LREI News Blog

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I’d like to share an impressive art project that a group of eighth graders completed quietly and without much fanfare. This year, the whole Middle School has explored the ways in which art can be used as a tool for social and political activism. Through the Paydirt/Fundred Dollar Bill Project, which is still ongoing, we discovered first hand how art and collective action can make a difference. In the same spirit, The Doors of Hope project empowered our students to address civic and social issues through the creation of public art.

As Middle School art teacher Carin Cohen who coordinated our group of artists notes:

This Spring, LREI was asked to participate with Cityarts in the Doors of Hope Project. Emerging from the theme Young Minds Build Bridges, CITYarts created a portable mural consisting of eight doors, painted by students from eight schools in New York, to be given to the kids of New Orleans. The groups of students were each given a standard-size wooden door to paint and asked to think about inspirational messages and images that celebrate nature while raising awareness of global warming. The students were also encouraged to think about and incorporate aspects of their own New York City culture or what they know about New Orleans culture.The students designed the doors specifically with their contemporaries in New Orleans in mind. They were visited by Paul Deo, a professional artist from New Orleans who moved to New York after Katrina. He provided some insight about New Orleans culture as well as sharing some related imagery with the students. Upon completion, the doors were assembled together into a paneled mural. The mural was displayed at CITYarts’ 40th Anniversary Benefit and Awards Ceremony in early May. Following the Benefit, the Doors of Hope panel was sent to the Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans as a gift from the youth of New York City to the youth of New Orleans. The doors and the collective spirit reflected in the work will provide encouragement and support for the children of New Orleans, who are still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Congratulations and thanks to eighth graders Maya P-H, Henry, Jack G., Gaia, Brianna, Lilly, David, and Emma for their beautiful work and committed activism.

This Thursday, May 22nd is LREI’s Spring Book Sale and Literary Celebration. The Auditorium is filled with so many great book offerings it’s hard for many to make a choice about what to buy.Children throughout the lower school have been working feverishly on literary projects that integrate different curricular areas, help express feelings and emotions, and also give children the opportunity to share all that they know with the rest of the school community.

Early childhood neighborhood trips that encouraged students to notice how things change and grow from season to season have sparked a flurry of writing selections that share the beauty of Spring. First grade projects produced a plethora of non-fiction selections. Hope you were lucky enough to purchase a copy of The Funky Earth Café’s cookbook or one of the numerous How To books from LREI’s first Learning Center.

Second graders worked for weeks on their All About books. Each child chose a
topic to research and to write a book about to share with each other and their families. I had no idea second graders knew so much about so many things! Book topics included community boards, airplanes, painting in NYC, and the Intrepid.

Third graders recently finished writing Color poems. They used their imaginations and senses to think about what a color might smell like, taste like, sound like and feel like, as well as what it looks like. Students used the creative ideas they came up with to write poems about colors.

Weeks of hard work went into researching and writing the script for the first fourth grade immigration musical which was an incredible demonstration of hard work, talent, academic skill and community collaboration. Be sure to also check out the wall of poems written by fourth graders and modeled after poems written by Asian immigrants who came to America through Angel Island.

Books help us all to see new places, learn about new things and connect in many different ways with others at home and around the world. Enjoy your next reading adventure!

Congratulations also to the members of the LREI Model Congress Delegation. The delegates for the Model Congress this year were fifth graders Marcelo, Odelia, Lola, Danielle, Michelle and Simmon and seventh grader Diana. The group has been working with faculty facilitator Sharyn Hahn since the end of January to write bills, prepare speeches, read other students’ bills from the other schools that participate, and learn about and practice parliamentary procedure. The team spent the entire day at Packer Collegiate High School on Saturday, April 26th for the annual culminating event.

Nearly 200 middle school students from 13 area independent schools, including LREI, sent delegations of model legislators to the event. When students arrive at the event, they break off into one of 17 separate committees based upon the content of their bill. These committees are meant to resemble actual congressional committees and include Judiciary, Education, Health, Housing & Urban Affairs, and Science Space & Technology. After a morning committee session filled with heated debate and criticism, the bills that pass committee are reviewed in one of four full sessions. (House I, House II, Senate I, and Senate II).

As Sharyn notes:

Our delegates had a great time and learned a lot; they all are looking forward to next year! This year, all of our bills all had to do with the environment and sustainability. Diana’s and Lola’s and Danielle’s bills passed and were debated in the full sessions. The others had a tough fight in their committees! In the plenary session in the afternoon several of the fifth graders spoke out on various topics. I was impressed by their thoughtfulness and their courage to speak out in these large groups sessions.

A hearty congratulations to the LREI Middle School Robotics team who returned last week from their successful journey to Tokyo, Japan. They had an incredible experience as cultural ambassadors and performed well in the competition. They were also recognized by the tournament officials for their efforts to support the other US team from the Bronx so that they could also make the journey to Japan. Thank you for representing LREI so well!

Inspired by the art show at Synchronicity Arts, and the previous Broadway benefits, Senior Ella Saunders-Crivello, has put together a two-day event/art installation and benefit at a gallery space on Mercer Street. She is encouraging young artists from our school, grades 9-12, to donate their favorite, original art pieces for purchase; 80% of the purchase price will be donated to one of four charities–the artist’s choice. The charities are Action against Hunger, Doctors without Borders, the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation, and Sean Casey Animal Rescue, a no kill shelter in Brooklyn, NY. This event, ArtACTION, will take place on May 10 (opening reception, 3 PM-8 PM) and May 11 from 12 PM-8 PM, 7 Mercer Street, New York City.