PERSONAL PORTRAITS TO LAST A LIFETIME 
Art Students at North Shore HS Participate in the Memory Project 

Picture
 by Shelly Newman

North  Shore Schools, Glen Head, NY, September 24, 2013 - Art students from North Shore High School participated in the Memory Project, a nation-wide initiative in which advanced high school art students create original portraits for children
living in orphanages around the world. The purpose of this meaningful project is to provide these children with a special memory of their youth, honoring their heritage and identity which helps them build a positive self-image. The assignment also provides an opportunity for young Americans to open their hearts to children who have endured many hardships and promote the value of sharing kindness with others.

Last  school year, North Shore students in Elissa Theiss’ class created beautiful portraits for children living in Haiti. The high school students received photographs of the children and worked in their art classrooms to create these special drawings. Once finished, the Memory Project organization delivered the portraits to the children around the world. In return, the Haitian children were encouraged to make drawings or write letters of appreciation. The following students created portraits: Alina Ohanian, Emary Parisi, Alana Commando, Kathryn Smith, Jamie Lee, Christina Ghillani, Hanna Hentze, Gaby  Grabarz, Raquel Fossett, Nicole Gerrity, Emily Cooke, Olivia Statile, Bailey
O'Neil, Briana Laderer, Michelle Cohn, Molly Reilly, Caroline Statile, Kira Martin, Desi Otis, Olivia Toscano, Kevin Quinn, Ryann Feldmann, Nicole Hasbrouck, Karissa Bednarz.

Ms. Theiss said, “I love the art exchange that happens through this project. My students put countless hours into these portraits for a child that they have never met, and then they say goodbye to their art and it gets delivered as a wonderful gift. I believe that both my students and the children receiving the  portraits are forever changed by this experience. I do not require that students participate - the project is always voluntary, but every year more and more students sign up!” To see great and touching video footage about the delivery to the orphanages, please visit http://www.memoryproject.org/Haiti2013.php 
 
The Memory Project representative, Mr. Ben Schumaker said, “Ms. Elissa Theiss and
her art students at North Shore High School have participated in this effort in the past. The portraits were stunning and it is clear that the students received excellent instruction to create artwork of such a high caliber.” He added, “We are truly grateful for their efforts. The recipients of these new works of art will value them tremendously. Indeed, Ms. Theiss’ students are providing them with personal gifts to last a lifetime.”

The Memory Project is a nonprofit organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. More
than 10,000 portraits have been produced by high school and college art students
around the country. The project has also been covered by major newspapers and magazines as well as local media, telling the story of students who have participated in creating portraits of kindness. If you'd like more information about the project, please visit http://www.memoryproject.org/

 Pictured are beautiful portraits drawn by students in Elissa Theiss’  art class at North Shore High School of orphan children living in Haiti. The purpose of this meaningful Memory Project is to provide underprivileged children with a special memory of their youth.