Alameda HS Students Tackle Big Issues Through Art

Article in the Alameda Sun, Thurs. Dec. 23, 2021 – Sun Staff Reports

Alameda High School’s (AHS) Career Technical Education (CTE) students used their design skills to turn art into activism by producing powerful posters that promote vaccines, ecology and anti-racism. These posters are on display in the windows of Books Inc. (1344 Park St.) and Lilac Dress Boutique (1918 Encinal Ave.).

The artworks are part of Alameda Education Foundation’s (AEF) Art Across the Island. The posters were created by Multimedia CTE pathway classes taught by Andrea Szeto and Nancy Read. They will be on display through the end of January. AHS Sports Medicine CTE pathway students from Anderson Zhang’s class also contributed poster designs that encourage families to wear masks and to get vaccinated. AEF funded the printing costs that enabled Alameda Unified School District to display those posters at all district schools.

AEF’s Art Across the Island is a partnership between Alameda public school teachers, school art docents, Alameda Free Library, Rhythmix Cultural Works, and local businesses across the island to showcase visual and literary arts. The program is in its sixth year and has displayed over 3,500 works of art by Alameda public school children at city libraries and a dozen small businesses across the island.

Recently, an exhibition of lines and letters by Maya Lin Elementary school first graders was installed at the West End Library. Art from Michele Kuttner’s third graders at Bay Farm School showing that they understand gradients and how primary colors blend together to make secondary colors was displayed at Bay Farm Library. The students used tempera paint and their circles seem to float like planets against vivid skies.

The art displays at Books Inc. and Lilac Dress Boutique will be available for viewing until Jan. 31, 2022, while the artworks at Bay Farm and West End libraries will be available until Jan. 9.

Read the original article in the Alameda Sun here (and support our local newspaper by buying a subscription!)