Fine Arts is a required course for graduation, and Raines students need this credit. Not only does taking an art class open the door for students to discover an unrealized talent, but art courses at Raines also provide numerous opportunities to teach a range of subjects through the creative art making process.

Karen Richards is the Art Teacher at Raines and she is always looking for new ways to engage her student’s heart and mind in fine art, she seeks out projects that will take her students to the higher level and measures her students’ improvement not just on the project outcome, but also on the changes in their attitude, outlook on the future, and work ethic. She applied for ARTreach project support when she learned the organization had received new grants that would help fund collaborative murals at underserved schools in Katy ISD. She wanted to do a special project that would capture the essence and unique student culture at Raines.

ARTreach provided an opportunity for the students at Raines to work with a professional wildlife artist and muralist Vickie McMillan as an Artist in Residence. The project concept would be developed by the students to be unique. The project would combine several teaching objectives supporting fine arts and also demonstrate how to work as a team to create collaborative work of art. It was decided that the mural should become a legacy piece to motivate future Raines High School students in their academic careers.

On the first day of the residency program, Vickie introduced herself to the class as a professional artist, and told the students they could paint just like she could. This idea was difficult to believe. Vickie returned weekly, and left the students instructions to master the techniques she had demonstrated. Mrs. Richards gave pep talks of encouragement, and within a few short weeks the students began to teach each other. By the end of six weeks the masterpiece was complete. It is difficult to believe, and it is beautiful. You will see great student pride represented in this work. The officially unveiling of the Raines Student Project will be held on April 15th 5:30-7:30 at the ARTreach Gallery Night at Tradition Bank.

“ …whenever community organizations like ARTreach take an interest in any student population it’s a great thing” says Richards, “ Bringing in outside resources can inspire students to try new things. In addition it makes them feel cared for – someone has faith in them.”

Do all zebras look alike? From a distance they may, but every zebra’s stripe pattern is unique just like our fingerprints. A surprising outcome of this project was the connection the Raines students made with the Zebras. They quickly connected with the concept that every zebra stripe is unique much like every student at Raines yet they all bring their uniqueness together for a common goal and the outcome is the student body of Raines High School.

Attend Gallery Night at Tradition Bank April 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and learn more about the RHS ARTreach Mural Story and other ARTreach projects in Katy ISD. ARTreach Scholarships for private studio classes will be awarded to gifted and aspiring artists in Katy ISD also on this evening.

Students and teachers are prepping the walls for the first stage of the mural project, photo above is of  Principal Christine Salenga participating in the process.

ARTreach Murals projects are professionally driven and average $35 cost per square foot. A mural project this scale that contracts a professional muralist would cost the campus $20,475.00 in fees tied to labor and supplies. Many schools can’t afford a mural, and those that have murals are leaning heavily on a very active PTA to support the labor and the necessary fundraising for this kind of art project. McRoberts is a Title One school with limited PTA involvement. The campus applied for support from ARTreach in January when the organization announced new grants had be received that could be used to help underserved schools in need of interactive art and mentoring projects. Approved projects would integrate Science and Math teaching objectives and support social skill development and self esteem. Numerous schools submitted a request for a variety of projects. In the end five Katy ISD schools were approved for spring semester projects; McRoberts Elementary, Schmaltz Elementary, West Memorial Junior High, Morton Ranch Junior High and Raines High School. ARTreach grants will cover up to 80% of the costs of a campus approved project. To be awarded a project the school needed to demonstrate they had community support for their project and would build its own resources to cover a percentage of the overall costs. ARTreach is advocating for arts education with a goal to see PTAs and districts begin to prioritize funding associated with Arts Education in underserved schools.

“Students and teachers are the stakeholders that will gain the most upon the successful completion of the project.” says Vickie McMillan of ARTreach, “The community is working together through ARTreach and the school. The students and teachers have a positive influence on their project outcomes.” “Not only have they fed into the design and concepts behind the mural, the students at McRoberts have raised $1000 in funds by selling popcorn! Parents, teachers and students held a community garage sale on April 17th and raised money by selling booths for $20.00. Teachers even took rumba classes as a way to fund raise and made over $1,000. McRoberts goal is $4,095 and they are almost there. A decorated bottle created by art students is located at the front office for visitors and students to donate money to support the reminder of the costs associated with this project.”
ARTreach is hosting events monthly at Berryhill Baja Grill in Villagio Town Center in Cinco Ranch to help PTAs and schools throughout the district build resources to support arts education. The community is invited to join ARTreach at Berryhill on May 21st for 6-8 PM to “Paint for a Worthy Cause”. Contact Terri Bieber, ARTreach Executive Director for more information. ARTreach has announced a second cycle of projects will be approved for fall 2010 semester serving underserved schools and non-profit agencies in need art program support. Visit the website www.artreachonline.org and email info@artreachonline.org for an application for project assistance.

