Hordes of Fourth Graders

Or maybeherds? In any case, the numbers have been staggering!

The Kelly has been a destination stop for Elmore County school fourth graders’ field trips for the past couple of weeks. There have been about 400+ kids so far visiting us and the Black History Museum for Black History month.

Registrar Alyssa Spaulding explains, “We talk to the kids about what museums do. We ask them that first, and we’ve had some great answers, like to show pretty pictures and show artifacts from history. So we tell them that our number one job is to preserve and display art, artifacts, and history for the public so that their kids and grand-kids can also see and enjoy the same things they got to see now.

Then we talk about Mose T and his life and how he is now a famous painter. We also talk about Bernice Sims and her story and how she painted scenes from the Civil Rights Movement as it was happening. Afterwards, we encourage them to view the art with a scavenger hunt to guide them, and also to draw and color something from their life’s story. We will be displaying their art in the children’s area.”

Alas, no photos just yet….but soon the children’s space will be papered with their art! How precious! The mission of the Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts is to engage, inspire, and educate–what better way to start than with the children?