Samantha Smith Challenge

Opportunity for middle and high school

The Samantha Smith Challenge 2022-2023 (SSC) is now available on the Americans Who Tell the Truth (AWTT) website (www.americanswhotellthetruth.org). As always, AWTT offers this challenge as an opportunity for middle and high school students to use the creative arts to build a bridge between the classroom and the world as they seek truth, share hope, examine and act upon issues critical to the common good.

In the words of a former SSC participant,

“Hope is power, power is hope. The Samantha Smith Challenge helped me feel powerful and hopeful.” 

We believe that engaged and passionate students learn more. As AWTT looks at the past year and the months ahead, we recognize more than ever the importance of seeking truth and sharing a message of hope, just as Samantha Smith did forty years ago.

This year SSC students will begin by examining what it means to be a Truth Teller, identify important community and world issues, understand them, and make a compelling argument in an effective and creative medium to move people to work for the common good. This year’s SSC is about the importance of truth and sharing ways to be hopeful about the future.

AWTT portrait subjects seek truth and find creative responses to challenges. Their courage and engagement give us hope.  Check out Mary Bonauto, Steven Donziger, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Kelsey Juliana, Bill McKibben, Stephen Ritz, and Dawn Wooten to see how a quest for truth grounded in hope fuels work for the common good. 

As in past years, the directions for participating in the SSC are on the AWTT website. (www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/programs/education/samantha-smith-challenge/) 

Rob Shetterly, artist and AWTT founder

If you have questions, please contact Education Director Connie Carter at connieamericanswhotellthetruth.org. You may sign up between December 1 and February 1. This year’s SSC is expanding beyond Maine. As AWTT navigates that expansion they hope to connect schools across real and perceived boundaries to share their work for the common good. AWTT founder and artist Robert Shetterly and Connie will also be available to support students on their creative journeys of truth seeking. 

The SSC Celebration will be on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 — a time to celebrate and share the creative journeys for truth and messages of hope from all participating students. Please contact Connie at connie@americanswhotellthetruth.org if you have questions or concerns. AWTT looks forward to working with you and your students on this year’s SSC. 

World Collage Day

Plan to participate – May 14

World Collage Day is an international celebration of the fine art of collage being recognized this year on on Saturday, May 14th, 2022! Celebrate with enthusiasts around the globe. If you google ‘world collage day’ you can see what some others are doing to recognize the day. And right here in Maine, the Bangor Public Library has put a call out for collages that will be included in a display at the library. The details are below with hopes of having your students participate or, if the library is not a convenient location for your students, create something similar and get some energy going around World Collage Day! This is a great way to celebrate spring and to help turn the corner from the pandemic. Using the theme “Hopeful” because we know that there are many reasons to focus on what gives us hope.

Bangor Public Library Plans – your invited or use this idea to adapt for your community!

Join in the fun and make a collage to be on display at the Bangor Public Library!

You are invited to submit a collage if you are preK-grade 12 students. 

Collages must be no larger than 9”x12” and must be made of paper (no 3-D objects). You can use magazines, colored paper, newspaper, paper bags, tissue paper, wrapping paper, etc. and mount your collage on thin cardboard (cereal box thickness is sturdy enough to use for the backing of the collage). 

Created by Kal Elmore

What is a collage? 

Usually a collage is an art work made up of photos, clippings, or found items that are attached to a sturdy surface. An example is a picture of a tree made up of pictures of things that are green. You can search on the internet for many interesting examples of collage, if you would like to get ideas. 

The theme is ‘Hopeful‘

There are many reasons why this is a good time to focus on the things that give us hope. Brainstorm some ideas with a friend or family member and think about these ideas as you make your collage. 

Collages are mostly made up of scraps of paper so you can also think of this as a recycle/reuse project. (Do not use special pictures or papers without permission).

All you will need is some paper scraps, some glue, scissors (if you need to cut things), and your imagination! 

If you don’t have scrap materials at home you can go to the Bangor Public Library Children’s room and pick up a paper bag with paper scraps inside. You still need your own glue and backing material and scissors. These bags will be available at the library from May 2 – May 12, during library hours. 

Submit collages

Your finished collage needs to be submitted to the Children’s Room in the Bangor library on May 12-14, during library hours. (There will be a box for submissions.) 

Before submitting your collage you might want to take a picture of it or a picture of you and your collage. The library is not responsible for lost or damaged work, and sometimes things happen. If you want your collage, back you need to pick it up at the library on May 31 during library hours. 

If you want, you can post the picture of you and your collage on Instagram with the hashtag #meworldcollageday2022.

On the back of your collage please put your name, the title of your work, and a parent or guardian signature that shows you have their permission to submit the work. 

