Teaching and Learning Highlights: Students Experience Street Painting

The following was submitted by Foxboro Assistant Superintendent Amy Berdos and is part of the Foxboro Teaching and Learning Highlight series.

The artistic talents of Foxborough High School students from the Arts and Culture Club were featured as the Teaching and Learning Highlight at Monday night's School Committee meeting. The FHS students recently participated at the Providence Street Painting Festival where they spent all day working together to create two large chalk murals. A true team effort was illustrated from start to finish explained the group's advisor, Ms. Sheri Turcotte.

The process began with two 6x6 inch square designs created by senior Dani DeVellis and freshmen Ana Noriega. Once in Providence, the young artists worked together to scale up the 6 inch square mermaid and merman designs to a vibrantly colored 8 ft x 8 ft sidewalk mural. FHS Arts and Culture Club members present at the School Committee meeting included freshman Ana Noriega, sophomore Mike Relleva, juniors Amber Dauphinee and Carolyn Dorr and senior Dani DeVellis. When asked about the overall experience, the group agreed that participating in the day's events exceeded their expectations. In addition to spending the day doing what they loved, the chance for interacting and learning from the artistic styles of others was a festival highlight. It is rewarding to be with others that share your passion, and it is really interesting to see how everyone's take on the same concept is so different explained Caroline. As for Amber's sentiments, "It makes you want to do better as you compare yourself to other artists, and it made me want to push myself."

The Arts and Culture Club is a co-curricular club that meets once a week after school and is led by FHS Art teacher Ms. Sheri Turcotte. The goal of the club is to provide access to open studio time for any student in the high school. The club also plans 2-3 cultural events a year that may involve the entire student body or just members of the club.