As an art teacher, I help children discover that their work has the potential to inform and inspire others to help make the world a better place. I want students to feel empowered not only to communicate things that are important to them but to use their ideas to encourage and empathize with everyone they meet. So when a lifelong friend contacted me about an opportunity for our students to experience this firsthand, I knew it was meant to be. 

Lily Shroyer, a '00 Stanley Clark alumna, reached out because she saw a need in the community and knew our students could help. Lily works for The City of South Bend as a Manager of Resident Success and was recently tasked with finding ways to delight residents. Lily's always had a big heart, so it is no surprise that she continues to bring joy and inspiration to others.

Lily was inspired by a community in California that connected a group of young artists with an animal shelter. Together, they created drawings of adoptable pets to raise awareness of the overwhelmingly full shelters and to encourage adoption. When we asked lower school students if they wanted to help the dogs at a shelter in our community too, they were beyond excited and couldn't wait to get started … even the cat people! 

Lily connected us with Lindsey Cuellar, shelter manager at The South Bend Animal Resource Center, and we received photos and profiles of dogs currently looking for new homes. Our students were eager to read every bio before choosing which one they wanted to showcase. Their goal was to include specific details about each dog's unique traits, personalities, and temperaments within their drawings. The children used colored pencils, watercolors, and markers to get their dog's unique markings just right. Every artist had their own way of bringing their work to life, telling beautiful stories about dogs they hadn't even met! They showcased sweet Snow, a smiley terrier mix, showing his tummy because "he likes belly rubs," and they made sure to put a leash on a great dane named Simba because "he's good at taking walks." 

We also looked at different ways dogs have been portrayed throughout history, and the children fell especially in love with famous dog statues from around the world. We read moving stories about Balto, who now has a statue in Central Park, and Greyfriars Bobby, located in Edinburgh. This helped reinforce the idea that dogs can undoubtedly be loyal and deserving of love. The statues also encouraged us to experiment with clay, as many students wanted to sculpt their dogs instead. We spent days in the studio creating different fur textures using skewers, toothbrushes, and other clay carving tools. The learning opportunities seemed endless!

Like all things here at Clark, though, it was the "in-between" experiences that inspired me most. Our students' genuine curiosity and evidence of empathy throughout this entire process reminded me that the future is so bright with them in it. They had questions about what a microchip was and what it meant when an owner "surrendered" their pet. At one point, some of the children condemned these owners for "giving up" their animals and questioned how anyone could do this. It was another child who suggested that maybe their owners couldn't afford to take care of them, or perhaps they had passed away. Regardless, everyone agreed that the shelter was a place to care for animals until they found their next chapter. Through these honest conversations, we collectively realized that not everything is black and white, and curiosity can help change our perspectives, which is so important in situations we don't fully understand. 

The drawings and sculptures are wonderful, and we continue to include new animals that find their way to the SBARC via their website each week. The classes cheer when they find out which dogs have been adopted, and we continue to find more ways to raise awareness of this need in our community. Starting on March 19 at 5:30 PM, our students' artwork will be exhibited in the Smith Hall art gallery for all to see. Thank you to both Lily and Lindsey for this incredibly impactful opportunity!

Feeling inspired for more? Join Mrs. Lotter this summer for a spin-off of this project with a camp for 1st-4th grade students: 

Animal Art Camp: Adopt a Cuddly Pet
Week: July 21- 25
Instructor: Sarah Lotter
Time: 9:00-11:30 AM
Grades: 1-4

What's better than art and pets? Inspired by the recent partnership with The South Bend Animal Resource Center​​​​​, campers will create a home and pet using surprising art materials and their endless imagination. Come have fun and create! 

Learn more or register now!

About the Author

Sarah Lotter

Art Teacher: Preschool 3 - Grade 3