Fenton Schools Hold District Art Show

Sixth-grader Elise Bugala's project for the annual District Art Show embraced the theme of the event — Recycle, Repurpose and Recreate. Elise used chip packets to make iridescent fish, taping the packets on with double-sided tape.

"Last year, we made fish similar to that, except we painted them," she said.

Her mother, Becky Bugala, said she always enjoys the event and especially likes this year's. "I love the giving-back aspect of the art show."

Andrew G. Schmidt (AGS) Middle School Principal Heidie Ciesielski said AGS hosts the art show every year. It features the work of students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Students from , and painted footwear for the Fenton Folk shoe installation to call attention to homelessness, following the lead of a Detroit artist, said teacher Jennifer Crawford, an International Baccalaureate (IB) coordinator from North Road Elementary. In addition, a group of fifth grade students from North Road Elementary visited Carriage Town Ministries in Flint, to help feed the homeless. It is part of their (IB) Primary Years Programme exit project — next school year they will enter the Middle Years Programme.

Fifth-graders Gabrielle Garry, Michele Bundia and Kyle Lewandowski, from North Road Elementary School, said they visited Carriage Town Ministries this week. They served food there and had a tour, meeting a woman who had been homeless for more than 20 years. She told them it was a result of domestic violence and drug abuse. Before connecting with Carriage Town Ministries, she ate from garbage cans and slept in an abandoned car. The painted shoes represent homelessness everywhere, Michele said.

Jennifer Mobley, art teacher for AGS Middle School's Donaldson Drive Campus, said her students used paper from a scrap box to create landscape collages. This encompassed the recycle and rethink art theme for the annual District Art Show. Middle school students also made bird creatures and art that involves nature and the environment. The Art Club, which has been very active with the school's recycling effort, made a "tree."

Students researched artists and made projects inspired by the people they learned about. In addition, for the first time in many years, two-dimensional art was included. "It's a different feel," she said.

"This year's theme was a good one," Mobley said. "The kids enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it."

Joseph Cryderman, a first-grader at North Road Elementary School, examined a series of 3D sculptures near the AGS main entrance. Joseph said his art project at the event was a cat mask.

Fenton High School sophomore Courtney Cross said she helped videotape the District Art Show for her video production class. The program will appear on Charter public access Channel 99.

Crawford said the students who visited Carriage Town Ministries, and more fifth grade groups, will present what they learned and what actions they took at an event on Thursday, May 19, at North Road Elementary School, 525 North Rd. in Fenton. It is from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and the community is welcome to attend to learn more about the fifth-graders' big IB Primary Years Program exit projects. One group is presenting facts about obesity, with more information available at www.healthawarenessobesity.weebly.com