Alysha is one of the many reasons I am drawn to supporting the refugee students, Bishop Maginn and Bishop Gibbons. Creativity and art are important to them, a way of expressing themselves and their feelings in a country that often seems range and complex.

Alysha is a Caribbean refugee and loved Sue’s art class at Bishop Maginn so much that she and her family immediately transferred her to Bishop Gibbons when Sue announced she was going there to teach.

You may remember Alysha from my writing at BMHS. She showed up today at Bishop Gibbons, learned by the fantastic new art program.

Sue is cranking up by the two truckloads of fresh and exciting art supplies we sent to the school in July. Her program is innovative, radically different, and exciting.

Sue (this is her photo above) is almost always in her classroom, often outside of regular school hours, and there are always eager young students on fire to make art with her – paintings, sculptures, quilts, sketches, and beadwork.

Art touches these children deeply, and they flock to Sue’s classrooms like magnets on metal.

Alysha showed up this morning, and of course, well before she has to.

Sue was there, happy to see her and give her the supplies she wanted and needed to paint.

These artworks are crucial to the refugee students; they get to tell stories, hone their imaginations, and bring their work home to show off.

Making art is very important to Alysha.

I’m going to Bishop Gibbons this Thursday, and so is Maria.

She’s going to work with Sue on art projects and bring some metal objects we have collected. I’m going to meet with Killian, a gifted 11th grader who wants to be a writer. His teacher thinks he is very talented.

I’m going to meet him, interview him, take his photo and offer my services to him as a writing mentor.