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PROJECT DESCRIPTION |
A model university-community college-public school collaboration, Growing Up In America involved rural North Carolina students in both the creation of a 25 x 10 foot mural, and writing essays and poems inspired by the question "what does it mean to grow up in America today?" Working in conjunction with project director June Guralnick, Guest Muralist Dr. Rikki Asher (Head of Queens College, City University of New York, Dept. of Arts Education) designed the mural (based on children's drawings) that is permanently on exhibit at Rockingham Community College. Over 100 children participated in the painting of the mural and creative writing endeavors, with the Greensboro News & Record subsequently publishing the winning writing entries. The mural unveiling and Dedication Ceremony took place on December 13, 1999.
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FUNDING SUPPORT |
Rockingham County Grassroots Arts Council grant (subgranted funds from the North Carolina Arts Council); Rockingham Community College Foundation grant; private contributions and Rockingham County public school donations.
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SELECTION |
From Lee Ann Mitchell's essay, "Growing Up in the Land of Opportunities," First Place Winner, High School Age Group
"One summer day as I helped my Mom peel apples, I began to notice the differences in each individual apple. Some were yellow, some green, some red. Some were fat, little, or disfigured…. As I finished peeling the outside layers, I realized that the inside of each apple was unique in its own way. When they were added to the pot on the stove, all of the different apples blended to make a wonderful sauce. America is like this."
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PUBLIC & MEDIA RESPONSE |
"It was a great experience for my kids… I wasn't sure what would happen, but they helped each other… It was a lesson for them on group effort…" Wiley Akers, McMichael High School Art teacher.
""Art students…. are creating a time capsule of sorts-but not one that will be buried for decades…. The glimpse of this moment in time [is] a mural entitled
Growing Up In America." Greensboro News & Record
"Creating a piece of public art presents young people with a chance to change their environment by expressing themselves through the collaborative process of mural painting…" Dr. Rikki Asher, New York State Art Teachers Association News
"Thank you for the idea… and the effort in making the Growing Up In America project a success! I can think of no other project that has had such a gathering of support and cooperation among the public schools, the students, RCC, and the local artists. What a success!" Dr. Robert C. Keys, President, Rockingham Community College
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PHOTOGRAPHS |
Click here to view a brief slide show of photographs of the mural project. You will need to have a flash enabled browser to view this. This slide show will play continuously until you use the back button to return to this page.