In 2021, Ashley Vincent, who is the art teacher at Sally Mauro Elementary, envisioned creating an after-school art program for the students.
Vincent had planned on bringing the idea to her supervisor, Mr. Allen, for the next school year when Shalee Johansen from The Helper Project contacted to her. The project has been donating funds to the schools in Helper for quite some time, with funding given to the music department last year.
“They are really big in the arts and wanted to see how they could support me in my classroom,” Vincent shared. “That’s when I brought my grand idea of starting an art club and, of course, Shalee loved the idea.”
Approval was given to implement the after-school program for the upcoming school year. The Helper Project awarded Vincent a grant of $1,500 to get the program running. It will be for students in the fourth and fifth grades that wish to explore their artistic abilities in a setting outside of regular art classes.
“It will give them more time to focus on making a piece stronger and more detailed. We will go over more advanced techniques they wouldn’t be able to get in school hours,” said Vincent.
The project is privately funded and is not being funded by the schools. This means that donations are greatly accepted and appreciated. Vincent’s goal is to one day not have to rely on the project and Johansen has high hopes that it will inspire other local elementary schools to consider starting an art club of their own.
Vincent was able to dip her toe in the how-to’s of running a program such as this in the spring, as Keith Bateman asked a handful of her students to paint a sunflower mural dedicated to the children of Ukraine at his property in Helper, The Miner’s Cottage.
Bateman donated $500 personally to the art program, putting it at $2,000 to start off the first year. The program will be holding a formal art gala on Helper’s Main Street during the light parade that takes place each December as well as a show in the school auditorium next spring.
“I really appreciate Keith Bateman, Shalee Johansen and everyone at The Helper Project,” Vincent concluded.