How local students are using art to connect with complex topics

Last school year, SmartARTS teaching artist Sunny M. McGowan and League Academy history teacher Karen Perkins collaborated to bring the Bill of Rights to life through arts integration.

Each student picked an amendment that resonated with them and wrote about its importance, including why it’s still needed — and that was just the beginning . With McGowan’s guidance, students created symbols representing these amendments by creating art prints from a carving (think: soft linoleum + a brayer to roll out ink).

That’s how the Metropolitan Arts Council’s SmartARTS program works — students, teachers, and artists integrate arts into the core curriculum, enriching learning experiences at participating schools .

“I love SmartARTS; it’s the best thing for these kids,” Perkins said. “The children that are having a hard time academically excel once the arts are brought in; it helps them make connections.”