Photo above includes Schmalz Elementary Principal Karen Ladner, Assistant Principal Lorraine White, and Science team leader, Lynette Campbell along with Terri Bieber and Vickie McMillan of ARTreach. Schmalz Elementary was awarded their project based on their application which included a statement of need and their high interest in having an interactive mural created to support visual learning in Science. ARTreach calls projects like this “SM-ART”, because they combine Science and/or Math teaching objectives with visual arts learning opportunities. Schmalz’s project is a 9 x 65 foot mural that spans the 4th and 5th grade hallway, visually illustrating lessons associated with 4th and 5th grade curriculum including earth life cycles. This is a $20,475 interactive mural project benefiting the Schmalz school community of over 1048 students annually. The project is funded by grants and donations made to ARTreach supporting underserved schools in Katy.
Many of the Katy ISD schools applied for and will be receiving similar mural projects that integrate fine arts with other core educational objectives including STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or projects that focused on Character Education and Development. ARTreach is offering additional and unique Artist in Residence support to West Memorial Junior High in recognition of their counselor’s newest support program for girls called The ROSE (The Rising of Self-Esteem).

Over $78,000 in project support has already been pledged or distributed this year within Katy ISD and a list of social service agencies in Katy, Richmond and Houston including, Houston Aids Foundation patient center, Pregnancy Help Center of Katy, Coalition of Behavioral Health Services & Partnership for a Drug-Free Spring Branch, Houston Harris County Juvenile Detention Center, Houston Domestic Abuse Center and a number of CPS placement centers and youth shelters.
For more information and details about each project and how the community is involved, please contact Terri Bieber at ARTreach 281-392-5341 or visit www.artreachonline.org

ARTreach has just completed a 4 week pilot at the Pregnancy Help Center. The organization was piloting a dance program called “Nurturing Pathways for Babies” taught by certified instructor Erin Stanley. This is a creative dance program for new mothers and their infants developed to enrich a baby’s cognitive and physical development by using baby exercises, musical instruments and sensory rich creative play products.

The ARTreach Pilot is giving new mothers an opportunity to experience the joy of dancing while strengthening their bond with their baby at no cost to the Pregnancy Help Center. Erin Stanley generously donated her teaching time and materials to support the pilot. ARTreach is measuring the impact of the program and collecting testimony and responses from the mothers selected to participate in the pilot to support future funding.

New mothers registered for the program initially as an opportunity to get back in shape, bond with their infant and make new friends. There were additional benefits in that the program teaches a range of new parenting skills, how to make healthy choices, and how to find time to take care of yourself and your baby. The program also teaches a new mother how creative movement, play and touch will activate an infant’s central nervous system. These networks interconnect rapidly from birth to four years of age. The brain doubles in size during the first twelve months of life and achieves 95% of its adult brain weight by the age of four. During these years, the foundation is laid for eyesight, language, gross and fine motor skills and emotional and intellectual capabilities. Movement, play and touch contribute significantly to the healthy development of a baby.

The outcomes in this ARTreach pilot were positive. The class was well received and each client has requested that the program continue. This is motivating both ARTreach and the Pregnancy Help Center to seek sponsors to support ongoing classes at the center. They are hoping that by combining their resources they can fund the program and continue to offer it free to Pregnancy Help Center clients. General community interest is high enough that the classes will be open to anyone who wishes to register and pay just $12 per week. The organizations are seeking $725 in matching funds to sustain the program in 2010.

To conclude this pilot series, ARTreach teaching artist Stacy Baer came to the Pregnancy Help Center on December 12th to teach the moms that they can use their hands, feet and creativity to make a treasured keepsake that can be enjoyed for years to come. She showed them how to make ceramic plates using their baby’s hand and foot prints as the basic design. Stacy was teaching “Art with a Purpose”. This is an ARTreach Vocational Workshop that can spark the entrepreneurial spirit by demonstrating how easy it is to use your own hands and creativity to create an income for yourself.

“Nurturing Pathways for Babies” and “Art with a Purpose” are programs that the Pregnancy Help Center would like to offer weekly to PHC clients. The organizations have been working together for two years to develop programs that will creatively address difficult issues facing young mothers and mothers coping with crisis pregnancy.

ARTreach and PHC are participating in the Alliance of Charities fundraiser being held at Fish City Grill in LaCenterra in Cinco Ranch on Tuesday, January 19th. Please mark your calendar and come for lunch or dinner on that day. Fish City Grill is donating 15% of the proceeds to support the cause. Donations can be also made to Pregnancy Help Center or ARTreach at any time and can be designated to support these programs.

The organization has received $30,000 in individual gifts to advance the mission of ARTreach in serving at risk children and adults with special needs in the Katy, Houston and Greater Fort Bend County area in 2010. ARTreach is accepting applications now for new projects in Katy ISD underserved schools. New and Title I schools can apply for library mural projects or Mentoring through Art programs funded by ARTreach. Please inquire.

Mural Projects are unique and designed by ARTreach muralist Vickie McMillan to the specifications of the applying campuses. Facilities and campuses serving children in need may also apply for Mentoring through Art Workshops and ARTreach SMART Programs that combine science and math curriculum with art based learning practices. These programs promote social skills development and support education and graduation.

ARTreach Programs serving children at risk are available to individual school campuses, Residential Treatment Centers, juvenile detention centers, crisis centers, domestic abuse centers, hospitals, rehabilitation and recovery centers. Up to 80% funding is available to support needy schools. Projects can be implemented as early as February 1, 2010.

Please inquire, 281-392-5341 or by email info@artreachonline.org. Visit the ARTreach website www.artreachonline.org to learn more about the programs and to apply for support.