Family, Optimism and Friendship at Bahia Vista Elementary

This week Youth in Arts celebrated art and friendship with Kindergarten students and their families at Bahia Vista Elementary School.   Optimism and friendship are two important themes in Kindergarten and YIA Mentor Artist and Program Director Suzanne Joyal lead families in an evening creating art around these topics.
We started out talking about how we can be good friends and singing a song in Spanish and American Sign Language about friendship with YIA Mentor Artist Nydia Gonzalez.  Sharing, supporting, listening, respecting and playing were definitely important and students made it clear that they feel great when with a good friend!
Teacher Suzanne then lead everyone in creating a beautiful Tree of Hopes, adorned with drawings depicting everyone’s hopes and dreams for the future.
For the past few months YIA Mentor Artist and Program Director Suzanne Joyal has been teaching all 7 Kindergarten classes a visual arts curriculum geared around the themes of friendship in honor of the life of Walker Rezaian.
Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Pauley reflected on the past few months, “This program has helped each of my students learn a new way to express themselves, build self-confidence and discover the amazing artist within them.  We feel so thankful to have gotten this experience and are happy for the next bunch of kids that get to work with you.”
Youth in Arts Executive Director Miko Lee has announced that applications are open for the 2015-16 Walker Rezaian Creative HeArts Kindergarten Arts Program. “We are thrilled to continue this program next year.” said Lee. “We look forward to sharing the experience with another low income school in memory of Walker.  We have had a wonderful partnership with Walker’s family in creating this program and providing life long learning tools for so many children in our area.”
Interested Title I schools in Marin County should apply by May 18. Apply here.
The Walker Rezaian Creative HeArts Fund is a project of the Walker Rezaian Memorial Fund. Youth in Arts is a nonprofit established in 1970. The leading arts education nonprofit in the North Bay, Youth in Arts offers students experiences and instruction in the visual and performing arts, and enriches the community with cultural events.