Charter School Students Reflect on COVID Era with Inaugural Art Show

Jazz music and six-foot pieces of artwork filled the lobby at Pagosa Peak Open School, as young artists and school community members mingled and snacked on fruit and cheese. Friday marked the end of a semester-long K-8 project with Creatives Advisor, Rain March:

The inaugural PPOS Art Show.

Students spent the semester looking at how the COVID-19 Pandemic influenced the art world, and how people used creativity and artistic talents to make COVID times more bearable.

“This semester we took a look at some of the trends and innovations that came out of the COVID Age,” March said. “From TicTok dances to the strange fashions that emerged — like the 6-foot dress — to the everyday things that were created out of necessity, such as dining pods and new delivery systems.”

Elaborate dresses, a six-foot sombrero and spinning face masks were set up around the school lobby, while the walls were decorated with individual and group drawings and tables filled with origami butterflies. Students shared their learning from the semester: spanning artistic content from 3D paper and cardboard structures to traditional make-up designs and hand-stitched animals.

All PPOS students from kindergarten through 8th grade were represented, and eager to share their creations with their families and friends.

Pagosa Peak Open School is a tuition-free public school open to all Archuleta County families. The educational model is built upon Project-Based Learning, a student-centered pedagogy that involves a dynamic classroom approach, through which students can acquire a deeper understanding through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems. Students in all classes at PPOS engage in multiple projects throughout the year; looking for ways to influence their own community, and create positive change.