Art–The Tie That Binds | Just Look at What’s Happening with School Children

Posted on September 8, 2012by lvartscouncil

by Debora Roberson, LVAC board member

There is  art integration synergy at work in Allentown – exposing students to history, graphic design, and art.  Students from Allentown School District’s Union Terrace Elementary and Trexler  Middle Schools spent two weeks this summer designing advertising slogans and artwork for Lehigh Valley landmarks.

The name of the program was dubbed the Advertising Art Clubs and was orchestrated by the Allentown School District Foundation through a generous grant from the Rider Pool Foundation.  The idea for the club is an outgrowth of a new social studies book written by Allentown native and ASD teacher, Janice Altieri, for elementary school children.

Janice is a librarian and filled a void in children’s literature when she wrote a book about Allentown history called An Allentown Adventure.  The completion of the book coincides with Allentown’s 250^th anniversary.

The Advertising Art Clubs, the brainchild of ASD Arts Coordinator, Renee Lorenzetti, challenged students to illustrate famous Allentown landmarks and create fitting advertising slogans for each landmark that would attract visitors to Allentown.

Students will carry their advertising posters in  Allentown’s 250^th Anniversary Parade on September 29, 2012.   Local graphic artist Michael Keenan of Kennan Nagle Advertising spent time with each group of students, critiquing their graphic ideas and showing them examples of his work.

Students studied about local landmarks and selected one of personal interest.  Illustrated landmarks include businesses, museums, and city parks like Mack Trucks, America on Wheels,  Dorney Park, Coca Cola Park, Civic Theatre , Cedar Beach, West Park, Allentown Farmers Market, Allentown Art Museum and more.  Watch for the students carrying their artistic posters in the parade on September 29, 2012.

The Advertising Art Clubs were highly successful in several ways.Students learned how to represent ideas graphically while learning the history of local landmarks, connecting students and their families to their community.  Walking in Allentown’s 250^thAnniversary parade is “icing on the cake” for the students and punctuates the artistic journey of each student!

All photos by permission and courtesy of the Allentown School District Foundation