WELCOME TO THE 2017 KIDS ISSUE: Mountain Xpress presents this year's Kids Issue, our annual celebration of K-12 student art and writing. Cover art: Caroline Tintinger, seventh grade (face), and Oriah Doellgast, first-grade (background), both of Rainbow Community School. Cover design: Norn Cutson
Welcome to the online version of part I of Xpress’ 2017 Kids Issue, our annual feature celebrating the creativity of this area’s K-12 students. This year, we asked kids and teens to focus on the theme of “What Matters to Me?”
We received about 450 entries (our largest response yet) from students who attend more than 30 local public, charter, private and home schools, along with an after-school arts program.
Their responses — in the form of art, essays and poetry — reflect a wide range of interests and concerns: from thoughtful submissions on social justice issues to sweet tributes to family, friendship and pets, all threaded with the exuberance and hope of youth. (And if you ever wonder about the next generation, here’s solid evidence that we’ll likely be in good hands in the future.)
Be sure to check back next week for more engaging kids’ art and writing in part II of the Kids Issue ― along with Xpress’ annual guide to area summer camps.
For now, though, we’ll be adding links here to kids’ art and writing from part 1 as they are posted. Enjoy!
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The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.