GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – A group of local high school students has been using their talents this semester to create an unforgettable gift for some less fortunate children.
The Memory Project is a non-profit organization based in Middleton that connects art teachers and their students with children around the world facing major challenges.
In this case, the Southwest High School Art Club was paired with orphans from the Philippines. Their goal was to give them a smile and a personal treasure.
“These kids were really invested and worked really hard on these,” says art instructor Jon Taft.
He’s referencing the personal portraits that a group of fifteen students has been working on throughout the semester.
“The kids have been working on them for once a week for about two months and at this point, they are completed,” he says.
Taft first was introduced to The Memory Project and hatched the idea of bringing it to Southwest High School when he was flipping through a University of Wisconsin – Madison alumni magazine a few years ago.
Ben Schumaker founded the organization in 2004 while he was studying psychology and social work at the University of Wisconsin.
The organization works with art teachers and their students to provide them with photographs of children from around the world that are facing extreme challenges.
After receiving the photos, the young artists get to work with creating a personal portrait of the child, based off the photo that they’ve received.
Upon completion, the portraits are sent back to The Memory Project and they handle getting the special gifts in the hands of the less-fortunate children.
Southwest High School 12th-grader Mariaya Jackson was all-in on the idea when Taft first brought it up to the club in September.
“Since this is our senior year, I thought that it would be a good way to go all out,” she explains.
And in an effort to personalize their gifts, the students have attached something of their own.
“My Southwest students included a photo of themselves and put it on the back of the portrait that they made for the students, and they are all ready to ship,” he says.
Jackson admits she’s not the best at drawing another persons face, but realizes that it’s truly the thought that counts.
“All of us tried our best and the children will be happy to see all of our efforts,” she says.
