Dear editor,
This week every student at YEMS is engaged in an impressive art/community development project that would not be possible without the dedication and support of a number of people and organizations that deserve heartfelt thanks. In particular, this project would not be happening without the help of Youngsville Public Library Director Kristy Wallace and Warren County Regional Main St. Coordinator Kathy Reitinger. These two women worked extremely hard to take this project from a mere vision five years ago to reality today. Thank you also to YEMS 5th grade teacher Janet Mack for coordinating the project at the school, as well as the other teachers for participating with their students.
YEMS students have the privilege of working with Jamestown area artist Dave Poulin for two weeks in the lobby of their school to create a life size bronze sculpture. This statue of a young boy hawking copies of the Youngsville Courier during the Great Depression will be placed in front of the Youngsville Public Library and will officially be unveiled in the spring of 2013 during Youngsville's Bicentennial celebration.
This statue is ideally the first in the Art Around Town series that will depict important people and events in Youngsville's history. Special thanks go to the Community Foundation of Warren, the DeFrees Foundation, the Betts Foundation, and the Warren Forest Hi-Ed Council's School to Work Partnership for funding Phase 1 of this project.
This sculpture is much more than an art project. Mr. Poulin takes great care to incorporate math, science and anatomy into his lessons with the students, as well as local history, geography, and career exploration. The YEMS students are watching this sculpture take shape right before their eyes and are actively participating by adding clay to it themselves each day. They are taking ownership of this project and will remember this experience forever.
Again, thanks to those above for making this project possible for the Youngsville community.
Terry Williams
Irvine