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One at a time they are taking turns to paint designs on benches to display school pride at the entrance to Saxe Middle School in New Canaan. The effort begun in May is through a newly formed Saxe Spirit Benches club. Art Teacher Cara Beatman is leading the project. The way it works is parents may sign up their child 15-minute painting appointments. Masks and gloves must be worn by students the entire time.
“The whole premise of this project is to keep art alive during the pandemic, and to have the students feel like a part of something creative that directly relates to their school,” said Beatman.
The school provides art supplies, and the art teacher offers guidance from a safe distance. Designs are outlined onto the four benches located at the Saxe entrance, and when students arrive, they are given designated areas to paint with specific paint-by-numbers- guides.
“Our theme is 'Saxe Spirit,’” said Beatman. “The students brainstormed ideas and shared them through our Google Classroom. I schedule ‘painting appointments’ so that students have space to social distance. Masks and gloves are always worn, and we are about half-way done.”
Once finished, visitors to Saxe will be able to admire the benches painted with the Saxe Hawk Logo and red, black, and white designs, while appreciating that Saxe Middle School student artists worked on and completed their project while living through a pandemic.
High School Here Wins Euro Finals
The Euro Challenge Team students at Greenwich High School won the Euro Challenge Finals in a virtual contest on Tuesday, May 19. The win demonstrates their understanding of the European Union to the United States (“The Delegation”) the Euro Area (EA) and the euro.
The students are Elliot Gordon (9th Grade); Ambika Grover (9th Grade); Adam Kaufman (10th Grade); Katia Michals (10th Grade); and Veda Swaminathan (10th Grade).
The program allows 9th- and 10th-grader a chance to research and explore economic issues facing countries in the euro area and propose solutions to them.
The virtual contest culminating in competition allows teams of 3-5 students to present their findings during regional heats.
The best teams will move on to the national finals, held in New York City, now virtually.
By winning this competition, these students will be awarded $1,250 each; when safe to travel, they will present to the German Embassy in Washington D.C.; and finally, they will receive a first-place trophy.
Greenwich High School Teacher and Euro Challenge Team Advisor Ian Tiedemann said, “Over the last several months this team has taken on complex subjects — including Euro Area monetary policy, country-specific fiscal policy and programs, and ongoing economic conditions in the Euro Area — that require study well beyond their course load.
In a victory speech upon the team's winning the competition, member Veda Swaminathan said, "This challenge has been one of the things keeping us sane during this pandemic and it was such a fantastic experience!
“Euro Challenge has been one of the most rewarding and captivating experiences of my life. The team and I worked day and night to learn and challenge ourselves, and knowing it all paid off is a great feeling. Working together as a team made the experience even more special, as we all advanced together as a result of our collective hard work," said team member Katia Michals.
Wind Section Marches In For No Parade
"Fairfield Ludlowe High School shared with me the Wind Ensemble's virtual performance and Memorial Day tribute," Fairfield First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick announced in her Friday, May 22 Town of Fairfield COVID-19 Update.
Here is where you can watch the performance also intended to thank and congratulate seniors, says the Thursday, May 21 post on YouTube.
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