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The students' artwork is publicly viewable weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from February 26 through March 31, 2017.
"The Mario Umana Academy has done incredible work to inspire our students' creativity," said Superintendent Tommy Chang. "As we continue to increase our offering of arts in the Boston Public Schools, it is heartwarming to see our students' talent on full display."
Youth Art Month recognizes student skills through visual arts experiences and emphasizes the value of arts education for all children. Youth Art Month encourages support for quality school art programs. The Council for Art Education (CFAE) administers the program at the national level.
Admission is free and parking is available in the building garage for a fee. For access by MBTA, take the Green line and exit at Boylston Station. Proceed to walk south on Tremont Street one block toward the Wang Center. Turn right onto Stuart Street. Walk half a block and the State Transportation Building is on the right.
BPS student artwork on display at State Transportation Building
United Through Art exhibit includes student work from 90 Massachusetts communities
BOSTON -- Friday, February 24, 2017 -- Six Boston Public Schools (BPS) students who attend the Mario Umana Academy in East Boston now have their artwork on display at the State Transportation Building as part of an exhibit sponsored by the Massachusetts Art Education Association during national Youth Art Month.
The students' artwork is publicly viewable weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from February 26 through March 31, 2017.
"Arts education absolutely adds value to students' overall experiences in the classroom," said Julie Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. "We thank the State Transportation Building for showcasing the artwork of these young students, which allows them to see the importance of their work and encourages their creativity."
The student artists are (work right to left):
Yonis Rodriguez, 2nd grade (Batik)
Mia Hosokawa, 2nd grade (Accordion Book)
Nicole Lopera, 3rd grade (Notan Design)
Julio Perez, 4th grade (Scratchboard)
Raquel Saldarriaga, 4th grade (Scratchboard)
Channel Mejia, 4th grade (Notan design)
"The Mario Umana Academy has done incredible work to inspire our students' creativity," said Superintendent Tommy Chang. "As we continue to increase our offering of arts in the Boston Public Schools, it is heartwarming to see our students' talent on full display."
The Umana students' work is part of United Through Art, the only statewide Youth Art Month exhibit in Massachusetts, which features student work from more than 90 cities and towns.
Mia Hosokawa, a second-grade student who lives in East Boston, said, "I like art because you can make anything you want using any material you want. When I make art, my mind flows with ideas. Art is beautiful because any color, any pattern, is art. Everyone can make art. I feel proud because I like my art and I feel like showing it to a lot of people during the United Through Art exhibit is a special opportunity."
Youth Art Month recognizes student skills through visual arts experiences and emphasizes the value of arts education for all children. Youth Art Month encourages support for quality school art programs. The Council for Art Education (CFAE) administers the program at the national level.
Yarima Ariza, an Umana Academy art teacher, said, "I am a firm believer in the academic and social benefits of learning in and through the arts. For my students, participating in the United Through Arts Exhibition is a way to feel empowered and to feel proud of their achievement in my class. Participating in this kind of experience beyond the immediate classroom often improves students' achievement, cultivates their motivation and promotes self-confidence. I am proud of my students' creative and problem-solving skills, and of their ability to produce exemplar artwork to be exhibited in such an important event. I am grateful for having such an amazing group of students who will represent the spirit of the Umana in a very positive way."
"I am a firm believer in the academic and social benefits of learning in and through the arts. For my students, participating in the United Through Arts Exhibition is a way to feel empowered and to feel proud of their achievement in my class...."
Yarima Ariza, Art Teacher - Umana Academy