great river arts institute - press release
GREAT RIVER ARTS INSTITUTE
PO BOX 48 95 ROCKINGHAM STREET
BELLOWS FALLS, VERMONT 05101
802-463-3330
grai@sover.net
greatriverarts.org
January 13, 2006
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tonia Fleming
GRAI AWARDED GRANT FOR MASK/POETRY PROGRAM
Bellows Falls, Vt. – The Great River Arts Institute (GRAI) announces that they have been awarded a grant from the Frances R. Dewing Foundation to repeat the popular, “Masks – The Nature of Disguise” interdisciplinary program offered last year in the Fall Mountain Regional School District.
Third through sixth grade students at North Walpole and Vilas elementary schools will be participating. The goal of the project is to help students develop an appreciation of poetry by listening to it, reading it and writing it. In particular, the students will:
- Learn how native fauna disguises themselves in their habitat.
- Identify an animal that has traits similar to their own personalities.
- Make masks from recycled and natural objects as well as from papier mache.
- Integrate the mask making and discussions with writing their own poetry.
- Share what they’ve written and created with parents and the public at the annual spring music/poetry reading event.
This project was offered by GRAI in the schools last year and was so successful that the participating teachers asked that it be repeated. Overall, the program will serve approximately 130 students.
The Great River Arts Institute is a non-profit, New-England-based arts center dedicated to supporting and nurturing the visual and literary arts and providing regional youth programs. More information about GRAI is available at www.greatriverarts.org or by calling 802.463.3330.
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