Art Contest
Students took time out from a recent clay coiling project to talk about the project and the animals they chose.
Selena Greiner chose Blanding’ s turtle.“ I always liked turtles, the slow way they move and the way they’ re in their shells,” she said.
Alyssa Lunsford chose the trumpeter swan for its beauty. She said it is important to care about endangered animals because,“ every animal plays a part in the food chain.
“ If the chain is broken, bad things can happen,” and the impact of losing a species will be felt by the whole chain.
“ Every animal has a purpose,” said Illyana Cox, who chose the cerulean warbler. Birds, she noted, carry seeds and help propagate plants which in turn serve other animals.
Riley Bryce chose the least weasel because she loves the small animals which look like they would be easy to tame and become a friend.
Mrs. Roales is accomplished in several mediums, and said she likes all forms of art— drawing, painting, ceramics, weaving, print making, sculpture, and more. Teaching, however, is her calling because,“ I’ ve always enjoyed helping others.”
Even when things don’ t go right, a lesson is to be learned. A recent weaving class became an exercise in problem solving when the loom she was using was not properly prepared. She
Laurette Roales, Jr. High art teacher.
and the class persevered, initiated“ FaceTime” with a local weaver who diagnosed the problem, and the result was not only some colorful coasters, but a life lesson as well.
“ There’ s magic in what I do,” she said.“ I get to show kids how to do something they’ ve never done before. I enjoy seeing their growth. It’ s the most rewarding career for me and the best job I could imagine.”
She lives in Morgan-Monroe State Forest with her husband Jonathan, who is assistant manager of the state forest, and their dog Boone.
Mrs. Roales worries about the impact of the arts being cut from some school curriculums.
“ Sometimes, a kid struggles in every other class, and he will be my best student,” she said. The
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Jan./ Feb. 2017 • Our Brown County 49