Created by Quest Group B (2nd IG Gifted Students) from Northeast Elementary School in Meridian, MS
Teacher: Mrs. Cynthia D. Willis
Title: Peace Now
Theme: Peace

Materials and techniques used: 
We used painter drop cloth canvas, fabric markers, acrylic paints, dot paint, permanent markers and African print fabric for backing. We used the sketches we made and each member of the group added the items to the panel. We used acrylic paint to make our hand prints. Skyler used fabric markers to make tye-dye patterns and peace signs in the dots. The teacher sewed the fabric to the panel for the border and backing.

Why did students choose this theme and design? 
The group enjoyed working on this project. The class did a unit on Freedom, Equality, and peace. The group learned that not all people enjoy the peace that we now have in the USA. We each wrote the word peace in another language. The group worked together to create the design because they wanted the world to know that together “Hand in Hand” we can work for peace.

Participants: 
Cynthia Willis, Teacher of Gifted Students; Kyley, Tyson H., Monthaj, Gabby, Daniel, Skyler, Aubry, Wallace, and Gabe (not pictured)

Created by Mrs. Ashcraft’s 4rd Grade QUEST Students at Northeast Elementary School in Meridian, MS

Organization: Lauderdale County Intellectually Gifted Program

Teacher: Mrs. Ashcraft 

Dream Theme: Peace

Materials and techniques uesed: Acrylic on canvas with iron on transfer

Participants: Emma Grace, Mason, Matthew, Bryant, Mia, Annalyssa, Bayleigh, Brandon, Trevor, Justin, Brandon, Toan, Abdias

Created by Mrs. Ashcraft’s 4th Grade QUEST Students at Northeast Elementary School in Meridian, MS

Organization: Lauderdale County Intellectually Gifted Program

Teacher: Mrs. Ashcraft 

Dream Theme: Peace

Materials and techniques used: Acrylic on canvas with iron on transfers

Participants: Dayana, Karyiah, Abdurahman, Spencer, Tal, Christian, Brandon

Created by Highland Park High School students in Topeka, KS
Art Teacher: Ms. Pryor
Organized by the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
Theme: Expressions of Freedom and Equality 
Subject: Women’s History Month 

1. Javier Ramirez, 9th grade 
Title: Star
Materials used: Yarn

Created by Highland Park High School students in Topeka, KS
Art Teacher: Ms. Pryor
Organized by the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
Theme: Expressions of Freedom and Equality 
Subject: Women’s History Month 

1. Created by Brynn Booker, 9th grade
Title: Hero
Materials used: burlap yarn

2. Created by Marquis White and Imani Huggins, 9th and 10th grade
Title: Bravery 
Materials used: burlap yarn
What is your artwork about? Barbara Rose and her bravery.

3. Created by Asha Battle, 9th grade
Title: A Woman’s Dream
Materials used: burlap yarn

4. Created by Katya Strakhova from Topeka, KS
Art Advocate and Dream Rocket project rocketeer

Created by Quest Group C (2nd IG Gifted Students) from Northeast Elementary School in Meridian, MS

Teacher: Mrs. Cynthia D. Willis

Title: Freedom – Love and Peace

Theme: Freedom

Materials and techniques used: 
We used painter drop cloth canvas, fabric markers, acrylic paints, patterns of hearts, circles, and people, strips of fabric for weaving, muslin as the base for weaving, and fabric for backing. We used the sketches we made and each member of the group added items to that panel. Hannah drew the world and we all added other things to the panel. We all took turns painting the panel. Each member of the group weaved a square to show that we are woven together and we must learn to love and respect each other. The teacher sewed the fabric to the panel for the border and backing.

Why did students choose this theme and design? 
The group enjoyed working on this project. The class did a unit on Freedom, Equality, and Peace and learned that everyone wants and deserves to be treated with respect no matter what color they are or where they live. The group worked together to create the design because they wanted the world to know that everyone is entitled to the freedom. They discovered that Love and Respect is the only way to peace and peace leads to Freedom.

