Mural

Sioux Trail Elementary and Christina Huddleston Elementary (in Lakeville) have been awarded an Inter-District Collaborative Integrated Student Learning Grant. The Inter-district Collaborative between ISD 191 and ISD 194 awards Integrated Student Learning Grants for projects that promote integrated learning opportunities by making voluntary contact possible for students from both school districts. This grant will provide both schools an opportunity to collaborate with one another and work in with artist in residence, Jane Elias. With Jane’s help, students will create and paint murals in the cafeterias of both schools. Valspar Foundation donated paint for the murals.

The theme of the murals is friendship and making connections with others. This theme will reflect the friendships that students currently have at Sioux Trail and the new friendships that will be created by working with students at Christina Huddleston.

All Sioux Trail students have had opportunities to share his/her ideas for the mural with his/her teacher. These ideas have been given to the artist and will be used to create the mural. A group of students volunteered to remove the blue paper from the cafeteria wall in preparation for the mural. These students are featured in the photographs. One of the district maintenance staff members, Dennis, is also featured doing a little plaster repair on the wall.

Ms. Brandon’s class has volunteered to paint a coat of primer on the wall. A select group of artists (students) will assist Jane Elias in outlining the mural onto the cafeteria wall. Second graders from Sioux Trail and third graders from Christina Huddleston will be involved in painting the murals at both schools. Other Sioux Trail students will add their painting talents to the mural as the need arises. To finish off the mural the select group of artists will add final touches. Our goal is to have the mural completed before the midwinter break. If you are in the building, peek in the cafeteria to check on our progress. I will also keep updating our progress right here on the blog.

We could use donations of containers about the size of large yogurt or cottage cheese, rags (old cotton t-shirts work best), and paint shirts. We need these items by February 23. Items can be dropped off in the Sioux Trail office.

Mrs. Birch and Mr. Glende have done all of the work behind this project from brainstorming the idea, screening artists, writing the grant and doing a lot of behind the scenes prep work. Mrs. Birch even gets credit for writing out all of the information in this blog posting.