Enriching At-Risk Students' Lives with Art in MD

Now in its tenth year of service, our smARTkids Program has been able to impact the lives of many children in the Silver Spring area! Thanks to all of the donors, these kids have a safe and supportive environment in which they can learn art techniques and create works of art. 

The past year has had a series successful and fun filled sessions, and we are hoping for the program to continue in its goal. Over the 2013-2014 school year, we have had 7 classes of smARTkids at 3 different schools, and have worked with over 50 kids. 

As a new member of the CREATE team, I was grateful when I was asked to be a part of the smARTkids program after a few months of being an intern. Being able to go into the classroom once a week and see how happy all of the kids were when they saw a finished project would make my day. Watching the creative process of each child was always a fun moment to watch; whether they drew inspiration from a TV show or a fellow artist, their confidence and spirit showed in their active participation in the art projects. The most amazing part of the entire session was the art show, held on the last week of our class. To watch the children speak about their favorite pieces that they created over the session was not only fun, but also rewarding to both Ms. Shelley and myself. The opportunities given to these children through our program has allowed them to open up and be creative in new ways that regular school classes do not encourage. 

We thank all of the donors again for their continued support, which allows for the arts to not only change the lives of students, but also allow for young interns like myself to be exposed to such great outreach programs like smARTkids. Your donations can help us reach even more students, and help them get out of risk and into art!