Project Grant

The stained glass artwork will serve as a bridge between what is learned in the classrooms of the school to the outdoor learning spaces in our adjacent school forest.; The expected outcomes for this project include an appreciation for an artwork completed by a known artist to the students. They will see that a career in the art field is something that they may attain. Students will see a medium in stained glass that they may not have known of previously. It may spark interest in students to try working with stained glass themselves. The piece will serve as a literal bridge between what students learn in the classroom with what they can apply in their "other classroom" the school forest environment. Because students will be involved in the design process with what elements to include in the piece, this will give them ownership in that they "had something to do with that" when they view and discuss the artwork. No doubt in years to come, many will return to view and appreciate the stained glass panel with smiles of remembrance. This artwork will be completed by December 31, 2022 in order to involve all shareholders in the process. Students and staff will be involved throughout the creative process from generating sketches to final completion by emails from Mary Ellen Gutknecht, depicting the steps in the artistic design process. When this project is complete, future projects incorporating art both inside and outside of Hanover Elementary School will be discussed and a whole new realm of incorporating art, artists, and the Hanover community will commence. When other schools in the BHM School District learn of these changes, perhaps they too, will look to art as a way of teaching students the design process and of the possibility of artistic careers for their students. Once the artwork is installed, it will serve as a discussion piece between classrooms and their teachers. It will also show the children another medium for artists.; The evaluation plan would be in the form of surveys taken at various points in the design process of the proposed stained glass panel. An initial survey will be directed to the student population of Hanover Elementary School. Each grade level would focus on some aspect of the art piece, from which animals to include in the final piece to colors of glass chosen for various parts of the panel. Another survey would be sent to staff and students relating to the initial design. What do they like about it, what changes should be made, etc. At the finality of the project, a survey will be sent to staff, students, parents, and members of the school district and Hanover community to serve as a way to garner information relating to the final art work as well as to promote viewing of the artwork, and to receive suggestions on future art projects.