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Southwest Atlanta charter school teams up with local artists for unique collaboration

The student-involved creations take several visits to complete, with artists donating their time to help bring the works to life.

ATLANTA — Students in a southwest Atlanta charter school are getting the unique chance to take part in a collaboration with local artists. 

The project brings together Atlanta-based artists like Vando Davis and Antonio McIlwaine, aka Arm of Casso, to work with students at Ethos Classical Charter School in Sylvan Hills.   

The ability to work with and learn from the artists is a special opportunity for student Jackson Jenkins, who loves sketching and creating art in his free time. 

"I just like seeing what I could do," he told 11Alive News. "Getting inspiration and also, just seeing other people and see what I could be when I grow up and be an artist." 

The student-involved creations take several visits to complete, the artists donating their time to help bring the works to life. The hands-on lesson is an extension of the school's classical approach.

"We really believe children's identities and skills are developed in the earliest years, and we make sure we're' doing that through access to literature, to art, to music, to movement that really helps establish that sense of self," Emily Castillo Leon, founder and director of Ethos Classical, explained. "It's really important that our scholars see all the limitless opportunities they have in life of what they can do, what they can become. So bringing in folks that are doing cool, creative work is important for our scholars to see the opportunity for them to make careers out of their creativity. We really think that's an important aspect of them dreaming big and seeing what's possible." 

Once completed, the works will be showcased and available for sale at the school's heART Auction, which will take place on Thursday, Oct. 19. 

The event, hosted by ZuCot Gallery, will include donated works from many rising and established Atlanta-area artists. All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit’s school building expansion fund and will support the development of four arts enrichment classrooms.

Ethos Classical is a tuition-free public elementary school serving families in Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County Schools, Dekalb County Schools, Clayton County Schools, Cobb County Schools & Douglas County Schools. Learn more information about enrollment here.

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