After that, students in each grade rotated to six different areas to learn about how the arts can enrich and impact their lives.

Stations included a dance and exercise demonstration, an opportunity to observe artists at work, storytelling, music and a chance to create art themselves. Staff also included a break and snack on the playground to take advantage of the fine weather. Students could purchase popcorn, snow cones and lemonade.

Emily Miller, one of the school's two art teachers and a member of the Fine Arts Committee, said the goal of the May 22 event was "to expose kids to things they might not otherwise see, like the Show Choir."

Each year, the Fine Arts Committee, which is made up of music and art teachers as well as classroom teachers, determines what to offer to students. Miller said a survey helps them make those determinations. "We ask the students what they enjoyed and what they got the most out of. Sometimes it surprises us."

In the artist observation area, students saw a variety of different ways to be creative. What may have surprised them most might have been the fact that many of the faces they saw actually work at the school.

Miller said including staff and teachers helps show students that teachers have lives outside the classrooms. "We wanted the students to see you can express yourself in other creative ways."

Sherrie Roy, who works in the school's computer lab, was showcasing cross stitching projects she had completed already while working on one in progress. Sue Gordon, a speech therapist, was demonstrating the art of crocheting and cross stitching.

Art teachers Emily Miller and Jessica Watson showed ways to use paints and colored pencils. Tammy Turbeville, one of the school's secretaries, explained the craft of stained glass design. Debbie Stanley, a kindergarten teacher, shared the art of storytelling by reading books to the students.

Members of the community were also on hand to show different ways to be creative-with cookie decorating, scrapbooking, cartooning, making sweet grass baskets and decorating with Sharpies.

Rebecca Jolly, a freshman at Carolina Forest High School and a former student at Carolina Forest Elementary, instructed students on how to make a pair of white canvas sneakers come to life using colored Sharpies. She calls her line "Phunkidelics" and puts her initials on the heel of each of her creations. She's also begun designing tote bags as well.

Brian Chichester, who was substituting at the school that day, was quite a hit with students as he explained about cartooning and creating comic strips.

"I just try to show them they can use their art work to tell a story," he said. "I think a lot of kids enjoy this."

Earmine Smalls traveled from Mt. Pleasant to demonstrate the art of making sweet grass baskets. She explained the materials that are used and the method of crafting a basket.

"This art has been passed down from generation to generation," she said. "It's very important because the culture of it goes so far back. It started in Africa."

Rebecca Shroyer, vice principal at the school, said the day also helped the students learn not only about creativity, but flexibility and the talents of the students among them.

Tim Peterman, one of the school's music teachers, asked members of his small steel ensemble - including Jamie Karl, Jon Harrelson, Conner Miller, Caroline Hughes and Tim Ray - to fill in for a high school orchestra that had been scheduled to perform. The group set up in the media center and entertained fellow students throughout the morning and were rewarded with snow cones and a pizza lunch.