Local youth’s artwork
gets nat’l recognition
BY JACQUELYN LANE
Correspondent
Emily Durando
SOUTH RIVER — Soon-to-be fourth-grader Emily Durando recently won the privilege of having her artwork displayed in the annual Dream Makers National Exhibition of Student Artwork, sponsored by Crayola.
Emily’s artwork was chosen by a jury of educators from among thousands of entries from students all over the country. Only 194 pieces by students in kindergarten through sixth grade were chosen for the exhibition at the State Theatre Gallery in Easton, Pa.
Each year, the Dream Makers competition has a different theme; this year’s was "Dreaming Beyond the Book."
"The theme ties visual arts to literacy," said Patricia Branch, art teacher at South River Elementary School. Branch chose to have each third-grader illustrate the poem, "It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles," by Jack Prelutsky.
Emily’s parents, Clement and Audrey, are thrilled with their daughter’s accomplishment.
"We never even got to see the picture," Clement said. "A couple of months later, we found out Emily was the winner, and at first we just thought it was a school contest … When we found out [that it was a national contest], we were cracking up."
Emily was equally pleased.
"I feel very proud of myself that I worked really hard and I won," she said.
Talent like Emily’s runs in the family.
"Art is something I’ve done since I was a kid, and my cousins are really good painters," Clement said. He does cartooning as a hobby, and said Emily expressed an interest in art early on.
"She was always asking me how to do things," he said. "Her art teacher said there was someone who guides Emily at home, and I was so proud."
This was the second straight year that South River has seen one of its students’ works selected. A year earlier, a piece by third-grader Keriann Murphy, in which she depicted a birthday party for her cat, was chosen under the theme of "Celebrations."
According to the Crayola Web site, "intentional use of visual art in planned learning events — as frequently occurs in high-performing classrooms — can lead to skill and concept development within all disciplines."
Emily’s recent success seems to reflect Crayola’s assertions. Her father was proud to announce that Emily got all A’s on her last report card.
Emily, her parents and her art teacher, Branch, attended the exhibition’s opening reception on July 10. For more information about the competition, consult the Crayola Web site, www.crayola.com.