Toledo Elementary School students now have high-quality art education thanks
to a partnership with the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology. Working from a two-year Oregon Department of Education grant, the pilot Youth Art Program is focused on low-income, rural schools that currently do not have an art program. The grant partially covers the costs for Sitka to administer and deliver the program, and to subsidize the costs to make it affordable for participating schools and free for kids and families.
Toledo Elementaryis the first school in Lincoln County School District to participate in this program. While studies continue to show vital connections between art education access, self-expression and esteem, and overall school engagement and performance, as school budgets are cut, dedicated time, trained teachers and other resources for art in K-8 schools are increasingly rare, especially in rural Oregon communities.
LCSD Superintendent Majalise Tolan worked with Sitka to jumpstart the program. “Sequential and content connected art education is important for the social, emotional, and academic development of our students and a vital part of a well-rounded education where creativity and self-expression can flourish,” Tolan said. Tolan is working with Sitka to expand this partnership next year to all Lincoln County elementary schools that could benefit from the program. Oceanlake and Taft Elementary schools have partnered with the Lincoln City Cultural Center for a similar art program in their schools. The art program isn’t just about learning the basics of art. One key aspect of the Sitka Youth Program is its emphasis on cultural relevance and diversity.
“We intentionally showcase artists and art movements that reflect the populations our program reaches,” explained Alison Dennis, Sitka Executive Director. “Cultural
representation helps everyone see themselves in the artists and examples we feature and naturally helps deepen cultural understanding and empathy among students and school-wide.” Dennis said they are overjoyed by the response they are receiving about the program. “As a longstanding Oregon coast nonprofit with deep roots in Tillamook and Lincoln counties, our priority will always be serving rural coastal kids in our local communities with highest quality arts and STEAM experiences that encourage school engagement and that kids and teachers look forward to and love.”
Foundation grants and individual donations are essential to bring the program into new rural schools and communities. Lincoln County citizens and philanthropists who believe in the importance of art access are ncouraged to contact Dennis at (541) 994-5485 or alisondennis@sitkacenter.org.
