When Lead Art Educator Kate Cross and I spoke about the memory art project several weeks ago, I had no idea the impact or the emotions that would surface. I also had not considered that actually seeing what students and staff created would leave such a powerful impact on me personally. After all, I am witnessing history. We all are. Then, it was my turn. What would I want to capture in my memory art? It took a lot of reflection. In the end, I decided it was a combination of love of my children, husband, parents, siblings, family, friends and the realization we could not be together intertwined with the love of my school district familia, and the responsibility I have taken on to ensure our entire community stays healthy, strong and positive together all while we are educating and supporting our students. Thank you for sharing your unique stories through art. I plan on working with Kate, our district art educators and our communication team over the summer to publish our school district hand memory art projects. I really want to ensure all 2000 + staff members, including our amazing and supportive Governing Board members are included in the publication. Please send them in to your supervisors by mid June- better yet, create one now before you forget!

Left: Governing Board Vice President, Denice Garcia shares "I know that we were supposed to make it seem or include COVID-19 and perhaps the effects, feelings and thoughts so instead of identifying COVID-19, I just let my hand do the talking and I know I missed something, but that's OK."

Right: Governing Board President, Marissa Hernandez - “Together we will fill in the details”

Bottom: Governing Board Member, Pedro Lopez

The hands of glitter represent the bright, shinny, exciting opportunities we can provide for our students & CSD Family as a whole. There are 2 because it takes collaborating with others to do the heavy lifting. The crosses represents serving by faith as we can not see what is in our future but still walk forward being a support. The flowers are beautiful in bloom, but they go through dark cycles to grow stronger, sprout, grow, & once again bloom. - Kristi Wells, Director

Right: Going through the printing of 8th grade promotion certificates and cleaning up to end the school year, it has been hard emotionally thinking about the students. I feel at this time it's difficult to give them a proper goodbye. I just want to give them hugs, shake their hand, and cheer for their success. I know right now we will be doing that in a different way. I hope they all know that even though we are missing out on their promotion and saying goodbye. We know they will make us PROUD. Way to go Atkinson Blue Knights Class of 2020! - Stacey Schellhammer, Counselor

Right: I drew a hand being tightly bound by tentacles, representing my feelings of being trapped and stuck during the Covid pandemic. - Keely Finuca, Art Teacher

Left: My hand project was created as a collage with pieces taken from a travel magazine. In addition to teaching and creating art, I am a hiker, camper, and lover of the outdoors. My project is meant to signify how difficult this time has been for me. The hand itself represents me and all of the activities that I am missing while I work from home. - Jessica Weaver, Art Teacher

Bottom: Even though we are going through difficult times, there are many positives.

- Melissa Lallas, 1st grade Teacher

Right: Arlette Johnson, Computer Teacher

Titled: "Hope"

Below: Nello Francisco, Art Teacher

Titled: "New York, I love you"

Right: This is the year of union among all humans. This is the year we recognize ourselves in the despair and suffering of others. This is the year we do not think twice to lend a hand, even if that means just calling someone on the phone. - Maria Barrios, Pre-K Teacher.

Left: I took this opportunity during the COVID-19 closures to REFLECT. How often do we have the gift of time to do some inward reflection? I chose to PAUSE and think about my family, my marriage, my spiritual health, my job, and myself. I found this as a time of renewal, passion and restoration in many areas of my life. - Janet Cronover, Pre-K Teacher

Left: This hand project was created by Luis Valdez who attends Palm Lane and is in the LFI program. "My home has become my school, my clinic, and my therapy place."

Right: We clench our fist in solidarity to demonstrate that we will get through this pandemic together, that we will do all that is in our control and commit to staying united, distanced, but not disconnected, grateful to all essential workers, healthy, compassionate, and hopeful.

Right: I'm not one for using a lot of words to talk about my artwork, but in these times with this project a quote by Henri Matisse comes to mind:

"Creativity takes courage" - Carrie Kersey, Art Teacher

Right: This has been a time of reflection. A time to validate and accept feelings. A time to prioritize. A time to overcome obstacles. A time to find the silver lining. A time to stay positive. A time to be innovative. A time to support. A time to grow. A time to come together. #ClosedNotClosed - Scott Nigh, Asst. Principal

Right: Art teacher, Ms. Mahon's example. The hand is covered in positives about the Covid-19 pandemic and it is letting go of the negatives.

