ARTS Olympics: Fall Break at ARTS

This Fall, Chula Vista Elementary School District's LEAD team invited ARTS to host youth from 2nd grade to 6th grade. We were tasked to come up with engaging activities in the theme of the Olympics, a topic we hadn't explored extensively in the past. However, we were more than ready to take on this new challenge. Our programs team rose to the occasion and created four art lessons that depict the history of the Olympics, its spirit, and the sense of community it fosters. We delved into how this epic event unites athletes and people from across the globe every four years.

Over the past three school breaks, we have fostered a strong partnership with CVESD, collaborating to provide expanded learning opportunities for their students. Our shared goal has been to make these experiences both enjoyable and educational. We are particularly excited about the workbooks we've created to complement our programs. Each session, our team develops engaging lessons based on the overall theme of the camp. While students explore their creativity through fun activities at the ARTS Center, we also include instructions and ideas for similar activities that families can do together at home.

Teaching Artist Highlight: Adriana Quezada

This session, we were excited to feature a beautiful addition to our workbook, a hand-illustrated coloring and educational page from our ARTS on Campus Teaching Artist, Adriana Quezada. Her projects are based on the symbols and history of the Olympics, such as the laurel wreath, the fire torch, the rings, etc. She often thinks about symbols because "they are everywhere, and they move us in a way we can't fully understand." It is very interesting to talk about symbols, "little things that can move big emotions." She thought that if she could teach symbols to kids, maybe someday they could come up with their own symbols.

We feel grateful to work with talented and inspiring Teaching Artists like Adriana. She is an accomplished illustrator and children's book author. She has created four illustrated books and several commissions for magazines and other publications. One of her favorite books is about ecology and intergenerational relationships with the environment and community. It is called "Life in my Environment." It was translated into four different Mexican Indigenous Languages. https://casagallina.org.mx/publicacion/vida-en-mi-entorno-manual-para-integrarse-al-mundo-naturalmente/14

Other activities we engaged in included making a DIY Olympic mascot plushie, inspired by various Olympic locations, and creating a collaborative mural influenced by the famous artist Keith Haring, known for his dynamic subjects. The youth also had the chance to express their hopes and dreams on a collaborative trophy inspired by the Olympic flame. Some aspirations included, "My dream is to be a cat caretaker." Many also expressed a desire to be gymnasts (with lots of creative spelling). Baseball stood out too; one participant wrote, "My champion goal is to get everything!”