Seven students from Zahns Corner Middle School were recently identified as gifted in the visual arts, thanks to a program through the Ross-Pike Educational Service Center (ESC).
According to Samantha Emler, Zahns Corner art teacher, getting into the Heart for Art program, which identifies students gifted in the visual arts, is a very rigorous task.
“The students trying for identification have to go through many stages outlined by the Ohio Department of Education, and even with the completion of these stages, the students are not guaranteed acceptance into the program,” Emler explained.
Emler said it is a very selective process and a great honor for students who are selected. The Heart for Art program through Ross-Pike ESC serves Scioto Valley, Western and Eastern schools, and of these three school districts in grades kindergarten through 12th grade, 179 students were nominated for screening and assessment, Emler said.
“The screening included a behavioral checklist that had to accompany the nomination, in which the students had to score a 53 or above to move onto the next step,” she said. “If the student scored above a 53 and wanted to try to become labeled as gifted, they would have to put together a portfolio of five to seven artworks. These would need to showcase their best works.
“Along with each artwork, a response sheet would need to accompany each artwork. Upon completion of all this hard work, the portfolios were taken to be evaluated by local artists, art specialists and art teachers.”
According to Emler, of the 179 kindergarten through 12th grade students nominated, only 81 students “endured the task of putting together portfolios to be entered” for evaluation.
“Of the 81 entered, 26 were hard-working Zahns Corner Middle School students’ portfolios,” Emler stated. “As a result, the 81 portfolios in the county were evaluated with a rubric by artists, art specialists and art teachers. At the end of the day, only 22 were evaluated and labeled as gifted in the visual arts.
“I am proud to say Zahns Corner Middle School earned seven out of the 22 labels in the county!”
Students from Zahns Corner who were labeled as gifted in the visual arts and are now members of Heart for Art are the following:
6th grade: Trevor Lewis and Jamie Morris
7th grade: Kloe Jenkins, Myranda Lansing and Isaac Little
8th grade: Ashleigh Fletcher and Kylee Wiseman
“I am so proud of my students’ accomplishments and all of the hard work and dedication that they put into each one of their endeavors.”
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