If you have any questions, please contact one of the librarians or Candis Joyce, Reference Department, Adult Program Coordinator, Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow Street, Bangor, ME 04401, (207) 947-8336 ext. 127, (207) 922-6054 direct.

HOPE at the Bangor Library

Art Exhibit

YOU’RE INVITED (and your students are as well) to submit artwork with the them “HOPE” for the virtual community art exhibit being provided by the Bangor Public Library.

Application is due February 15th
Exhibit dates are March 1-April 30, 2021

Artists are encouraged to submit one piece of artwork for the first virtual exhibit of 2021, using the theme “Hope.” The artwork should be submitted as a digital image, either in its original format or as a photograph or scan of your physical piece. An application should be submitted at the same time.

• Formats are .jpeg or .png with a 50 MB maximum size
• Limited image editing may be available through the library
• 3D art will not be accepted as it will not display well in our virtual gallery

The Bangor Public Library Art Committee will review applications and select 18 pieces of artwork to be displayed in our virtual exhibit gallery. If more than 18 submissions are accepted, another exhibit will be scheduled after April 30.

For more information, obtain an application to submit artwork, or if you have other questions, please contact Candis Joyce by calling 207-947-8336 ext. 127 or by emailing candis.joyce@bangorpubliclibrary.org OR go to the Bangor Public Library site at https://www.bangorpubliclibrary.org/art-exhibits-information. You will need to submit your application and the image of your artwork through a file-sharing service, ie. Dropbox.

Fellowship

Maine connecting  with India

Sweet Tree Arts is thrilled to announce their Fellowship Program in partnership with SLAM Out Loud. Sweet Tree Arts and the Sweetland School are located in Hope, Maine. SLAM Out Loud is an organization in India. The Fellowship is open to artists and educators and begins in August 2020. The Fellowship offers experiences in arts based, learner centered approaches with trailblazing educators and learners in Maine and India. Learn the details by clicking on the flyer (below) to make it larger. The application available at THIS LINK.

Sustainability Festival

Sweet Tree Arts

Art and Yoga

Sweet Tree Arts – Hope

Interested in art and yoga? If so, Sweet Tree Arts Center in Hope is offering a class Art and Yoga Summer Adventure with Nina Devenney for children ages 6-12, July and August. For more info or to register CLICK HERE.

Creating the Future

End of year reflection – creating communities of hope

With another calendar year coming to a close, I’m taking a few minutes on this blog to reflect about the work (and play) that you do across the state and country – making the world a better place!

You engage in art, music, dance, theater, writing, AND you make environments where others can create in the arts. But, what you do is so much more than creating. You make positive spaces where individuals are comfortable and find a home. Where young people and adults can come together and learn from each other, where they can stretch themselves and in many cases, learn to believe in themselves. These spaces that you provide for all ages leads to creating the future – full of wide eyes and HOPE!

During the December holidays we recognize and celebrate and they are full of hope. The arts help bridge this hope to carry forward throughout the year – in our hearts and in our communities. Through teaching and learning your work inspires learners and equips them to find their own purpose and voice. Each person can take that forward and contribute hope to their communities.

THANK YOU for the time you spend, sometimes awake at night, wondering how to reach every learner. How you will face the challenges. How to guide them in finding their voice and empowering them to be life-long creative learners. Teaching is a super power and your leadership in the classroom, school, and community is appreciated. The courage that it takes to go into your classroom, stand before a school board, attend town meetings, testify before the legislature, write a letter to an influential person at the national level and all of the things you do, does not go unnoticed.

You each have a story to tell and in 2018 I encourage you to tell that story through a contribution to the Maine Arts Education blog. Perhaps it is an idea that you use that works with individuals or large groups of learners. Or maybe its a mountain that you’ve climbed through your own art making process. Or an encounter that you’ve had many years after having taught a student. Perhaps it is a change in your community that is happening because of the work your students are doing. Whatever your story, please have the courage in 2018 to share it with others. Not to boast, but so we can learn from your experiences. Many of you’ve heard me say “none of us is as smart as all of us”. I invite you to share your knowledge so we can all learn. My friend Carol Trimble says “we’re a genius”. I love that!

My wish for you during the break is to celebrate what you give each and every day! As the sun sets on another year, THANK YOU for your passion and the commitment you make to provide and support an excellent arts education for every learner!

Photos provided by Equinox Guiding Service. 

Arts Integration Program

Lesley University

Integrated Teaching

Sweetland Center, Hope, Maine

 

 

 

Integrating Teaching Through the Arts

Lesley UniversityLindsay Pinchbeck is teaching this course at her center in Hope, Sweet Tree Arts. Lindsay collaborated with Barb Vinal at the Summit on Arts Education, July 29-August 1, to present a session on integration. You can read about it by clicking here.