Schools
Sidewalk Art Fair Sparks Students' and Parents' Creativity
The fifth annual Northwest Elementary School Sidewalk Art Fair hosted by the PTA kicked the school year into high gear.
Toby Styka draws intently on the sidewalk while listening to the blaring music as students stare in awe watching him sketch the Harley Davidson logo at the school's fifth annual Sidewalk Art Fair. Styka draws his inspiration from his children who every year aide him in choosing a different design. Last year, he drew a huge Black Hawk mural.
Styka is just one parent out of more than 100 students, parents and teachers who attended the art fair on Friday.
The art fair was a chance for parents to meet new people and for students to be creative and play outside the classroom, said Kelly Sader, a Parent, and Julie Rogers, chairperson of the Northwest Elementary School Sidewalk Art Fair.
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Sixth grader Kellie Styka said she loves seeing everyone having fun drawing.
“It’s different to see [the students] outside the classroom. I enjoy seeing the kids with their families,” said fifth grade teacher, Sue Parker, who volunteers every year at the annual event.
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The art fair, which was started by Former Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) President Michelle Siemiawski, proved to be an immediate success from the very beginning, participants said. Since the PTA changed the art fair two years ago from Saturday to Friday, the event has grown every year, according to Rogers.
In the first year, the PTA sold 40 squares. This year, the PTA sold 95 squares of two different sizes, 4x7 and 5x7. Students purchased the sidewalk squares to draw on ahead of time for $7 for the 4x7 squares and $10 for the 5x7 ones, Rogers said.
“Our goal is to wrap [the students'] school in their creativity,” Rogers said.
The school is wrapped in the student’s creativity surprisingly even after a few rains, Sader added.
Funds raised from the art fair will help the school to pay for assemblies, field trips, high school scholarships and new furniture in the library, Rogers said.
The art fair is evolving. Parker said she now sees more diverse pictures and some students plan ahead of time.
“Our PTA is great. They’re out for the kids and school. Everything is community and family focused,” praised Principal of Northwest Elementary School, John Stanton.
In addition to the selling the squares, the PTA raised funds by selling candy, pop, hot dogs, chips, hot chocolate and corn on the cob, made by Joe Miller and Jason Rogers.
