Pleasant Valley strives for excellence in all aspects of education for their students. A big part of PV education is the arts. PV has outstanding teachers, the largest marching band in the state of Iowa, and many accomplished student artists. Just recently, two students from Hopewell Elementary School were recognized for their talents. These students entered in two different contests, and now their art can be treasured by many.

Shalini Chandupatla, third grade, has now won the “Google Doodle” contest for the state of Iowa, kindergarteners through third graders, twice in a row, something that has never been done before. She will now continue on to the national contest. Chandupatla had to follow a certain theme for her doodles. Last year’s theme was, “what makes me… me?” and this year’s theme was “what I see for the future.” Chandupatla’s design included innovations she hopes to see in the world, such as safe places for people to live, and enough water for everyone in the world. Winning the national contest would mean that Chandupatla would get a $30,000 college scholarship, and her school, Hopewell Elementary School, would receive a $50,000 Google for Education grant. Voting is now open at this site through March 6, 2017: http://www.google.com/doodle4google/vote.html. Everyone is encouraged to vote.

While at Hopewell Elementary School, Chandupatla works with her art teacher, Kala Koehler. Upon hearing that Chandupatla had won for a second time, Koehler said, “I was impressed with Google for not being ‘political’ about choosing her twice.” Koehler has been working with Chandupatla since she [Chandupatla] was in kindergarten. Koehler said that Chandupatla “displayed a natural aptitude.” Recently, the two worked together to help Chandupatla think of a concept or idea and to work on sharing her concept with others.

Another talented student at Hopewell Elementary School is Colin Abbott, fourth grader. Abbott is both autistic and blind, but this hasn’t stopped him from working hard and sharing his art with others. Abbott first began his artistic career in August of 2013, when he met Koehler. At this point Abbott was in first grade, but he had never taken an art class before. Koehler said, “He began taking classes with me and I saw that I could better serve him if we met one on one.”

Since Koehler’s realization, Koehler and Abbott have been working together and making many different types of projects. Koehler introduced Abbott to new materials, and the duo also listened to Abbott’s favorite music while making their art. Some of the pieces Abbott has made, according to Koehler, include “a cupcake for his mother, a bird for his grandma, and items for family.” Abbott sometimes works to create specific images, and he sometimes creates more abstract pieces.

One of Abbott’s most famous works of art is currently in the U.S. Department of Education. Abbott’s piece is titled, “My house… my community,” and it took him [Abbott] and Koehler two months to complete.

Many believe that the arts are an important part of a school’s curriculum. Some of the biggest advocates for the arts are the teachers. Koehler said, “Fostering an environment where students make choices and decisions about their work, where they learn from each other, their teacher, and through collaboration is exciting.” Another art teacher in the Pleasant Valley district is Aimee Peters. Peters is always advocating for art education and trying to show students its importance. Peters said, “Visual art has the power to engage a student who might otherwise fail to thrive in a traditional classroom setting. Well-taught, visual art is not only a means of self-expression, but a way for students to make hands on connections between something that they love to do and concepts in other areas.”