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The joys of volunteering are known to many – giving back to your community, seeing a smile, hearing a “thank you,” making a difference.  With life being as busy as it is, finding a volunteer opportunity that is uplifting and makes great use of time is so important.  This year, in addition to working full time as a Realtor, I decided to co chair a program that I believe exemplifies much of what is great about our public schools and the community of Westport, CT

Art Smart is a parent run, in class program designed to stimulate student appreciation for art.  Parents volunteer to design and lead three interactive projects in their child’s classroom throughout the year.  In doing so, volunteers expose students to important artists, teach them how to assess and explore art, and encourage children to develop their own artistic expression.   Children learn the vocabulary of art through group discussions of artists, art movements and individual works of art, place the artists and their work in context to enhance the students greater understanding of history, and explore new methods of expression. 

 Parents don’t need a background in art or education to become great Art Smart volunteers.  All that’s required is a bit of planning and research and a commitment to facilitating understanding and creativity.  Westport volunteers have plenty of resources at their disposal including an Art Smart supply cabinet, school and Westport Public Library, websites, and an abundance of local artists and museum educators.     

 At the end of the year, Westport Elementary Schools are transformed into museum galleries that display two to three Art Smart projects per class.  This is event is known as Museum Night and it’s truly a highlight of the year. Students enjoy the opportunity to share their artwork with family and friends and admire the work of their peers. Children also have a chance to act as docents, guiding visitors through exhibits while sharing their newly gained knowledge. There’s even a scavenger hunt designed for visitors to locate specific pieces of art throughout the school.  It’s a fun and pride-filled event for everyone involved!    

Resources:

There are many great places to turn for ideas and audiovisual materials for presentations:

*The CES / KHS / SES / LLS /GFS websites are an excellent resource for projects.  Just go to our Art Smart site at:

www.westport.k12.ct.us  or http://teachers.westport.k12.ct.us/artsmarts.  Click on “review past evaluations” to find project ideas/reviews for projects.

*Westport Public Library – art books as well as art to check out for use in class presentations.  The librarians are also a excellent and very excited to help.

www.westportlibrary.org

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