Utsalady Elementary School makes time for arts in Camano Island

Published 11:09 pm Monday, February 9, 2009

CAMANO ISLAND — Friday was Skye Grotte’s last afternoon of the arts at Utsalady Elementary School.

The fifth-grader has always looked forward to the special day each year when the whole school closes its books at the same time to explore the arts with real artists.

This year she chose cake decorating.

Skye was happy with her final project, even if it isn’t likely to last.

“I’ll try to save it, but it will be really, really hard,” she said.

At Utsalady, the arts have not been lost in an era of state exams and federal testing mandates.

After an annual campuswide spelling bee Friday morning, every child at the Camano Island school spent their afternoon with busy hands and creative minds in the pursuit of making something uniquely their own.

Each year, for the past 13 years, students at Utsalady and its predecessor, Church Creek Elementary, have immersed themselves in an afternoon with artists from the Stanwood and Camano Island area.

Nearly two dozen artists taught skills in specialized disciplines, such as calligraphy, watercolor and mask making, along with mosaics, pottery and self portraits.

“We have quite an art base out here,” Principal Colleen Keller said. “Its kind of the pride of Camano Island and this is the kind of thing that builds memories for the kids.”

Second-grade teacher Katie Farrey has been a big part of connecting the artists with the students over the years.

“The arts are just so important,” she said. “In this community, we are able to teach children to appreciate the arts and know the value of having art as part of your life.”

Farrey credits the school’s booster club with organizing the event, recruiting parent volunteers and paying for many of the supplies that are needed.

One of the biggest draws Friday was cake decorating.

Clarissa Medina lined the sides of her cake with pink, yellow and blue tiers of icing before getting help from visiting artist Tina Meyer with a multicolored flower on top.

“This is such a good experience,” said her father, Alex Medina, a classroom volunteer. “She has two other little siblings. I think she might want to eat it before she takes it home.”

For some in the decorating class, the lesson was not just a chance for a snack.

“Honestly, I don’t like cake,” said Sabrina Ross, a fifth-grader. “I just like decorating.”

Donna Golub, the booster club’s president, said her two children both looked forward to learning from real artists.

“It’s quite a tradition,” she said.

Lauri Coleman, a mom who helped organize the annual event, said art is an important part of education that is too often overlooked.

“It’s a place for kids to shine who might not in other places,” she said.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.