Participants: 
Cynthia Willis, Teacher of Gifted Students; Madison, Camryn, Meg, Tyson M., Hannah, Riley, Lani, Kaleb, Nick, Joshua, and Solia

Created by Quest Group D (2nd IG Gifted Students) at Northeast Elementary School in Meridian, MS

Teacher: Mrs. Cynthia D. Willis

Title: Let Freedom Ring

Theme: Freedom

Materials and techniques used: 
We used painter drop cloth canvas, fabric markers, acrylic paints, and falg fabric for backing. We used the sketches we made and each member of the group added the items to the panel. We all took turns painting the panel. The teacher sewed the fabric to the panel for the border and backing.

Why did students choose this theme and design? 
The group enjoyed working on this project. The class did a unit on Freedom, Equality, and Peace and learned the true meaning behind the Statue of Liberty. The group worked together to create the design because they wanted the world to know that everyone is entitled to the freedom that Lady Liberty stands for. They wanted to let everyone know that everyone must be treated with respect.

Participants: Cynthia Willis, Teacher of Gifted Students; Jordan, Ariel, Joshua, Alondra, and Chance

COLUMBUS — Five young artists were immersed in their canvas at varying degrees — some diligently hunched over their works while others vocally bounced ideas off one another — each focused on their own fabric.
The seriousness of the task — each of these works will join others that adorn a 38-story replica of a space rocket — kept everyone engaged.
That is until the Pandora Disney station played “Circle of Life,” prompting almost everyone to join in collective song. Mackenzie Williams took a break from painting a large heart on her canvas to lead the tribal opening bars.

The Columbus Middle School sixth-grader spent most of an hour on her big heart, not because of shiftlessness, but a liveliness that repeatedly took her away from her work into seemingly every conversation happening around the table.
As Rachelle McPhillips, the young adult librarian at Columbus Public Library, explained the works will be decorating a life-size replica of a Saturn V rocket as part of the Dream Rocket Project, Williams interjected.
“These are coming from everywhere, all over the world. There’s even one from Poland,” Williams said. “My family is from Poland."
"Rachelle, can I do ‘Love?'” Williams asked, speaking in energetic non sequitur.
Each of the works have to tackle broad themes like love, community and technology.

The five artists are the third Columbus Public Library group to produce art to wrap the Saturn V rocket. About 8,000 submissions are expected from across the world. Each library groups’ submissions will be available to see on the second floor of the library until the end of April.
To give one a sense of how big this exhibit is, the Saturn V rocket is 363 feet tall, or 58 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. Were it placed next to Big Ben, the rocket would tower over the 315-feet-tall clock tower.
Artwork from 31 schools and two Girl Scout troops are also hanging in the library as part of the same display.

Armed with glue, generous amounts of ribbon and a take-no-prisoners positive spirit, Caitlynn Mann, a Columbus Middle School eighth-grader, put together a banner featuring a few words she thought were important for people to see. “Community” is written in large letters alongside “peace."
“Then I have the ‘Bes,'” Mann said, showing off smaller ribbons under an open-ended statement that reads “Be ..."
“See? I have ‘Be kind,' ‘good,' and ‘brave.' Because, frankly, those are a lot of things people just don’t do nowadays and that makes me pretty sad,” she said, without taking her eyes off her work.
“I love that this gives them a chance to be part of something greater than themselves,” McPhillips said, “and it gives them a chance to do that in a positive way.”
McPhillips said challenging the young artists to start thinking about what they want the future to look like moves them beyond their limited experience and gets them thinking about their visions of tomorrow.
These visions will share space with many others when the pieces are assembled around the Saturn V rocket next summer for display at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Link to live article: http://columbustelegram.com/news/local/rocket-art-project-challenges-young-artists-to-aim-higher/article_7bf3a03e-fd53-5422-b50b-4d88d39f978d.html
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