By Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
Students at Woods Road Elementary School are working to share the gift of art with other kids their age grappling with chronic and life-threatening illness., Until June 2, the fourth grade class at Woods Road are spearheading an art supply drive to benefit The Naomi Cohain Foundation’s ArtWorks, a nonprofit effort that provides art supplies to kids facing dire circumstances., Fourth grade teacher Lauren Bonick said the effort is part of this year’s fourth grade community service project, which takes place every school year., “We really focus on character education. Each month, we focus on a different character trait like responsibility and citizenship, so at the end of the year, it kind of encompasses all those things of being a good character,” she said., Though each school year usually features a different community service project, Bonick said the school held a similar drive two years ago. Suppies collected through the drive will go to the foundation, which in turn provides the supplies to young patients and their siblings, giving them an outlet during their stay in the hospital., “This project shows kids the freedom of creativity and how so many children receive different art therapy now,” Bonick said. “They can express themselves and show their individuality, so we just want to open that opportunity to everyone.”, The ongoing art supply drive was kicked off during the school’s Third Annual Art Show on Thursday, May 18., Bonick said the show was the logical point from which to launch the art supply drive., “We collaborate with the whole school,” she said. “All the students of Woods Road are contributing and all the families are either giving items or charitable monetary donations.”, Due to health reasons, only new, unopened, non-toxic art supplies will be accepted. Suggested donation items include paint, brushes, small canvases, crayons, markers, modeling clay and art kits. Monetary donations will also be accepted and used to cover ArtWorks’s shipping costs and other administrative needs., Anyone looking to contribute to the drive can do so during school hours from 8:20 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. The final day to contribute will be June 2.
