All children are artists.
The Unquowa curriculum provides students with regular opportunities to express themselves through visual and performing arts from the earliest ages—twice weekly in grades PreK through 5 and three times weekly in the Upper School. We see the arts as essential to a child’s development and character formation. Artistic practice bolsters academic success by increasing critical thinking skills, concentration, self-discipline, self-expression, and self esteem. The arts help children understand their emotions and teach empathy by engaging with the emotions of others. Both visual and performing arts build confidence, increase neural connectivity, and put children more in touch with themselves and the world around them.
Unsung Heroes 2025
Posted by Krissy Ponden
The seventh graders worked on an in-depth project-based learning assignment focused on the unsung heroes in history during their visual arts classes. Unsung heroes are individuals who accomplished incredible acts of bravery and compassion during their lifetimes but remain largely unknown to contemporary generations. Each student selected an Unsung Hero and researched their story by identifying important events, historical context, and relevant artifacts. They also reflected on how the hero’s story is relevant today and what we can learn from their character traits and actions. The students then created a work of art in a media of their choice that illuminates the hero’s story and honors their contributions. Students wrote artist statements demonstrating their learning and sharing the insights they gained from doing this project. The projects were shared with our school community during an evening art reception and presentation where students read their statements alongside their work. To view their individual projects in detail, visit: https://sites.google.com/view/arteffects/project-galleries/2025-projects
Voices of Change 2025
Posted by Krissy Ponden
The 8th annual Voices of Change reception was held in a pop-up gallery space in the Unquowa dining room. Eighth graders explored social, political, and environmental justice issues that matter to them and created works of art that advocate for awareness and positive change. Each year the topics that students select serve as an informal cultural gauge that gives adults a glimpse into what is on their minds. This year students tackled gun violence, social media addiction, mental health, and climate change, among others. One of the most important aspects of this trimester-long project is the in-depth research that each student is tasked with to help them understand the issue from a variety of perspectives in order to inform their artwork. The students completed the project by writing artist statements that were displayed alongside their work. Additionally, each student participated in a video interview where they explained their topic, how they showed it through their artwork, and what they hope will change in the future. View their individual projects in detail, visit: https://kponden25.wixsite.com/voices-of-change-202
All Right Stop, Animate and Listen…
Posted by Krissy Ponden
Sixth graders have been hard at work on one of their favorite projects of the year: stop motion animation! After learning why stop motion is still a relevant art form in the age of digital animation, students excitedly began drawing storyboards, writing scripts, creating clay models, and designing sets. We are excited to share our finished mini movies with you in a few weeks!
Making memories for Youth in India
Posted by Krissy Ponden
Seventh and 8th grade art students have been working on creating beautiful custom gifts for youth facing challenges in India. Eighth graders are painting portraits of students that will be sent to them as personal gifts through The Memory Project, an organization that works to spread messages of kindness to children around the world. Seventh graders are also participating by creating Inspiration Art with students’ names, favorite colors, and three words that they used to describe themselves. Many of these children have never received keepsakes that others have made for them, so we hope these will be special gifts that let them know that there are young people thinking of them and sending them good wishes!
Sending messages of love to The Love Quilt Project
Posted by Krissy Ponden
Sixth graders have been working on designing and coloring messages of love on fabric squares that will be sent to The Love Quilt Project. The squares will then be sewn into special quilts that are given to at-risk children living in foster care in both South Africa and the United States. The organization has donated over 1,000 of these quilts since 2011, and over 10,000 school children have participated in their creation. We are excited to have our sixth grade students’ drawings sewn into a quilt that will help give comfort to a child and wrap them in love.
Celebrating the Civil Rights Movement at Cane River Creole National Historic Park
Posted by Krissy Ponden
The Cane River Creole National Historic Park in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana is hosting a youth art exhibition celebrating the civil rights movement early next year. Unquowa’s 6th grade students have been creating artwork that will be displayed at the park as part of the exhibition. We had a virtual visit with Ranger Meghan who explained the history of the park and the civil rights movement, and we played civil rights bingo to learn about some of the movement’s most influential leaders. Students selected a leader or event and researched their chosen topic to provide them with historical context for their drawings. The finished drawings will be sent to the park later this month and will be on display for visitors to view and learn from.
