School-Inspired Art Now Decorating Hawley

By Eliza Hallabeck

During what would normally have been their recess and lunch, 25 students spent roughly three weeks working in Hawley Elementary School art teacher Vicki Sheskin’s classroom creating 12 posters representing different aspects of Hawley life.

Now their combined effort is on view for the school, near the multipurpose room in the 1921 addition of the building.

The idea for the project began after custodians painted and touched up the hallway outside of the multipurpose room. Then, Hawley Principal Jo-Ann Peters approached Ms Sheskin and asked her to come up with an idea to decorate the space.

“You give [Ms Sheskin] an idea, and she runs with it,” said Ms Peters on Monday, March 2.

By Monday, the idea and project had been completed and hung in the school. A mural created by students years ago had been hanging there previously, but the students who would have worked on it “are probably married now,” said Ms Sheskin.

The poster concept used to create the 12 images, each representing part of Hawley life, evolved after Ms Sheskin was approach by Ms Peters. Ms Sheskin said students in the school were asked to submit what part of the day they would like represented, and, after the responses were compiled, 12 areas were chosen: lunch, art, music, library, social studies, science, math, computers, writing, recess, reading, and gym.

While many interested fourth grade students attended the first meeting to learn about the project, 25 students ended up being involved in creating the posters.

Drawings created by the students were combined to create each of the individual 12 poster images, and Ms Sheskin said, “The results are just wonderful.”

The original drawings were also enlarged and transferred to foam core boards, then painted by the students. Students partnered together on the project, and only one group had three students in it.

Ms Sheskin said all of the students were great.

“They worked together beautifully,” she said, adding, “It was a great opportunity for them.”

As a group, students responded to what their favorite part of the project was. Most said it was overall fun. Other said the chance to work with one another, the chance to come back later in life to see what they accomplished, a chance to make mistakes and not to feel bad about it, and having a time to express themselves were their favorite parts.

“I love art, what can I say?” said Tyler Leyva, the only boy in the volunteer student group.

Allie Paynter said the project was fun, and Briana Castellano agreed.

“When it came together it was really fun,” said Briana, “because we got to paint.”

The posters now hanging in the wall were also a surprise for students and Ms Sheskin last week, because they had not expected the posters to go up until the scheduled April break. During last week’s Tuesday snow day, the school custodians were able to hang the work.

“It was really a great collaboration,” said Ms Sheskin. “A lot of wonderful minds came up with some great things.”

The other students involved in the project were Ariana Kuchenbrod, Larkin Huffman, Theresa Forlenzo, Holly LoCascio, Abby Pereira, Alex Watson, Greta Staubly, Elle Sauli, Sophia Rhyins, Danielle Powell, Cory Mangold, Maddy Albee, Jessica Stolfi, Sophie Wolfman, Allie Reczek, Stephanie Helstern, Camryn Findley, Madison Findley, Haley Harkins, Caroline Condon, Veronica Craig, and Hayley Lambert.

Ms Peters said she thinks the posters came out fantastic.

“When you step back for a minute and you see what you have accomplished,” said Ms Sheskin to the group of fourth graders on Monday, “it is an awesome feeling.”