Kyrene middle schoolers are making their mark on the Chandler art scene. From April 9 – 19, student artwork from Kyrene Aprende and Kyrene del Pueblo Middle Schools was featured at the Chandler Center for the Arts as part of the City of Chandler’s “Artists in Schools” exhibition—a program that connects young creators with professional artists to spark innovation in local classrooms.

This school year, with funding from the City of Chandler, guest artists Kelsey Phillips and Such Styles each spent a week working directly in Chandler-area Kyrene art classrooms. Phillips introduced Pueblo students to digital arts, teaching them the basics of navigating digital programs on their Chromebooks. Students then applied their new skills to redesign a cover for one of their favorite books, albums or video games. Styles’ lessons taught Aprende students the origin and history of street art and led students through the creation of their own font, which they used to design a piece that would represent themselves as individuals.

“I feel like I have my strengths when it comes to certain mediums,” said Pueblo art teacher Olivia Yuen. “I feel like Kelsey did a really good job of giving us perspective of digital art. It was great to have another voice in the room, which is always good for the kids to see.”

In addition to classroom time, both artists also led professional development sessions for all Kyrene art teachers. Phillips hosted a workshop at Pueblo that showcased a free tool that students can use to create digital art, and Styles led a session at Aprende sharing the history of street art from the perspective of a professional who has worked in the medium for decades. These opportunities allowed teachers to learn new techniques and bring fresh inspiration back to their own classrooms.

Each participating school had the opportunity to select up to 20 standout student works to be exhibited. Art teachers curated the pieces based on creativity, effort, and artistic growth. Students’ works are displayed clipped from gallery wires organized by school with information about the project and the artist who worked with the students.

“It was different working with a teacher who isn’t normally on our campus,” said Pueblo eighth-grade student Camila Morrison. “It was good to work with another person and she was really nice.”

This project is a vibrant example of how the Kyrene School District partners with the cities it serves to provide meaningful opportunities for students—encouraging creativity and building confidence in the next generation of artists.