TRUMBULL COUNTY Young artists exhibit posters

Pupils are learning to critique and exhibit their own work.
WARREN -- Nine Trumbull County fifth- and sixth-grade art pupils showcased posters they made at the National Conference for the Gifted, held Nov. 8-10 in Cincinnati.
The posters, which were made into collages, were created in Trumbull County Educational Service Center's Arts/EXCEL program last spring as part of an exercise in which the pupils learned to assess their own work.
The pieces were viewed by the approximately 2,000 conference attendees including educators, parents and pupils.
"We are most proud of having this project exhibited because students took charge of their own learning in this project," said Alice Chow, Arts/EXCEL teacher. "Students reflected on what they had seen, done and learned in order to assess their own work and prepare these posters. "
Young artists: Pupils exhibiting their posters were: Kelly Baun, grade 5, Hubbard; Gerry Gianoutsos, grade 5, Warren; Morgan McCarty, grade 5, Liberty; Brittany McElwain, grade 5, Joseph Badger; Chelsa Miller, grade 6, Brookfield; Chayla Oliver, grade 6, Warren; Thaddeus Tompkins, grade 6, Notre Dame School; Alicia Trescott, grade 5, Warren; and Elizabeth Starkey, grade 5, Warren.
Before making the posters, the pupils took a field trip to view a professional art exhibition.
They reviewed it and set criteria to help them select their own best artwork.
Next, they created the poster collages that included photos of their best artwork and a written plan for exhibiting their artwork.
Using the posters as a guide, the pupils completed the project by putting together their own art exhibit at Arts/EXCEL's year-end production last spring.
About the program: Arts/EXCEL is a cooperative program among 20 Trumbull County Schools and the Trumbull County Educational Service Center.
It provides pupils in grades 5-10 with an opportunity to develop their academic and artistic talents in the disciplines of visual art, dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music.
Approximately 180 pupils spend their Fridays interacting with instructors who are professional visual artists, dancers, dramatists, vocalists and instrumentalists.
Arts/EXCEL has been in existence for 11 years.