Westhill officials announced the grant to Fine Arts Department Head Robin Conrad will allow the ArtLink international exchange program to be used by students in the high school's Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, program.
Westhill’s AVID students will meet after school each Tuesday through November to create original artwork, then exchange their art with their partner school, Amir Hasan Preparatory Girls School in Amman.
In January, students from both schools plan to participate in a live video conference to discuss the art and what they have learned. In early spring of 2017, original and duplicated artwork will be displayed in a show open to the public, during which AVID students will serve as gallery guides.
The grant is part of a partnership with Creative Connections, an international cultural education organization and sponsor of ArtLink. The grant is also supported in part by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts, officials said.
ArtLink is Creative Connections’ international exchange program that connects students with their peers in other countries through the exchange of artwork. Students who use ArtLink can gain a global perspective on art, and learn about cultural differences through written and video exchanges.
“We are excited to bring Artlink to Westhill,” Konrad said. “It is a unique opportunity for our students to develop global cultural awareness, in direct alignment with the goals of AVID and Creative Connections, as well as gain a deeper appreciation for our own culture.”
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