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FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.timesnewsweekly.com JUNE 11, 2015 • TIMES 3 Queens students fight against animal abuse and endangerment through art BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport Middle school students from across the city are getting the chance to have their artwork put on display in city parks thanks to Learning through an Expanded Arts Program’s (LeAp) public art program. Students from P.S. 9 Walter Reed School in Maspeth participated in the public art program where they expressed their thoughts on the issues of animal abuse and animal endangerment through the power of art. The project, titled “A View from the Lunchroom Students Bringing Issues to the Table,” tasked students with painting a lunchroom table to help raise awareness for their topic of choice. “A lot of animals are being killed for their tusks or to make food,” said Demitirius Morris, student of P.S. 9 at I.S. 5. “It was fun making the table. We want to tell people to be nice to animals and protect the Earth. It is most important to me because I have a dog.” Their table is now on display at Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village and will remain there through August. “We are proud to put our table in Juniper Valley Park,” said Vincent Suraty, a student at Walter Reed School. The public art program allows public school students to have a voice in their communities and speak out on the social issues that matter to them. The children work with a LeAp teaching artist to explore the critical issues in their communities, study the history of the issues raised and learn how to express themselves through art. “The idea is to target this age group to show them that adults respect what they have to say,” said Alexandra Leff, director of LeAp’s public art program. “We give them this public forum to express themselves and empower them to have a voice through artwork.” The students learned from the LeAp teaching artist how to use art as a form RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photos by Anthony Giudice of expression, and how their message can reach many people. “We teach the students about symbolism in art, how to use color and to visually express their message,” said Christy Powers, LeAp teaching artist. “We teach them how important that is, especially in Queens, with such a diverse population and people speaking different languages. Art has a way to emotionally impact you.” Walter Reed School was just one of 10 schools from all fi ve boroughs to have their artwork displayed in city parks. This art program is the largest student art exhibition in the history of New York City parks, and the fi rst to span the fi ve boroughs. The students from Walter Reed School with their table on display at Juniper Valley Park. Ridgewood students raise money for wounded veterans BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport Students from I.S. 93 in Ridgewood raised money for the Wounded Warrior Project through the Penny Harvest Program. A group of seventh- and eighth-graders from the middle school held weekly meetings focused on fi nding a charity to support. After much research, they decided to donate $500 to the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military. In addition, the kids signed up to become student ambassadors for the Wounded Warrior Project. They decided they wanted to help even more by raising additional money. They fundraised by selling Wounded Warrior Project bracelets and pins, informing the I.S. 93 community about the special ways in which this program helps wounded soldiers. They were able to raise an additional $200, totaling a $700 donation to the organization. As a special surprise, the group of students were able to meet a true wounded warrior: Sgt. Juan Arrendondo, one of the fi rst soldiers to receive help from the Wounded Warrior Project when it began over 10 years ago. Arrendondo spoke to the students about his injuries, losing an arm and part of his leg, and gave an inspirational speech on how he considers himself lucky to be alive. “When you told your story about how you got hurt I wanted to cry,” said Weronika Pawlowska, a student at I.S. 93, in a thank-you letter to Sgt. Arrendondo. “It made me sad at how this happened to you and many other people. I love how you have confi - dence in telling us about your injuries and how you opened out to people. I learned no matter what happens, life can be amazing and full of surprises.” I.S. student Anthony Paredes wrote, “Dear Juan, it was indeed a pleasure of meeting you. When I met you I knew that you were a person of endurance and that nothing could stop you. When you told us your story, you couldn’t prove me more correct of how you were a symbol of courage. I hope to be like you one day.” Photo courtesy I.S. 93 The students from I.S. 93 in Ridgewood donating $700 to the Wounded Warrior Project.


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