In case you missed the opening First Friday of the  Project Grad “Create the Mask of Your Future” show at Homer Council on the Arts, be sure to go by and see this amazing exhibit of student work.

 The mission of Project Grad Kenai Peninsula is to ensure a rigorous public education for Alaska students, to increase high school graduation rates and to prepare students to enter and excel in college.

 What better way to do that than to engage students in experiences and projects that allow and encourage them to learn about their personal strengths, develop team work,  encourage creative thought, require that they plan and produce a product that incorporates what they have learned.

 The 350 masks displaying the culmination of this year’s project clearly demonstrate that the whole experince was designed to increase and promote student learning, self awareness, self confidence, creativity and engagement in directing their own learning. Wow — it is impressive.

 Meeting the artists/students whose work was displayed in the show was especially rewarding. They were excited, proud and truly engaged in the project, willing to talk about the process and what it meant to them personally.

 Please drop by the Homer Council on the Arts some afternoon soon and see the show. HCOA is open 1-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The show will be up until June 28.

Diane Borgman, president

Homer Council on the Arts