IRON COUNTY – The Iron County School District is celebrating Youth Art Month this month, and each school in the district has been challenged to hold some sort of art observance to showcase their artistic students.

Events planned range from art displays to music concerts to plays. Elementary students will travel to Canyon View High School to learn ceramics, and Iron Springs students “illustrated books” on the sidewalk outside the school.

Youth Art Month was established in 1961. One of its sponsors is the Council for Art Education which adopted the theme “Start with Art, Learn for Life.”

According to the Youth Art Month website at www.acminet.org/youth_art_month.htm, “Art education develops self-esteem and self expression, as well as appreciation for the work of others. It also develops critical thinking skills that will be important as children continue their education and as they enter the working world. Our fast-changing environment will require that future leaders - today’s children - be creative and imaginative in problem-solving. These skills are learned best by students involved in art.”

Several activities have already taken place, but listed here are the events for the next week that have been provided to Alisa Petersen, Iron County School District art coordinator. Later events will be included in our March 18 issue.

March 11 “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare,

7 p.m. in the CVHS Auditorium

March 11-12 Art Show for Mice, Enoch Elementary

March 11 “Beautiful Inside” student showcase,

6:30 p.m. in the PHS Auditorium

March 11 “The Principal and the Pea” musical,

6:30 p.m. at South Elementary

March 11 PTA Spaghetti Dinner at 5:45, Art Gallery opening at

5:45, science fair opens at 6:30, and PTA meeting and school choir performance at 7, Three Peaks Elementary

March 15 Second grade patriotic music program,

7 p.m. at Fiddlers Elementary

March 15-19 Elementary classes visiting CVHS to learn ceramics

March 16 Headstart program having a night of ceramics, Canyon View High School

March 17 Region Instrumental Solo and Ensemble Competition

March 18 Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m. at Cedar Middle School

March 18 Art show and science fair, 6 p.m. at East Elementary