Secondary Art Education News
Billboards Share Student Artwork
by Sue Kalicki, ESU 19
The Omaha Public Schools celebrated Youth Art Month 2011 with their annual Billboard Exhibit. Student art work was selected to adorn 12 billboards in and around the metropolitan area.
The students and schools represented were: Jose Gonzalez, Bryan High – Sponsored by Nebraska Furniture Mart; Kimberly Marcum, Benson West Elementary – Sponsored by Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District; Christian Glavan, North High – Sponsored by Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company; Katie Brock, Central High – Sponsored by Omaha Schools Foundation; Jarithza Martinez-Sanchez, Ashland Park/Robbins Elementary – Sponsored by Lamar Advertising; Jesus Camacho, Indian Hill Elementary – Sponsored by Northern Natural Gas; Natasha Carrizales, Benson High – Sponsored by First National Bank of Omaha; Javier Chavez, Skinner Magnet Elementary – Sponsored by First National Bank of Omaha; Kyle Cummings, Picotte Elementary – Sponsored by First National Bank of Omaha; Alejandro Gonzalez-Barranco, Conestoga Elementary – Sponsored by Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Celia Robles, Wakonda Elementary – Sponsored by Woodman of the World; and April Smith, South High – Sponsored by Cox Communications.
In addition, the Omaha Education Association sponsored 6 generic billboards stating "ART is BASIC in the Omaha Public Schools.”
A reception was held for the student artists and their families in the student gallery at the Teacher-Administration Center on April 21, 2011.
The billboards were sponsored by each participating school’s Adopt- A-School partner, Lamar Advertising and state and local Education Associations. Angie Fischer, Omaha Public Schools Art Supervisor, and a past president of NATA, assisted in the coordination of the exhibit.