![The 2012 Sketchbook Project Community Challenge is ready to roll! After two months, more than 100 nominees, a shortlist of 19 great organizations and thousands of votes, we have selected ten worthy groups to receive free entries to the 2012 Project. Thanks to everyone for participating!
Beginning August 18th, everyone who signs up for the 2012 Sketchbook Project will be able to donate a free, matching entry to one of the five winning groups — it’s up to you!
Simply sign up for the Project online and select a group from the drop-down menu to receive a free entry. At the end of the two-week contest, each one of the 10 winning organizations will receive a package with all of the Sketchbook Project entries earned during the Community Challenge.
If you’ve been thinking about signing up for 2012, now is the perfect opportunity. And if you’re already on board — thanks! We’re happy to have you with us. Please spread the word to your friends and family and help share the Sketchbook Project experience with these excellent community organizations.
Here’s a little info about all of our winning groups:
Harmony Science Academy — Houston, TX
Nominated by April H.: I would like to nominate my school because my students are in need of a creative outlet that also allows them to share their imagination and innovation with their community. Our school is a Title I school, which means that at least 80% of our students are from low-income backgrounds. We have also one of the most diverse student populations in Houston! Our students hail from all over the globe: Central America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, etc. I believe my students would benefit greatly from the challenge, as opportunities like this do not arise for them often.
Beragh Youth Club — County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Nominated by Eilish O.: We are a small youth club in a rural village in Northern Ireland. It would be great for our fun, sweet and quite crazy kids that range from age 6-13 to get involved in something creative and let their energy and imagination out with pen and paper.
Bridges for Brain Injury — Canandaigua, NY
Nominated by Lisa D.: Bridges is an organization that provides programs and services to adults with brain injuries, adults with physical disabilities, and the elderly. Our purpose is to prevent, circumvent, or divert nursing home placement so that the individuals we work with can remain in their communities. [Through our art programs] we have found that many of our individuals have an innate creativity that they have not incorporated into their rehabilitation before.
LA County High School for the Arts — Los Angeles, CA
Nominated by Vivian H.: LACHSA is a high school that includes academic courses in the morning and intensive art classes in the afternoon. Due to state budget cuts, visual art students, like myself, feel restrained and limited. Many of our classes were cut. I believe that the Sketchbook Project will be a good opportunity for students to show the world what they can represent. Many of my friends feel that their works aren’t good enough to be shown; I think the contrary.
University Park Creative Arts Elementary — Charlotte, NC
Nominated by Lauren G.: My name is Lauren and I’m the most enthusiastic first year art teacher you’ll ever meet. My colleagues and mentors tend to refer me as a ball of sunshine… Our community is going through “some scratch on the chalkboard” changes. Public schools are shutting down, teachers are being laid off, and I am being displaced to another school. This school will only remain open one more year. I find this opportunity [to be] a gift: One last year for students to stay at University Park and document that memory.
City of Palo Alto Children’s and Adult Art Program — Palo Alto, CA
Nominated by Julia N-G.: I am an instructor for The City of Palo Alto. This month, the Palo Alto Art Center, where many of the classes are taught, was closed down for renovations. During the next year, artists like myself will be teaching out of our studios to keep the programs going. This would be a perfect time to bring the participants together from both programs to produce sketchbooks.
Northland Design Studies — Melbourne, Australia
Nominated by Tracy P.: We are a not-for-profit folio preparation course aimed at getting students into tertiary art & design courses. NDS is a unique program that takes on 55 students each year. The school, Northland Secondary College, is renowned as a champion of indigenous education rights and has many indigenous students. Our job as educators is to instill in our students a love of art and design… but they are hindered by the associated costs.
Beads of Courage — Tucson, AZ
Nominated by Lori G.: Beads of Courage is a non-profit that serves over children around the world at almost 100 hospitals, who are battling serious illness, through arts-in-medicine programs. Many of them are confined to the hospital for weeks and months at a time. The sketchbooks could be an interesting project and activity for both children and parents in our long-term illness program. We know our organization is special because it uses art AS medicine (beads) and it works!
Generation Rwanda — Kigali, Rwanda
Nominated by Douglas A.: Generation Rwanda is dedicated to helping orphans and other socially vulnerable young people in Rwanda pursue a university education and ultimately become leaders in fostering economic development and social reconciliation. I think that giving orphans in a war torn country an opportunity to be creative would be an amazing way to help build a bridge between countries and cultures as well as to empower them creatively to participate in a program that they would otherwise never know about.
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California — Valle de las Palmas, Mexico
Nominated by Erika M.: The university’s low tuition allows people with limited resources to continue studies. I’ve seen students come to school without any breakfast at all, because they couldn’t afford it since they had to buy their watercolors. They’re dedicated students, and since it’s so far away, only the ones that really want to learn come. I would love to give these kids the same experience I had with the Sketchbook Project. That’s why I’m nominating them for this. I’d love them to have the exposure the Project offers and to feel they’re part of something beyond the everyday.](http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lq51k569Pw1qcd494o1_500.gif)
The 2012 Sketchbook Project Community Challenge is ready to roll! After two months, more than 100 nominees, a shortlist of 19 great organizations and thousands of votes, we have selected ten worthy groups to receive free entries to the 2012 Project. Thanks to everyone for participating!
