Eight hundred D300 and U46 paraeducators participated in the second annual Parapalooza, a conference for teacher aides, at Jacobs High School on February 28th. The conference included speakers, seminars, and a collaborative art project.
The art project, an interactive mural, portrayed an image of rainbow-colored wings, and participants were invited to write responses to "What Lifts You?" on feather cutouts, then place them on the mural. Responses ranged from "my grandkids" and "respect", to "mi cultura" and "libros".
There was such a strong positive response to the initial exhibit, that the mural then traveled to the Illinois Education Association Representative Assembly in Rosemont, IL for the conference running March 5-7. Around 1,500 participants were able to view the mural, and add more feathers if they desired.
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Photo: Mural designer Sam Sieber poses in front of the completed mural. Sam teaches art and is co-Director at Creative Arts Inc. nonprofit art studio in Crystal Lake. Learn more: www.creativeartsinc.org
