Creatively mixing appreciation of educators while promoting visual art and doing something nice, students at one Killeen ISD elementary school drew pictures of their principal.
Pat Carney Elementary School Special Education teacher and art club sponsor Yolanda Klem came up with the contest to urge students to draw principal appreciation pictures.
The best ones, judged by the school’s third- through fifth-grade art club, received ribbons.
Teachers from the grade level with the most participation received a very creative bonus.
That honor went to second grade, which produced 57 pictures of Principal Paige Gawryszewski.
Those teachers had a chance Monday to smash a pinata filled with candy just before indulging in an appreciation brunch.
The top second grade participants, in order, were Hudson Mather, Raegan Simmons and Delaney Ures.
Each student drew a picture of their principal, or an assistant principal based on a word they chose to describe them.
Mather used the word “cool,” and drew pictures of the earth and sun to go along with a colorful picture of the principal.
Simmons picked the word “happy” and drew a portrait of the principal. Ures chose “kindness” and drew a likeness of the principal standing with a child at the school pick-up area with the Carney Cub mascot and office door visible.
A lot of students, said Klem, found a picture of Gawryszewski on the school district web site and traced it as part of their drawing.
“I think it was amazing,” said the art club sponsor. “We wanted to do it for principal appreciation, as a way for students to express how they feel about their principal, to show their gratitude.”
Principal appreciation flowed into Teacher Appreciation Week.
Second grade teachers Katie Miller, Sierra Snider and Paulina Ventura all took swipes at a pinata set up in a cleared-out science classroom.
With 13 days of school left (with students), it was a timely stress relief, the teachers said.
Gawryszewski appeared pleased at her young admirers’ work, especially at their interest in art.
“The students did some great artwork, and I was so impressed with their attention to detail,” she said.
“I am very proud of our Carney Cubs and how much they have enjoyed art this year and how the art club has expanded student interest on campus through a variety of projects.”
