Summer Camp At the ARTS Center
This summer, ARTS had the exciting opportunity to collaborate with the Chula Vista Elementary School District’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (LEAD). This unique and engaging collaboration allowed us to offer their students a summer break camp like no other. From June 11 to June 28, 2024, we hosted nearly 200 students from Palomar Elementary School, Jeffers Elementary School, Cook Elementary School, Chula Vista Hills Elementary School, and Harborside Elementary School. This three-week camp, designed for 3rd to 6th graders, immersed them in various art mediums and creative experiences through our specialized curriculum.
Art Leaders Around the world
Students participated in diverse art projects, guided by our innovative curriculum, “ART Leaders Around the World.” This curriculum encouraged students to explore their creativity and artistic abilities while learning about prominent professional artists from different continents.
Throughout the program, the students engaged in a variety of artistic projects. This included four individual projects and two collaborative projects, one of which is the community mural that will be displayed in the district offices, which we are particularly proud of. The individual projects ranged from creating unique flower sculptures inspired by Yayoi Kusama, to crafting surrealistic landscapes influenced by Dalí, writing animal stories inspired by Rufino Tamayo, and creating collage work inspired by El Anatsui and Chéri Samba.
To support their creativity, each student received an individual workbook tailored to the program's specialized curriculum. The workbook provided a space for project brainstorming, daily check-ins, and free-time activities, all aimed at aiding their creative process.
In addition to the Yayoi Kusama flower sculpture activity, our team designed our own version of a obliteration room, drawing inspiration from Kusama's renowned immersive installations. This interactive experience quickly became a favorite among our young visitors, offering them the opportunity to step inside a living artwork and actively participate in its creation. It was delightful to see the students' enthusiasm, with many assuming that the installation was a permanent part of the ARTS Center, they were eager to leave their own distinctive marks.
Our Continued Partnership with Chula Vista Elementary School District
We were delighted to witness the remarkable transformation in returning and new students. It’s truly inspiring to hear the success stories of students who, at first, may have lacked confidence in their illustration skills but, in the end, completed paintings of which they were incredibly proud. This growth in creativity and confidence is a testament to the impact of our program, and we are proud of the sense of accomplishment our students have gained.
Highlighting LEAD's Mission Through Art
The community mural was a beautiful collaboration driven by LEAD's inspiring mission. The journey kicked off with an engaging team brainstorming session led by ARTS on Campus program coordinator Katie Carrion and program specialist Daniela Sebastian. The Junior Academy team was comprised of five talented teaching artists: Iris Rainbow, Leah Eria, Zade Landegger, Ell Treese, and Jerry Scott Lopez, alongside program assistants Barbara Salazar, Jess Garcia, Aurora Cruz, and Sonya Valle. Each team member brought their unique contributions to the creation of the mural.
To form the foundation of the mural, we incorporated visual icons representing the core values of LEAD: learn, enrich, aspire, and develop. These icons drew inspiration from various themes, including student voice, civic action, water rights, STEAM, community enrichment, and aspirations. Guided by our skilled teaching artists, Ell Treese and Jerry Scott Lopez, every student selected a distinct part of the mural to paint, infusing it with their personal artistic touches. The result is a stunning masterpiece that will be proudly showcased in the Chula Vista Elementary School District offices.
We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to partner with CVESD LEAD once again and most importantly, we are thankful for the students who brought their creativity and enthusiasm to our program. We look forward to continuing to inspire and nurture young artists in our community.
