2017 Mini-Grant Recipient

Expanding Artistic Options & Abilities
Hathaway Elementary School

Hathaway kindergarteners are creating beautiful art and learning the subtleties of using art tools beyond crayons and markers.

Kindergarten teacher Emma Slabbert applied for a mini-grant to purchase materials for canvas and watercolor painting. Today, her students are using the materials to create artwork by modeling the teacher. The direct instruction technique allows students to create artwork shape-by-shape, resulting in some very surprising results.

  • The students are gaining an appreciation of beauty around them, and those who have never been exposed to anything beyond crayons are broadening their horizons. My hope is that they will build upon this experience to develop a life time appreciation for art.

    Emma Slabbert Kindergarten Teacher

  • The direct instruction technique and the new materials are giving the kids confidence in their abilities by expanding what they think they are capable of. They are surprising themselves by what is possible when they break a form into individual elements. They are so proud of the work they create!

    Emma Slabbert Kindergarten Teacher

Emma was able to stretch the grant really far by bargain shopping, watching sales and clipping coupons. She turned a $250 mini-grant into a cabinet full of materials to support many different art projects for her entire class.