Students work with ARTreach artist Vickie McMillan

Martha Raines High School is a unique high school in Katy and recognized as the district’s alternative flagship of new ideas. Students choose to come to Raines for a variety of reasons, but they are all geared towards the same goal – to complete their course work and earn a high school diploma. Some students at Raines are parents. Some work long hours at jobs to take care of their families. Some have simply fallen behind in their course work and have found it difficult to complete their graduation plan in a standard setting. Classes at Raines are self paced and allow students to focus on one or two courses at a time. Credits are recovered and gained to advance towards successful graduation efficiently and directly.

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.

ARTreach Day of Caring at Brookwood features Dan Egger-Belandria

ARTreach is inviting community volunteers to join us for an ARTreach Day of Caring at the Brookwood Community on
May 21st 2:00 PM. Dan Egger-Belandria is in town to take the citizens of Brookwood on a Rhythm Journey that explores the world and our cultures through rhythm and percussion. Our Brookwood citizens and volunteers create beautiful music together!

This is a unique ARTreach Program called “Within My Reach” featuring professional musician and touring artist Dan Egger-Belandria of Austin, Texas. ARTreach has been enriching the lives of our children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities since 2004- we offer vocational art training programs, life skills, PPCD workshops, cultural arts and educational support, staff development and community involvement projects.

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend this exciting ARTreach event in the Brookwood Community to be held on Friday, May 21st. Come for lunch in the Brookwood Café, and stay for the show at 2:00 PM, meet the citizens and take a tour of this incredible community. This event is sponsored by ARTreach for the Brookwood Community and made possible thanks to grants and donations to ARTreach. Exchange Club Members, Rotary Club Volunteers, National Charity League Mothers and Daughters, National Honor Society, Chamber volunteers, VIPS, Best Buddies Field Trips, Compassionate Friends, Arc Members, Downs Syndrome Association families and new-to-Katy, Fort Bend and Waller County volunteers are invited to attend this special event. Visit www.brookwoodcommunity.org for directions.

For more information about this event contact Terri Bieber at 281-392-5341. Visit www.artreachonline.org to learn more about ARTreach or to make a donation today!

Tags: art music adults with developmental and physical disabilities, Brookwood Community

ARTreach starts a SM-ART Mural Project at McRoberts Elementary

ARTreach is partnering with Katy ISD McRoberts Elementary students and teachers to create a 365 square foot mural that integrates the arts with 4th and 5th grade science curriculum. Called SM-ART, the ARTreach mural is about the Rainforest (rainforest/various animal adaption/biomes)and will become a teaching aid and learning tool for students. The design of the mural was created by ARTreach artist Vickie McMillan with the content developed by the teachers and the students involved. The mural is expected to be completed by the end of summer with a public unveiling of the work of art to be held at the campus in the fall.

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.

Tags: Art Programs for students at risk, title one schools