Baldwin High School and Plaza Students Form Unique Collaboration

AP Art and Kindergarten Classes Become ‘Art Pals’

This year, a special bond blossomed between Plaza Elementary School’s kindergarten class and Baldwin High School’s AP Art students. Similar to ‘pen pals,’ the ‘art pals’ have been sending art journals back and forth to each other since the fall. 

“The idea for this project began when Michele Liemer Kelly and I were organizing the Chalk the Walk event at Plaza in September,” explained Tricia Wilder, a kindergarten teacher at Plaza. “We thought it would be wonderful for our students to collaborate on something creative. After brainstorming, we developed this project.”

Since the kindergartners had just started the school year and could not fully read or write yet, they focused on storytelling through pictures instead. During their Writer's Workshop lessons, they learned how to communicate through art. Mrs. Liemer-Kelly, a high school art teacher, followed a similar approach with her students, where they began their journals by introducing themselves through their artwork. The excitement was visible when the kids received their books and eagerly began their drawings.

Throughout the year, the journals were exchanged. Overtime, as the kindergarten students’ skills progressed, they added labels to their drawings and eventually sentences.

In the final weeks of the school year, Ms. Wilder and Ms. Liemer-Kelly arranged a time for both classes to meet. The high school students presented their final art pieces to their kindergarten “art pals.” Together, the students worked on drawing puzzle pieces with the high schoolers showing the kindergarteners how to illustrate various elements.

Since the meet-up coincided with Flag Day, the kindergarteners also led the creation of an edible art project—a Flag Cookie made with graham crackers, frosting, and M&M's. The kindergarteners enjoyed teaching the high school students how to create edible art. Together, they also played such classic games like “Duck, Duck Goose” and “Red Light, Green Light.”

The excitement of long-awaited in-person meeting was truly heartwarming. Both teachers were proud of the end results. “This year-long project was a tremendous success, culminating in an exciting event,” said Ms. Wilder. “It was delightful to see the high schoolers relive their childhood through these games and the joy that the project brought to both groups of students. Mrs. Liemer-Kelly and I are excited to plan another collaboration next year.”