In Praise of a Pencil draws school children

The GAHF celebrates Museum Education Day with Seaton Elementary School!

As part of the museum’s efforts to expand outreach to local schools and to provide students with enriching cultural and educational opportunities, the GAHF welcomed Mr. Coward’s and Ms. Richards’s fifth-grade classes to the GAHF for a day of fun and learning. This program,  sponsored by Staedler,  is the first outreach to neighborhood schools within the context of the current exhibit ” “In Praise of the Pencil”.  

The students from Seaton Elementary School in Shaw were greeted by GAHF staff followed by an exciting presentation about German-American immigration as well as a special presentation with Executive Director Erika Harms about our latest exhibit “In Praise of the Pencil” – on loan from the German-American Heritage Center in Davenport, Iowa.

Using what they learned in the presentation, the students embarked on a scavenger hunt around the museum. Their visit even included a workshop where students interpreted and discussed German pencil sketches followed by the opportunity for them to create their own artwork. Afterwards, students picked out their favorite artwork and won prizes. Exciting for both the school and the foundation, 10 drawings made by the students will now be incorporated into our exhibit.
The visit was a rewarding experience for both Seaton Elementary School and the GAHF. We give our sincere thanks to Mr. Coward, Ms. Richards and their fifth-grade classes for such a memorable day and the GAHF hopes to establish more partnerships and educational opportunities with local schools.