Students of many ages focus on art Students of many ages focus on art (June 07, 2002)

By Candice Shih

There's one special place at Slater School where kindergartners through fifth-graders work side-by-side. That place is the art room.

The Arts Focus program, which serves students in the PACT (Parent, Child, Teacher) Alternative School at Slater, teaches children ceramics, drama, drawing and painting, paper, textiles, and three-dimensional arts.

A typical Arts Focus room is an amalgam of multi-age students, teachers, and the parents who come to volunteer.

"When I've taught AF classes, typically what I've seen happen between the older and younger kids is that the older kids help the younger ones with the finer and more subtle aspects of the art," said parent Judy Levy.

She has not only observed fourth and fifth-graders assisting kindergartners and first-graders but the younger kids helping to inspire the older ones as well.

Recently, Arts Focus received a $33,750 grant from the Christensen Fund for the next two school years.

An exhibit of artwork completed in the Arts Focus program will be on display at the Mountain View City Hall Rotunda from June 10-12. An opening reception will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 10.