SE Valley Times

Kyrene middle school students have expanded their artistic horizons through the "Artists in Schools" program. From April 9 to April 19, artwork from students of Kyrene Aprende and Kyrene del Pueblo Middle Schools was displayed at the Chandler Center for the Arts. The program, sponsored by the City of Chandler, connects young artists with professionals to encourage innovation in local classrooms.

Supported by city funding, guest artists Kelsey Phillips and Such Styles spent a week each in Kyrene-area art classes. Phillips introduced Pueblo students to digital arts, helping them navigate digital programs on Chromebooks to redesign a cover for books, albums, or video games. Styles taught Aprende students the history of street art and guided them in creating a personal font for self-representative designs.

Pueblo art teacher Olivia Yuen shared, "I feel like Kelsey did a really good job of giving us perspective of digital art. It was great to have another voice in the room, which is always good for the kids to see."

Beyond classroom involvement, the artists conducted professional development sessions for all Kyrene art teachers. Phillips led a workshop at Pueblo demonstrating a free digital art tool, while Styles held a session at Aprende discussing street art from a professional's view. These sessions provided teachers with fresh inspiration and skills for their classrooms.

Participating schools curated up to 20 standout student works for exhibition, choosing them based on creativity, effort, and growth. The artwork is displayed with wire clips, organized by school, and includes details about the project and the assisting artist.

Pueblo eighth-grader Camila Morrison reflected, "It was good to work with another person and she was really nice."

This initiative exemplifies how the Kyrene School District collaborates with its community to offer enriching opportunities that foster creativity and build confidence in future artists.