At Orange Center, 7th and 8th grade students learned a new approach to writing. Picturing Writing: Fostering Literacy Through Art, is an art-and-literature-based approach to writing that integrates visual modes of thinking at every stage of the writing process. Picturing Writing utilizes simple crayon resist art techniques and quality literature in a progression of mini-lessons that teach essential literacy skills to students with diverse learning styles. With this approach, students draft their ideas in images first. They learn how to create pictures that tell a story and write words that paint pictures. As students become fluent in two languages, they are able to approach writing from a position of strength according to their individual learning style. The key elements of story are taught through the dual languages of pictures and words.

This grant made it possible to bring the ARTS back to Orange Center.