Beginning August 18th, everyone who signs up for the 2012 Sketchbook Project will be able to donate a free, matching entry to one of the five winning groups — it’s up to you!
Simply sign up for the Project online and select a group from the drop-down menu to receive a free entry. At the end of the two-week contest, each one of the 10 winning organizations will receive a package with all of the Sketchbook Project entries earned during the Community Challenge.
If you’ve been thinking about signing up for 2012, now is the perfect opportunity. And if you’re already on board — thanks! We’re happy to have you with us. Please spread the word to your friends and family and help share the Sketchbook Project experience with these excellent community organizations.
Here’s a little info about all of our winning groups:
Harmony Science Academy — Houston, TX
Nominated by April H.: I would like to nominate my school because my students are in need of a creative outlet that also allows them to share their imagination and innovation with their community. Our school is a Title I school, which means that at least 80% of our students are from low-income backgrounds. We have also one of the most diverse student populations in Houston! Our students hail from all over the globe: Central America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, etc. I believe my students would benefit greatly from the challenge, as opportunities like this do not arise for them often.
Beragh Youth Club — County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Nominated by Eilish O.: We are a small youth club in a rural village in Northern Ireland. It would be great for our fun, sweet and quite crazy kids that range from age 6-13 to get involved in something creative and let their energy and imagination out with pen and paper.
Bridges for Brain Injury — Canandaigua, NY
Nominated by Lisa D.: Bridges is an organization that provides programs and services to adults with brain injuries, adults with physical disabilities, and the elderly. Our purpose is to prevent, circumvent, or divert nursing home placement so that the individuals we work with can remain in their communities. [Through our art programs] we have found that many of our individuals have an innate creativity that they have not incorporated into their rehabilitation before.
LA County High School for the Arts — Los Angeles, CA
Nominated by Vivian H.: LACHSA is a high school that includes academic courses in the morning and intensive art classes in the afternoon. Due to state budget cuts, visual art students, like myself, feel restrained and limited. Many of our classes were cut. I believe that the Sketchbook Project will be a good opportunity for students to show the world what they can represent. Many of my friends feel that their works aren’t good enough to be shown; I think the contrary.
University Park Creative Arts Elementary — Charlotte, NC
Nominated by Lauren G.: My name is Lauren and I’m the most enthusiastic first year art teacher you’ll ever meet. My colleagues and mentors tend to refer me as a ball of sunshine… Our community is going through “some scratch on the chalkboard” changes. Public schools are shutting down, teachers are being laid off, and I am being displaced to another school. This school will only remain open one more year. I find this opportunity [to be] a gift: One last year for students to stay at University Park and document that memory.
City of Palo Alto Children’s and Adult Art Program — Palo Alto, CA
Nominated by Julia N-G.: I am an instructor for The City of Palo Alto. This month, the Palo Alto Art Center, where many of the classes are taught, was closed down for renovations. During the next year, artists like myself will be teaching out of our studios to keep the programs going. This would be a perfect time to bring the participants together from both programs to produce sketchbooks.
Northland Design Studies — Melbourne, Australia
Nominated by Tracy P.: We are a not-for-profit folio preparation course aimed at getting students into tertiary art & design courses. NDS is a unique program that takes on 55 students each year. The school, Northland Secondary College, is renowned as a champion of indigenous education rights and has many indigenous students. Our job as educators is to instill in our students a love of art and design… but they are hindered by the associated costs.
Beads of Courage — Tucson, AZ
Nominated by Lori G.: Beads of Courage is a non-profit that serves over children around the world at almost 100 hospitals, who are battling serious illness, through arts-in-medicine programs. Many of them are confined to the hospital for weeks and months at a time. The sketchbooks could be an interesting project and activity for both children and parents in our long-term illness program. We know our organization is special because it uses art AS medicine (beads) and it works!
Generation Rwanda — Kigali, Rwanda
Nominated by Douglas A.: Generation Rwanda is dedicated to helping orphans and other socially vulnerable young people in Rwanda pursue a university education and ultimately become leaders in fostering economic development and social reconciliation. I think that giving orphans in a war torn country an opportunity to be creative would be an amazing way to help build a bridge between countries and cultures as well as to empower them creatively to participate in a program that they would otherwise never know about.
Universidad Autónoma de Baja California — Valle de las Palmas, Mexico
Nominated by Erika M.: The university’s low tuition allows people with limited resources to continue studies. I’ve seen students come to school without any breakfast at all, because they couldn’t afford it since they had to buy their watercolors. They’re dedicated students, and since it’s so far away, only the ones that really want to learn come. I would love to give these kids the same experience I had with the Sketchbook Project. That’s why I’m nominating them for this. I’d love them to have the exposure the Project offers and to feel they’re part of something beyond the everyday.
Notes