A staple project for any art department is the self portrait. It teaches students how to capture a likeness of a person and is easy to do because their “model” is always with them. The problem with self portraits is that kids get tired of drawing themselves, which typically leads me to assign a portrait of anyone they want and losing the “personal” touch to the portrait. This year, we looked to The Memory Project to overcome the overuse of the self portrait.
The Memory Project invites high school students to cultivate global kindness by creating portraits as unique gifts for children around the world. These portraits help the children feel valued, show them that many people care about their wellbeing, and provide them with a special childhood memory for the future. Since 2004 The Memory Project has coordinated the delivery of 160,000-plus portraits to children in 49 countries.
The group we were given comes from Nigeria. According to The Memory Project’s website:
“Nigeria is a country located on the western coast of Africa with a bustling economy and geography as diverse as its people. It is home to over 250 ethnic groups with over 500 languages and a variety of customs and traditions. Since 2014, over 2.4 million Nigerians have been displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency, living far away from home in fear of the next attack and kidnapping by the terrorist organization. Now, they suffer from additional destruction and displacement caused by warring factions of herders and farmers as they battle over resources, land, and religion.
“Still, Nigerian children hope for a safe present and a better future. The portraits you make for schoolchildren in Nigeria will remind each child of their own strength and beauty; it will show them that someone living far away is paying attention to the challenges that they face and truly cares about their wellbeing.”
Often times, we take for granted what we have. One of the biggest things we take for granted is our education. By sharing the stories from The Memory Project and watching the resources they provide on their website, my goal is help our students appreciate all that God has given them, as well as want to make a positive impact on someone else. With a little positivity, and a whole-lot of caring, we can change anyone’s life for the better!
If you would like to see our portraits, they will be on display in the school from December through January 15 when we mail the portraits to our friends in Nigeria!
Want to learn more about the group we are supporting? Simply go to https://www.memoryproject.org/nigeria and watch the video!
Here are some comments from students who participated:
“Knowing that this project will impact someone all the way across the world, makes creating it so much more exciting. I’m painting and sketching for a cause, rather than for myself or for class. Even though we can’t physically be there ourselves to help, we know that this small project will create a big impact.” Kinzie Ford, ’21
“Often I feel like my art doesn’t really impact anyone. My friends, family and others will see it and say things like ‘that’s so cool’ or ‘wow you’re really good,’ and I just reply with a simple ‘thanks’, move on and don’t think anything of it. I do my art well to get the good grade, and I’m not always very passionate about it to be perfectly honest. Doing this project, however, makes me feel joy and passion for my art. I’ve never had my art impact someone very much, but now I can put a smile on the face of my Nigerian student who unfortunately probably doesn’t smile as often as a child should be able to for fear of his life. That, to me, means something.” Hollie Johnson, ’21
“Throughout this process, I caught myself continuously thinking about Precious and how my art would be able to speak to her. Although she is 6,000 miles away from me, I am able to show her how much I care and believe in her. The goal of the Memory Project is to impact children’s lives and motivate them, but I truly feel like it has really impacted my life. I want all of these kids to see how loved they are and that every moment of drawing, we think about them. We see their smiling faces and beautiful eyes. This project makes drawing more than just about drawing. It’s about love, and I am truly blessed and grateful for this opportunity.” Reganne Ackmann, ’22
Trevor Campbell,
Art Teacher