MANVILLE: Young artists create Paris art scene at ABIS

   Visual art students from Alexander Batcho Intermediate School will display their creative works in the school Media Center in March. The multimedia exhibit is part of Youth Art Month, a national celebration to emphasize the value of art education.
   The theme is “Welcome to Célébration de l’art à Paris (Celebrating Art in Paris)” and it will be a multi-school, multi-subject, cross-curricular, community-wide event.
   The ABIS Youth Art Month will be celebrated at a reception Tuesday, March 19, for the fine art exhibitors, families and the community. The free reception will be begin at 6 p.m. in the Media Center. Light refreshments will be served.
   ”What we created for the Manville middle school students, their families, and our community is this Paris experience by turning the school into a Paris street scene,” said Jennifer Kohl, visual arts teacher at ABIS. “The Art Club transformed the halls into a sidewalk cafe and the media center into a Paris art museum.”
   Imagine walking down a Paris street on a lovely spring day. You casually browse the magnificent artwork displayed on the sidewalk. The smell of warm croissants from the nearby bakery fill your nose with a heavenly aroma, urging you to take a seat at the next sidewalk cafe. While sipping your hot chocolate and munching on your pastry, you get to enjoy the wonderful sounds of street musicians and singers, played by ABIS musicians and chorus.
   Language arts students will put on a Poetry Slam reading poems they wrote. Social studies, math, French language and visual art students will convert to French museum docents.