Florida's first lady, Columba Bush, poses with students from Village Oaks Elementary School who are involved with Project Kaleidoscope, an afterschool academic and cultural enrichment program for at-risk children in Immokalee on Wednesday. Its art program includes dance groups, piano keyboard instruction and a show choir. FL's First Lady also Toured the United Arts Council's Immokalee outreach program and the Ceramics Studio at the Bethune Educational Center.
Florida's first lady Columba Bush promotes art education in Immokalee
Thursday, December 13, 2001
By RAY PARKER, brparker@naplesnews.com
New Beginnings eighth-grader Juan Serrano instructed Columba Bush on the finer points of pottery, showing the state's first lady how to build her own heart-shaped object Wednesday.
"Brush on the water," said Juan, who sat beside Bush in a ceramics room full of government officials, educators and photographers.
Bush and an entourage of about 25 officials spent the morning visiting two Immokalee school arts programs, something the governor's wife does throughout the state to promote art education.
Her first stop was the Bethune Education Center, where Juan and 14 other students showed off the Immokalee Ceramics Studio, where they learn basic pottery and surface decoration, as well as business planning. Juan and the others visit the Bethune Center once a week for the ceramics class.
"It keeps you out of trouble," said Joey Viduarri, 15, one of the students from the New Beginnings alternative school program. "It's now my favorite class."
The students not only learn how to direct their energy in productive ways, they also learn a marketable skill. Joey recently made $35 selling his pottery at an art fair at Florida Gulf Coast University.
"These kids have to see things in a concrete way," said teacher and counselor Jane Ruprecht. "Some of them come from tough family situations. This gives them a focus."
Fort Myers artist David Hammel, who helps teach the ceramics class, agreed.
"At first their attitudes were so bad but just look at them now," he said, sweeping his hand to the students engrossed in their pottery projects, seemingly oblivious to the visiting dignitaries.
In the end, after she'd made her heart-shaped object and talked with the students, Bush said simply: "Everything was fantastic."
Her helper, 14-year-old Juan, said he also enjoyed the visit: "She seems nice."
Next, Bush visited Village Oaks Elementary, where she lunched with the student body who munched on baked chicken, mashed potatoes, yellow rice and pinto beans.
The school is one of several in the county that are a part of Project Kaleidoscope, an after-school academic and arts program.
Bush watched students perform on the cafeteria stage.
First- through fifth-graders started with an upbeat dance to the song "African Noel."
The school has two dance groups. The African dance group Umoja, which is a Swahili word for unity, and the Grupo de Colores that specializes in Latin dance.
The school's vocal ensemble, the Panther Show Choir, ended the luncheon program by singing "Blitzen's Boogie" and "A Song of Peace."
Principal Dorcas Howard said she was proud of her students and their many accomplishments.
"It's an honor," she said.
Bush offers $1,000 college scholarships to students in visual arts, music, dance and theater in conjunction with the support of a not-for-profit organization.
Those interested can go to the First Lady's Art Recognition Program's Web site at www.myflorida.com.