VHHS Students Continue Supporting The Memory Project Through Their Art

Students in Allison Molloy's AP Drawing & 2D Design Portfolio and Drawing & Painting Studio at Vernon Hills High School created portraits of 13 orphaned Colombian children as part of The Memory Project, a non-profit organization that connects American art students with children in need across the globe. The students shared a piece of their artistic passion with these children who face substantial challenges. All drawings, paintings, and mixed media portraits were created this semester and delivered to orphans in Colombia as part of their holiday season festivities in early December.

The children live in a very poor shanty town in the mountains, some of them with a single parent or grandparent. In recent decades, many Colombians have fled to such shanty towns to escape the drug-related violence, murders and kidnappings in their country’s more rural areas. Systemic poverty in these shanty towns leads to many ongoing social problems, especially for women and children. Fortunately, these children are being helped by an organization that provides them with healthy nutrition and early childhood education. For all of them, receiving their handmade portraits was a unique and exciting experience.

VHHS students participating in the project were Anya Caples, Meghan Singer, Cindy Uriostegui, Nicole Mischiara, Drew Laser, Brandon Meister, Lee Judilla. Maddie Fernandez, Trinity Ustrnul, Sneha Akurati, Nick Duco, Alex Kinderman and Agustin Sandoval. The VHHS Art Department's financial contribution to the project was part of the collective donation of $5,300 from across the U.S. that is supporting the children’s nutrition and early education program, as well as providing these children with a beautiful art memory of their childhood.

Please enjoy this heartwarming video documenting the delivery of hundreds of portraits created for these Colombian children.

The Memory Project leaders also created an adorable video of children from one orphanage performing for the artists who created for them!

Pictured above:
Photo 1: Group Photo of Artwork. Artists completing pieces (top row) Anya Caples, Meghan Singer, Cindy Uriostegui, Nicole Mischiara, Drew Laser, Brandon Meister, Lee Judilla (bottom row) Maddie Fernandez, Trinity Ustrnul, Sneha Akurati, Nick Duco, Alex Kinderman, and Agustin Sandoval

Photo 2: VHHS artists holding their works: Alex Kinderman, Agustin Sandoval, Brandon Meister, Nicole Mischiara, Nick Duco, Meghan Singer and Anya Caples

Photo 3: VHHS Artists holding pieces: (top to bottom row) Drew Laser, Trinity Ustrnul, Lee Judilla and Maddie Fernandez

Photo 4: Artist Sneha Akurati and her completed portrait.