by Robert Fountain III TOW UFSD Art Teacher, K–12
The student artists, front row, from left: Shelby Egnaczyk and Jodi Bolton. Back row: Lindsay Payne, Allyson Brosemer, Nikki Redpath, Shelby McGill, Autumn Townsend and Mr. Fountain. Missing from photo: Alexis Dolan
For the second year, art students at Town of Webb Union Free School District have collaborated with the Memory Project, a nationwide initiative in which art students create original portraits for children living in orphanages around the world.
This is the second year the students have participated in the project.
Artist Autumn Townsend working on her acrylic painting
Given that children who have been abandoned, orphaned, abused, or neglected often have few personal keepsakes, the purpose of the portraits is to provide them with a special memory of their youth, to honor their heritage and identity, and to help them build a positive self-image.
The project also provides an opportunity for young Americans to open their hearts to children who have endured many hardships, and to promote the value of sharing kindness with others.
The Memory Project has been featured on national television several times, most notably when Katie Couric concluded her very first broadcast of the CBS Evening News with a story about the project’s success at an orphanage in Nicaragua. Major newspapers and magazines throughout the country have also covered the project.
Students at Town of Webb UFSD participated worked on the project during their Drawing-Painting and Independent Art classes. The students received photographs of children who are waiting for portraits, and then worked in the art room to create the portraits.
Once finished, the Memory Project delivers the portraits to the children. The students and myself created portrait paintings for nine children living at an orphanage in Haiti.
The Memory Project is a program of the nonprofit organization, My Class Cares, which is based in Madison, WI. Since the project began in 2004, high school art students around the country have produced more than 25,000 portraits.
The participating artists and I are proud of the portraits created. The kids were excited about this project right from the beginning and their paintings demonstrate their passion. The project serves as a lesson of appreciation and empathy for the world around us. The project will remain in the hearts of those who participated for the rest of their lives. I plan to complete the project again with next year’s students.
A short and humbling video of the delivery of last year’s portraits can be viewed at www.towschool.org, under Jr/Sr High Departments. More about the Memory Project can be found at www.thememoryproject.org.
