The photographs in this exhibition were created by 5th and 6th grade students of the Odyssey Charter School and students at the Renaissance School for the Arts in Appleton, directed Wisconsin, in a program by Lawrence University ArtsBridge. These pictures represent the work of a semester of intensive training in photography and poetry composition by young people about the many meanings of peace.
With the arrival of digital cameras and the precocity of children in leading the technological revolution, young people at last have the tools to take creative photographs. Another development in K-12 education contributes to this trend. Now the arts, long considered a healthy, if not intellectual activity, are thought to help students learn across the curriculum. Combining photograph and poetry in these students' artworks about social ideas represents a cutting edge trend in education.
We gratefully acknowledge the support of Ellen Kort, the Boys and Girls Club of Foster Elementary for the use of their digital cameras, and the Paper Discovery Center for hosting the Picturing Peace exhibition in the Spring 2005.