Left: 3rd grade teacher- Christina Snyder -My hand represents me praying for everyone as I had 2 deaths during this pandemic and 5 family members with Covid-19 in Ohio.

Below: Murrell - First Grade: It came fast and it came hard. Everything changed, some possibly forever. We will all always feel the Caution.

Left: 1st grade teacher - Christine Folsom:  The pandemic is shining an uncomfortable light on the fissures in society and showing that empathy and collaboration are key in the journey ahead!

Right: Isabel Rodriguez, Admin. Specialist, shows off her family's hands.

Left: Sylvia Reyes, Bus Driver shares her drawing

Left: Alyssa Myers, 6th grade Math Teacher

Title: "Through this uncertainty, I promise to be your helping hand."

Right: Paola Karlson, Art Teacher

Bottom Left: Catherine Wooten, 4th grade Teacher

Title: "Reaching out with technology, still reaching for the stars."

Left: It has been a challenge, trying to inspire, motivate and still try to maintain my sanity. I love how our team always made sure we were on task and were always looking for ways to motivate students to succeed. - Patricia Breceda, 7th Grade ELA

Right: Daniella Gonzalez, 4th grade Student

Left: Amanda Delphy, 2nd Grade Teacher. She is a first-year teacher at Holiday Park, but this was not her first experience at Holiday Park as she also attended school here growing up.

Bottom Left: This was created using technology by Maushid Laux. She has been teaching at Holiday Park for 8 years. Embracing technology even with this project is a highlight of how much we are learning when utilizing technology to support Artistic creations.

Right: 1st year LFI teacher, Ms. Velina Peralez. Peralez states in her caption "Being pregnant with my first child during this pandemic leaves me feeling scared of what my unborn baby can be exposed to and worried about if I am doing enough to protect myself and baby."

Top: The backstory behind my hand is based primarily on the opportunity of creativity and uprising. The center of the hand represents freedom and expression, a cathartic release from hard times. The yarn woven in between the fingertips represents people; how this pandemic has brought together groups of people from two sides of the grass to join hands and fight this good fight head on together, One Team, Una Familia. Lastly, the virus. Yes, though the virus is one nasty monster, we are far bigger when we come together as a united front. The placement of the yarn is woven between the fingers that represent man. The virus is trapped, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide until we as a people suffocate it with our unrelenting love. ~ Raven Ross 1st Grade Teacher

Bottom: Art has been a great outlet to help me calm my thoughts and stay positive during this time. It is an enjoyable way to convey emotions and feelings when sometimes you’re struggling to find the right words to express how you are feeling. ~Tiffany Daigle, 1st Grade Teacher

Right: COVID-19 has seeped into every aspect of our lives; we find it in our homes through the television, our phones, and always on our minds. -

Tomahawk Elementary School

Top Left and Right: Student art from Glenn L. Downs

Left: Vivian Nash, Principal

Top: Our hand illustrates a little of all the effort and union we have shown-19 day by day. These months will be very difficult to forget, but nothing is impossible to overcome. - Cartwright Kitchen Staff

Bottom: Anyone who knows me knows about the absolute maelstrom that has been my life this past year. Lockdown for me has been a time to recuperate, reflect, heal, and improve as an artist while being sequestered in my apartment. My preferred artistic medium is digital, and my piece, being digital watercolors, reflects that. COVID-19, at the time of painting, is in every zip code, in every city, in every county, in every state, and in every country. There is no escaping it. At the same time, the internet has been an invaluable tool that helps ensure we have what little human connection we can get, even if we are all just out of arm's reach. We can do business, laugh, and play. This is 2020, even something beautiful like new love can blossom in isolation. - Randall "Sean" Simon, Art Teacher

Right: "Everything changed over night" - Shirley Corley, LFI Teacher

Right: The hand represents how I feel and and my role in helping order supplies during the COVID crisis. - Stefanni Cahee

Right: This picture represents my feelings during this pandemic. The hand watch symbolizes patience and mobility, The Peace sign represents how nervously scared many of us may have been, I was one! The earth represents that is not only one country that is changing, the computer prompt represents all the tech work and tech use, the Aztec symbol for family, the CSD83 logo represents our team, the state flag represents AZ strong!, The cap and book represent education is our business, the Red Cross represents all 1st responders! And the US Flag is providing our base of strength! - Alex Mada, Director

Left: Shawn Little, Special Education Support Specialist

Right: Dr. Kisha Nosov, Psychologist POSA