This year the entire student body at Plattekill Elementary School participated in an interactive public art project where they painted vibrant-colored wings.
As part of this project, students discussed how wings can lift you off the ground. Wings were created to show what moments, people and experiences can lift a person spiritually and bring them great joy.

Students learned how to give value to a color by tinting and shading it. They were then asked to design their feathers with what lifts them and brings them great happiness. The students finished up each design with patterns.

The wings featured eye-catching colors with words written on them, illustrating what gives each child joy. Some of the sources of joy for the students included their family, friends, love and the videogame Minecraft.
The idea for the project took shape when Principal Monica Hasbrouck spoke to art teacher Kristin Phillips about ways to promote community in the school.

After their discussion, the two decided to have a collaborative school-wide art project.

“This is a way that we can instill that we are a team,” Hasbrouck said.

After the project was completed, photographs were posted to the school’s Cubby Central Facebook page, where it was well-received. Parents complimented the students’ work saying that it was beautiful and amazing.

The wings have also been well-received at school. The artwork is located in the fifth and sixth grade wing, which faculty and students must pass through, as it houses art and music classrooms. People often stop to admire the impressive collage.

Hasbrouck noted that the wings will not be going anywhere anytime soon.