Noah Wallace Celebrates Garden Opening, Arts Fest

Noah Wallace School held its 17th annual Arts Fest Thursday, May 24. The event showcased artwork by students in kindergarten through fourth grade. This year's program also included a ribbon cutting to officially open the school's new bird garden & outdoor classroom. Other highlights were a traditional May pole folk dance, student string musicians, a Calder Circus installation by 4th graders, and an impressive "dream flag" display outdoors.

The Noah Wallace bird garden and outdoor classroom was designed by Noah Wallace parent, PTO Beautification Committee Chair and professional landscape designer, Jennifer Villa.  It offers a place for students to read, reflect, and observe nature.  Teachers will use the space for classroom activities ranging from reading to conducting science experiments.  The plantings in the garden are mostly native species which attract birds.  Families and area businesses have donated funds, labor, and plants, birdhouses, granite benches and trees to complete the garden.

This is the second year that Noah Wallace students have participated in the creation of Dream Flags.  Dream Flags are decorated cloth banners with poetry.  The idea is to combine art with literacy, in an authentic and meaningful way.  The dream flag concept originates from Tibetan prayer flags.  This growing international celebration of children’s writing began at a small school in Pennsylvania and was inspired by the poetry of Langston Hughes.

This year was Noah Wallace’s 17th Arts Fest, the tenth led by current art teacher, Avis Turner.  Turner has taught visual art to students in kindergarten through college levels. She is also a local practicing professional artist with a public studio at the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon.  She currently exhibits her bronze sculptures at the Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme.

Submitted by Beth Kintner.