By YIA Mentor Artist – June Li
I mentored students at Marina Middle School in San Francisco in creating a beautiful recycled tree this year. We collected recycled materials and found objects in nature, such as junk mail, paper plates, and falling branches. Instead of buying products, students turned waste into creative art projects to share with their friends and families. By completing our recycled tree, students became more aware of our environment and what they throw away on a daily basis, and used their imagination to transform junk into beautiful objects. My goal for this course was to inspire students to buy less, reuse and recreate; own less and live more. We will live healthier and the planet will be greener.