Stillwater Elementary Teacher Gets Creative to Save Art Class

School teachers across the state of Oklahoma are struggling with drops in funding due to state budget issues. It's caused educators to get creative in order to keep education enrichment programs alive.

Thursday, August 26th 2010, 10:57 pm

By: News 9


By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- School teachers across the state of Oklahoma are struggling with drops in funding due to state budget issues. It's caused educators to get creative in order to keep education enrichment programs alive.

Art lessons at Will Rogers Elementary School in Stillwater are counted as very important to fourth grade teacher Angelica Craig. She said art lessons are life lessons.

"Art really seems to be that thing that brings all the students together. It becomes common ground for them," Craig said.

That common ground is important because Will Rogers Elementary boasts a large international student population.

"We have 26 different languages and probably close to 40 countries represented," said Will Rogers Principal Megan Matthews.

She said art is a way for all students to express themselves and often provides an outlet for educators to understand what a student may be going through.

"It helps express your feelings, and you can draw what you want to and there are no rules," said fourth grade student Jonathan Austin.

Mrs. Craig said in addition to bridging cultures, art lessons help her kids become more detail oriented which leads to success in life.

"Without it, our kids are really being robbed of something," Craig said.

The budget at the school is half of what it was last year, which was half the budget from the year before. The tightened purse strings mean money goes to necessities and not extra art supplies like pastels and sketchbooks. That's a disappointment to kids who said they wish they had more colors to express themselves with.

"I love art. I can't describe it. There's so many things you could draw with more colors," said fourth grader Emma Watkins.

It's why Craig is taking her efforts to fund art enrichment to the web. The fourth grade teacher has formed a page on donorschoose.org to try and get supplies for her students.

"It's not just important in school. It's important in life, and it's a great equalizer in the world," Craig added.

Donate to help Craig's cause for her Will Rogers Elementary fourth grade art class

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