Hundreds of local residents enjoyed an exhibition of artworks created by Ponte Vedra children Sunday, when the Ponte Vedra Public Education Foundation presented its annual “ArtWorks” celebration.
Held April 30 at the Sawgrass Marriott, the exhibition featured original artwork created by students from Ocean Palms and PVPV/Rawlings elementary schools, Valley Ridge Academy, Landrum Middle School, and Nease and Ponte Vedra high schools. The one-hour exhibition was followed by an awards ceremony, as art teachers from each school presented awards to their students. Eight works of art received additional recognition as “Best in Show;” those winning artworks will be professionally framed and displayed with a plaque in the student’s school.
Each year, art teachers select works created by their students. Professional artists are then brought in to choose which pieces will be exhibited during the ArtWorks show.
“I think it’s a wonderful event,” Ocean Palms art teacher Lauren Rodriguez said. “The kids look forward to it every year.”
Valley Ridge Academy art teacher Kathryn Frericks agreed. “It’s an amazing opportunity to allow the children to be celebrated,” she said, adding that she was pleased this year’s exhibition included works from high school art students. “Some of my eighth-grade students were really excited by the high school art. You can really see the progression, and the students get inspired to see what they could achieve.”
Sunday’s exhibition also included displays by teachers who received mini-grants from the Ponte Vedra Public Education Foundation to fund everything from math and gardening projects to science lab dissection experiments. Alongside many of the displays were handmade cards, letters and posters from students thanking the foundation for providing the financial support that made the projects possible.
Since 1983, PVPEF has been working to enhance and enrich the educational experience for Ponte Vedra’s public school students. For more information on the foundation, its mission and programs, visit www.pvedfoundation.org.View more photos from the ArtWorks exhibition online at www.pontevedrarecorder.com.
