The Winner is......

2011/12 Kids First cover art contest winner - DeVon Saddler, third grade, Calvin Donaldson 

"Would you like to buy a coupon book?"  Yes, we've all heard it from neighbors, grandkids and various  miniature salesmen-in-training.  The annual Hamilton County Kids First Coupon Book sale is about to begin - a much anticipated event for ArtPart.  ArtPart loves good savings, but the cause of our great anticipation does not lie within the potential savings but within the positive recognition that this booklet will bring to our phenomenal art students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy (CDESA).  "How's that?'' you ask.  Well, let me brag a little.  Every year the Kids First Coupon Book committee arranges an art contest for the cover of the booklet.  All Hamilton County students are invited to participate.   Illustrations are submitted and a cover is selected.  This year the winning cover art goes to.....DeVon Saddler, a very talented Calvin Donaldson third grade art student.  DeVon was beyond excitement when he was informed of this achievement.   His fellow students were very proud as well.  They were not only proud of DeVon but more importantly they were proud to be a Calvin Donaldson student.  A Calvin Donaldson student had never won such an honor.  This is clearly due to lack of opportunity, not lack of talent.  Opportunity, accomplishment, school pride, affirmation, positive community recognition - this is the stuff from which healthy,  productive people are made. This is the stuff that has transformed the kids at CDESA because they had the opportunity to participate in the arts.


Unfortunately, DeVon will no longer be given the privilege to participate in art education next year because of a lack of funding.  Would you consider partnering with us to make art education available to all students at Calvin Donaldson so that they might be able to experience opportunity, accomplishment, school price, affirmation, and positive community recognition.   To give to this endeavor, please go to  http://www.cfgc.org/  click donate under Live Here Give Here, and choose ArtPart as the recipient.

"Kids First" cover art entries

"Kids First" cover art entries, a set on Flickr. Check out all six CDESA entries.

Hello World!

Well, here we are, on the world wide web.  What a journey this has been!  We started with a simple mission, a simple plan...."let's teach art!" and we ended with eyes wide open to a much more complicated issue.  The lack of art education available to the deserving children of our community.  We have an incredible city, one that embraces and encourages the arts.  However, only 11 out of 44 elementary schools offer art education - leaving a gaping hole in the academic experience of Hamilton County students.  We, ArtPart, would like to rally the troops (yes, YOU are the troops) and improve that 11/44 statistic.  Art is an important part of education.  http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/champions/message.html The act of creating fosters innovation, builds self-esteem, and reinforces academic understanding.  All children benefit from the intrinsic value of making art, not just those who are "gifted" with artistic skill.
Take DiCorius Knight.  As we studied, sketched and considered various skyscrapers (preparing for the creation of brilliant cityscapes), I told DiCorius that he could become an architect someday.  He had never heard the word before.  He did not know what an architect was or what an architect did.  DiCorius inquired and continued to create his cityscape masterpiece.  As we talked, his imagination constructed a cityscape on paper while his intellect constructed new aspirations for his future.  Three months later, DiCorius came to school as an architect on career day.  


This is only one story.  We have many.  We invite you to be a part of our mission to both advocate art education and to provide accessible art initiatives for as many Hamilton County students as possible.