This
colorful schoolwide art project has a powerful message
An elementary school in
Indiana combined creativity and literature to create a beautiful piece of art
that will encourage students for years to come to be true to themselves.
Students grades K-5 at Sharon elementary school in Newburgh, IN painted rocks inspired
by the book Only One You, by Linda Kranz to create a colorful stone
lined path outside the school entrance.
The project was the
brainchild of art teacher Jessica Moyes. While the installment is just now
complete, she’s been working on it for some time. “It was funded by a grant
from a local foundation that funds unique projects in our school district,” she
tells Scary Mommy. “I applied for this grant and received it earlier in the
year.”
Only One You is an inspirational
children’s book about Adri, a little fish who is about to go explore the
ocean on his own. His mother and father tell him some of the important lessons
they’ve learned throughout their lives in hopes that it will help him on his
journey. They remind him, “Always be on the lookout for a new friend,” and
“Find your own way. You don’t have to follow the crowd.” The book stresses how
everyone is unique, and that each of us have something to contribute to the
world. “There’s only one you in this great big world. Make it a better place.”
Moyes shared pictures of her
students painting the rocks and the final result of the project on the school’s
art class Facebook page, where they’ve been shared over 18,000 times and
counting. Parents and fellow teachers are amazed with the project, with many saying
they want to petition their own local schools to follow Sharon elementary’s
lead.
Moyes read the book to all
of her students. Then each student painted their own unique rock inspired by
the fish in the book using indoor/outdoor glossy acrylic craft paint. Moyes
says she has approximately 740 students, enough to make a gorgeous path of
brightly colored rocks outside the school’s main doors.
Author: Megan
Zander
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