The Arts in Education Grants are a co-operative program between the Council and the Charlotte County Public Schools. Grants are awarded to teachers for projects that use any discipline of art or humanities in the curriculum. Total funding during the fifteen years of the challenge grant project is $111,000 involving 365 teachers and 25, 502 students.

The following is a summary of the winning projects for the 2006-2007 school year.

Around the World with the Ancients: An Across the Curriculum Adventure - Sallie Jones Elementary School:
Third grade students will study ancient civilizations on seven continents through visuals of ancient art and specific information from each region in the targeted continent. They will learn mapping skills, compare and contrast activities, write narratives and poetry, and make an artwork in the style of each region. Teachers: Suzan Woychuk, Janis Tulk, Nicole Ayeni and Dianne Gilletti. $1424.
 
Empty Bowls 2007 – Kingsway Elementary School:
Four hundred students will be introduced to the topic of hunger and homelessness through the community effort “Empty Bowls”. They will read literature, research information and discuss ways to help others in the community. Each student will create and glaze a bowl to be donated to the charitable dinner. Teachers: Lisa Roberts and Karen Petty. $473

Through the Eyes of a Ninth Grade Student: Literary Responses Using Visual Arts & Poetry – Pt. Charlotte High School:
Using dramatic arts, visual arts and poetry to enhance comprehension, 120 students will create artwork and reflective writings which will then be turned into poetic responses. The culmination will be a bound book of poetic responses to fiction and non-fiction texts that is student created and self published. Teachers: Kim Sheehan and Pamela Ayers. $800

Vineland Blue Heron Book Club – Vineland Elementary School:
Through an organized book club, students will receive selected Sunshine State Young Readers Award books. After reading it on their own, they will discuss the book, and participate in games, crafts and puzzles thereby instilling a love of reading and promoting literacy skills in 4 & 5 graders. Teachers: Carol Asplund, Mindy Garner and M. Lynn Straube. $1080.

Life Cycle and Photosynthesis Science Quilt – Deep Creek Elementary School and Kingsway Elementary School:
Using quilting, 3rd and 4th grade students in both schools will display their new knowledge of plant life, the solar system, and Florida history. They will exchange letters as Pen Pals and eventually produce individual quilts and joint quilts for both schools and the A&H office. Teachers: Savannah Hoover, Duane Richards, Laura Liermann and Pat Kohl. $1600

Family Night – Lemon Bay High School:
Students will create original art (drawing, painting, essay and poetry) to be displayed at a family style meals prepared by the students and held at the school. The objective is to encourage student success through the interaction of families, students and teachers. Student created art, music and prose will be a focal point of the meals. Teachers: Roberta Ruxton, Dawn Matonis, Sally Lutz and Meg Potter. $1598

Art 180 – Port Charlotte Middle School:
This project will provide visual art experience to 40 students who scored a Level One on the 2006 FCAT reading test, and thus do not have the opportunity for art education. The students will study four artists and their techniques. They will create an artwork in the style of each artist based on reading selections thereby reinforcing their reading skills. Teachers: Pam Ping and Susan Landis $385

I Recognize that Painting!!! – Pt. Charlotte Middle School:
Seventh grade students will study the history and geography of Western Europe through a broad overview of famous artists and their works. They will compare and contrast the art of several artists placing them in proper historical context and learning of their impact on the development of western civilization. Teachers: Barbara Davis and Ashley Monier. $726