Despite Romote Learning, Art Teacher Ms. Olson and Her 5th/6th Grade Art Students Were Determined To Produce Customized Holiday Cards In Time For Santa.
We have all read the headlines, watched the 5 O'clock news, and heard the pain from both parents and their children's educators: remote learning just can't replace the meaningful face to face instruction and engagement. At Deane Elementary just like other schools across the country, the start to the 2020-2021 school year had educators and parents teaming together to create a fabricated educational hybrid environment and maintain at least a fragment of 'normalcy' of their children's school day.
Distance Learning came at a huge cost to schools' extracurricular programming such as performing and visual arts, sports and many others that require human interaction. During such an extended time of isolation in their homes, watching the 5th re-run of Harry Potter, and intense interaction with their parents, Deane Elementary 5th and 6th Grade Students looked forward to their virtual Art Class with Ms. Olson. The Deane Elementary Art Program gave students a much needed window of opportunity to express themselves and engage through the arts.
Each year Ms. Olson and her art students put on a brilliant art exhibition to raise necessary funding to support the Deane Elementary Art Program. In a normal situation, student art work is proudly displayed and celebrated among Deane Elementary Parents and Community, raising enough proceeds to cover the increasing art material costs for a program supporting over 450 students. This year due to distance learning and indoor public events on lockdown, students found themselves brainstorming ways to conduct an art fundraiser that would not require human contact nor an indoor public event.
Together with the support and guidance from Jeffco School District Art Coordinator, Shannon May as well as Deane Elementary Principal Megan Martinez and Assistant Principal Lindsay Petty, Denver Real Estate Professionals was proud to have the opportunity to collaborate with Ms. Olson and her students and sponsor the Deane Elementary Art Program through the production of Holiday Cards. Each 5th and 6th grade art class used a student friendly rubric highlighting specific criteria (communication, originality and skill) to choose the "winning card" that would be mass printed. Using the rubric, only students were allowed to chose four winner cards - all of which you see here on this blog!
Denver Real Estate Professionals owner, Chadwick V. R. Williams and his "furry assistant" Shangela, want to personally thank each and every participating 5th and 6th grade art student in the Deane Elementary Art Program. Wow what talent!! We would particularly like to commend and thank Ms. Olson for her extra time, energy and dedication to ensure her art students could express themselves through the arts during this holiday season. Also special thanks to the Deane Elementary Admin team.
We hope you enjoyed this heartfelt story and the beautiful holiday images produced by these talented young artists at the Deane Elementary! Please give them a shout out! For more information about their Art Program, please contact Ms. Olson directly at: Lys.Olson@jeffco.k12.co.us
We wish you, your family and loved ones all a very happy holiday with peace, happiness and prosperity for 2021!