From Toms River School District
March 30, 2020— While checking her students’ amazing artwork, Cedar Grove art teacher Gina Bisogna was especially surprised by a submission from one of her second graders, Samantha Maresca. Samantha had made a beautiful painting on her home’s storm door. Like only a child can, she filled the entire glass from top to bottom with colorful images of her family, a sun, smiley-faced hearts, a tree with a red bird, and most notably, a rainbow. She titled her masterpiece, “This Too Shall Pass.”
It was such a bright light of hope in these dark times that Ms. Bisogna sent it to her administration team thinking they could share it out on one of the school’s media platforms. They all began to think about how fun and encouraging it would be to use this not only as a school activity, but as a district and community spirit project where each week, students would participate in a similar fashion, decorating the doors or windows of their homes with inspirational art. Neighborhoods could be transformed into mini art galleries where people will experience a little kindness and humanity.
Rainbows are seen as symbols of hope, blessings, and happiness following difficult times. During the week of March 30, district students will be creating their own rainbow masterpieces. Teachers are encouraging them to include a positive message on a window, door, driveway, or even the sidewalk. Subsequent weeks will bring new themes, all focused on providing comfort, lifting spirits, and spreading love and hope. After all, it’s no secret that art heals.
Follow this project by following the district on Twitter, where students and their parents will be posting their art projects with the hashtags #WeAreTRSchoolsInspiration and #TRSchoolsThisTooShallPass.
