Local Mayfield Jr/Sr High School Art Students Contribute to Global Memory Project

Seven students from Mayfield’s Jr/Sr High School Advanced Studio Art class participated in the Memory Project. This global initiative encourages art students to create handmade portraits for children in difficult circumstances worldwide. The goal is to honor these children and boost their self-esteem. This year, the students created portraits of child refugees from Syria under the guidance of their art teacher, Jeremy Lebediker.

Lebediker sees the project as a way to expose his students to global issues. He noted that his students put a lot of effort into this project, understanding the struggles of others and wanting to bring joy. Since 2004, the Memory Project has involved 320,000 young people in 57 countries.

Jesslin Ochoa, an 11th grader, highlighted the importance of the project. She said that the opportunity to brighten the day of the children they were portraying was meaningful. Students chose their portrait subjects after reading their background information and feeling a connection. For example, Ochoa chose a girl who also enjoys painting.

After sending the portraits, the schools receive a video of the children opening their personalized artwork. These videos show the positive impact of the students' artwork. The Memory Project, along with the participating schools, is helping students see similarities with others, despite differences in appearance, culture, religion, or circumstances.

The Memory Project and Mayfield’s Jr/Sr High School are collaborating to create a kinder world through art. For more information about the Memory Project, visit https://www.memoryproject.org/.

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