A project at Haile Middle School aims to have 90 special needs students actively participate in creating an outdoor mural that holds their dreams and aspirations within hand-crafted clay leaves imbedded in painted banyan trees. Those same students would also help construct a stream and waterfall and plant native plants in the process.

To make this mural a reality, local artists are seeking $10 donations to kick off this amazing visual arts project.

This project was conceived by local artist Brenda Smoak in conjunction with Holly Clouse, a learning strategies teacher at Haile Middle. Clouse appealed to Smoak to create a project that would include all 90 of the school's special needs students, regardless of their disabilities, to bring them into focus in a positive way. Hence, the mural project incorporates math, science, communication, negotiation and literary skills into one fun-filled art project that will leave a lasting legacy for all of the students at Haile Middle .

Smoak called her friends, Dave and Lisa Burns, who own Backyard Getaway, and asked them to adopt Haile Middle as their school project this year. They readily agreed and designed the stream and waterfall components of the project. Masters at building ponds and waterfalls, the Burnses have worked with special needs students in previous projects and welcome the challenge of working with this group of students.

Four of Haile's teachers are actively helping create the project. A math teacher will instruct the students how to lay out a grid for the mural as well as how to calculate how much clay will be needed for each student to create two leaves for the painted banyan trees. A science teacher will teach the students what happens to clay when it is fired in a kiln and what different firing temperatures do to the clay body. She will also work with them to build the stream and waterfall. Two other teachers will focus on scheduling all 90 students so that they can work on the project without disruption from their regular classes.  

Ringling College of Art and Design students have stepped forward to offer assistance. Not only will this project bolster the self-esteem of the young students, it will allow college students to act as mentors while giving back to their community.

To date, several businesses have donated materials and supplies and some have donated money. The project started out needing $2,589. Haile's Parent Teacher Organization contributed $400 toward the project. The public can help bring this project to fruition with a donation of $10. Mail a check to Haile Middle School, 9501 E. State Road 64, Bradenton, FL 34212, and earmark it for the Learning Takes Flight project. 

To see complete details of the project and drawings of the mural and waterfall, go to www.artandalchemy2.com.  If you have questions about the project, contact Brenda Smoak at brendasmoak@gmail.com.