Alton Holman Heritage Arts
Last year, our fifth grade students attended hands-on art workshops at the Alton Holman Heritage Arts Camp for three school days. While there they learned new skills including basketry, loom weaving, leather craft, broom making, Pysanky eggs, woodworking, and tin craft! The students were trained and able to make items that they took home with them at the end of the three days! The camp workshops enhance and reinforce the regular school curriculum and offers basic technology transforming the two dimensional screen into 3 dimensional reality of how things work or fit together. This was a great opportunity to supplement the arts in our system as it relates to a pursuit of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) moving with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). The instructors are practicing artists who love to work with children and many are members of the Southern Highland Guild, a prestigious arts Guild for the Appalachian Region. The students use problem solving and creativity to complete the craft/skill much like STEM curriculum does. This year they will be able to choose two classes with two “heirloom” pieces to take home each day. The event is held in Cave Spring, Georgia. Alto Park would like to make this an annual event for our fifth graders, and works very hard to raise the funds for this size of a group. Many local businesses have sponsored children and grants are also available at times from community leaders. We are very thankful to the Chiaha Guild for helping make this event a reality!