Antioch, Coker and Park Creek schools receive Seretean art grants

Published 12:04 am Sunday, January 12, 2020

Three area elementary schools recently received M.B. Seretean Foundation grants for art projects. The arts-in-education competitive grant is available annually to elementary teachers in Dalton, Murray and Whitfield schools. Grant funds may be expended in any area of the fine arts — visual arts, music, theatre, dance — to expand and enhance student arts experiences.

Antioch Elementary School students will learn how to work with clay in creating 3D artwork. The reading of selected literature will inspire the artwork. “Create, Comprehend and Clay” will focus on third- through fifth-grade state standards in science and language arts.

Coker Elementary School students will use weekly Genius Hour time to solve individually selected problems important to them. Using creative thinking and design, students will develop project proposals that will culminate in a 3D Art and Design Exhibition in April. “Putting the A into STEAM with Art and Design” will encourage students to use innovative methods to create unique prototypes.

Park Creek School students will create culturally significant artifacts such as masks, ocarinas, didgeridoos and flutes representing Native American, Hispanic, Australian and African cultures. “Face the Music” will incorporate art, music, science and social studies Georgia education standards.

The Seretean grants are administered through the local Oscar N. Jonas Foundation. The late businessman Bud Seretean was an early and generous contributor to the Creative Arts Guild. His friendship with Oscar Jonas led him to be a founding member and later chairperson of the Jonas Foundation. Due to his strong support of arts education, the Seretean Foundation honors his memory with these grants.