Painting a masterpiece for young patients

Students from the LPS Arts and Humanities Focus Program visited the pediatric wing of Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital on Monday and they brought Mickey Mouse and Marlin from the movie “Finding Nemo” with them.

Art teacher Gerardo Meza accompanied the five students - Skylar Smith, Olivia Jenkins, Iris Starlin-Hintz, Rhiannon Cottam and Pasckaline Ngendahimana - who drew and painted the cartoon characters on windows throughout the building. They also brought art supplies to donate to the patients.

Meza said the students will return to Madonna sometime in the next couple weeks and add to the work did on Monday. In the meantime, their first visit left a lasting impression.

"The impact of having students give back to their community through their talents is long-lasting. Students gain a sense of identity and purpose as they use art to change the world around them," he said. "They gain an understanding of how images can change someone's mood or add a smile to someone's day."

The Arts and Humanities Focus Program began in 1998 and is open to students in grades nine through 12. The program is a highly interactive learning environment centered around the arts and humanities. Students who attend the focus program remain students at their home high school and are eligible to participate in the school’s activities, athletics and social events, as well as those of the focus program. Students take at least two classes at their home high school prior to the start of the Arts and Humanities program each day.

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