MURFREESBORO,
Tenn. — Parents,
grandparents, friends and supporters opened their wallets for a special art
show — and a special cause — as the youngsters of MTSU’s Ann Campbell
Early Learning Center used their talents to help renovate their playground.
The
facility’s 45 youngsters, who range from 13 months to 5 years old, each created
four special pieces of art for an “art ransom” event, then invited the
community to their Fairview Building “gallery” Nov. 10 to view the artwork,
enjoy snacks and purchase each piece for a minimum $5 bid.
The money
will be used to renovate the center’s North Baird Lane facility playground,
upgrading equipment and creating a natural playscape that’s wheelchair-accessible.
The
center also is selling T-shirts through Friday, Nov. 18, to help fund the
playground renovations. Anyone who'd like to buy a T-shirt or donate to the ACE
Learning Center playground fund can email the center at acelearningcenter@mtsu.edu or
call 615-898-2458.
“We had
so many wonderful people come to see our children’s work, and they were so
enthusiastic!” a happy ACE Center Director Christy Davis said.
“It was
such a special night for our little ones to be able to express their creativity
and for the community to come out and see our artwork and learn about our
playground.”
The
children, acting as miniature gallery personnel with help from volunteers from
Siegel High School’s chapter of the Excalibur National Honor Society, showed
the adults around “the Big Room” at the center’s Fairview Building site,
pointing out their handprint plates, canvas paintings, special booklets and
custom photo frames on display alongside their friends’ pieces.
They watched
excitedly as the grownup art connoisseurs cooed over each piece, gladly offering
tidy sums for new works to adorn refrigerators, walls, tables and workplace
desks.
MTSU’s
ACE Learning Center provides learning environments for children with and
without developmental delays from age 12 months to kindergarten, allowing them
to play together and learn from each other. Teachers at the center plan
activities that help each child develop good communication, social, cognitive
and motor skills.
No comments:
Post a Comment