We Care Arts Weekly Programs

Are you looking for a weekly art class or something fun to get involved with in the community?  We Care Arts wants to make sure all of you know about a couple of our many programs we provide during the week.  I was honored to interview two of our art teachers, Alicia and Marie. They are each privileged to be able to teach an art class once a week at churches in Fairborn and Tipp City.

Alicia teaches a class in Tipp City, her classes are on Thursdays from 4 to 5:30pm at the Lutheran Zion Church on 3^rd Street.  Alicia’s students are children from the ages of 10-17. All of the students have various special needs. Alicia has been teaching the group since the fall of 2008. They do a variety of art projects but mostly focus on painting. They also do clay projects, jewelry making, decoupage, and much more. The class gives the students the opportunity to keep their art once they are finished or give them as generous gifts.  Alicia determines their next projects based off of what season we are in and off of the students interests. They try to mix up the media so they don’t do the same techniques every week.

Alicia can definitely see that the students have lots of fun and they get to socialize with their friends.  Their parents and transportation providers can stay throughout the class and get the opportunity to socialize with the other parents/transportation providers. When they stay for the class they get to participate in helping the students with their projects. 

The socialization aspect has changed some of the students. An inspiring example of this is one of the girls didn’t speak and had separation anxiety from her grandparents. Now she doesn’t stop chatting and her grandmother can often leave to run errands.  

 Marie teaches a class on Wednesdays from 1-4pm at 100 East Main, Fairborn at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Marie’s students are all adults with various types of disabilities. Marie’s students do decorative painting on wooden signs that are then sold in our two store locations upon completion. The students get to keep a percentage of the profits from the projects that are sold.  Marie tries to keep the group projects simple since they need to finish the projects to be sold in the store. Marie picks new projects based on what she thinks our customers will be interested in buying. 

One positive thing we have noticed about this class is how the students feel happy to be out and a part of the group and they get a sense of accomplishment when they finish a project. Marie has three wonderful volunteers who help the students finish their projects. The volunteers all have wonderful relationships with the students. They randomly enjoy surprising the students by baking for them or bringing them delicious treats. 

For most of Marie’s students, this is the only time that they leave their house and socialize all week. The students were very shy in the beginning and didn’t know each other at all. Now they joke with each other and have become friends.  Since the students established their amazing supportive friendships, now they even truly enjoy calling each other throughout the week between classes.   

 If you are interested in becoming involved in one of these classes or know anyone who could greatly benefit from participating, please contact us at (937) 252-3937  or visit our website, www.wecarearts.org for further details and contact information.