An old board otherwise headed for the trash pile and a collection of empty seltzer bottles wouldn’t normally be worthy of hanging on a wall.
But, that’s the idea of recycling and repurposing.
A group of 69 Warring Elementary fifth grade students under the guidance of art teacher Kathy Orza took those ingredients, added color using Sharpie markers, and created an inspirational display of roughly 50 butterflies taking flight off a blue background. The project includes a quote in capital letters: “Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.”
The project was part of the America Recycles Day Art Challenge. The program was created by the Dutchess County Division of Solid Waste Management in recognition of America Recycles Day, Nov. 15. The goal of the challenge, according to the county, is to teach “local students about recycling and encouraging them to reuse items that might otherwise be thrown away.”
“I spoke to the students about the importance of recycling and how we are helping to save the planet by recycling,” Orza said. “Students shared how recycling keeps the planet clean. Making something beautiful out of recycled materials is also a good way to reuse materials that would go in the trash. By creating art using recyclable material, we can contribute positively to environmental causes.”
The fifth graders worked on the project during breakfast or at the end of the school day in order for their regular art instruction to continue without distraction. They took a predrawn butterfly outline, attached it to a seltzer bottle, traced it, then colored it in with markers. Each butterfly was then attached to the board.
The design was Orza’s in collaboration with the students. “We discussed how it should look and they thought the butterflies should look like they are flying in the sky,” the teacher said.
As for the caption, she said, “We talked about what ‘spreading your wings’ means and how they should try new things and take chances.”
The competition was open to all students in grades K through 12 across the county with a submission deadline of Nov. 8. Each project will be graded on clarity, creativity and how well the work reflects the description of its goal. A winner and runner-up will be selected for each of four grade groups: K to 2, 3 to 5, 6 to 8 and 9 to 12.
The winning groups and artists will be recognized with a commendation from County Executive Sue Serino and the county Legislature and have their projects publicly displayed at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Educational Center at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park from Nov. 18 to Dec. 4, as well as at the State of the County address.
The project reinforced artistic ideals already being taught to the students.
“My students know I use many recycled materials in art. We talk about that all the time.” Orza said. “I ask them, ‘Can we make art out of anything?’ Their response is always ‘Yes!’”
