To Soar, Simply Step Into History!
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Birds are cared for in the nest till it's time to soar. As a student, your classroom experiences should provide the tools to help you innovate. Art teaches critical thinking, problem solving, innovation and inspires students to act on their dreams.
Classrooms without walls, where the past meets the present, provide the right environment to help students soar.
Much like a bird borrowing from it's environment to build a strong nest, when students gain access to community partners and expertise beyond the classroom walls, the tools leaned in the classroom take on a practical application. Connection outside the traditional classroom encodes permanent, relevant experiences that shape their perspective and help students soar.
Today's story spans 100 years and honors the legacy of a trailblazing woman; passionate about access to education. Thanks to visionary thinking and community partnerships, her story continues is inspire and educate students today on the site, this pioneer founded.
The back story of this project starts with The Palmer Memorial Institute (PMI), a private school for African American youth, closed its doors as an educational institution in 1971. However, history is coming to life on this site, through resources & partners in the NC community. 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Canary Cottage, Dr. Brown's home and a designated NC Historic site. Recently, students from Western Guildford High School's Adobe Visual Design class applied their newly acquired skills to an innovative project with the museum. Students in Mr. George Brown’s Adobe Visual Design class became part of the narrative of the Palmer Memorial Institute.
Tanesha Anthony, site manager of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum shared, "Through the class, student learned about the design-to-production process, gaining valuable skills and came away with a deeper understanding of merchandising. “Dr. Brown believed deeply in education and preparing young people to lead with confidence and purpose,” said Tanesha Anthony, site manager of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum. “This project gave students an opportunity interact with history on their own terms, apply their talents in a real-world setting, and see their work valued by the community. We are pleased to not only preserve the history of Dr. Brown and PMI, but cultivate a space for the next generation of leaders and cultural stewards.”
Register here to attend the event on Wednesday.
Here's a sneak peek of skillsets applied to museum merchandise.
In preparation for creating their new line of merchandise, we collaborated virtually with the museum staff. Thanks to technology, brain storming and visiting our showroom & design studio is simple; regardless of distance. As a former art educator and public school art teacher, it's exciting to see students be part of this type of learning experience; it will resonate a lifetime.
Interested to learn more?
On Wednesday, March 18th at 12;30, I will see students unveil their designs and talk about the inspiration, process, and lessons learned at a launch event for the new merchandise, “Canary 100: The Cottage Collection.”
Visit their Instagram or Facebook account for a sneak peek of the new collection.
Read more about Dr. Brown in this earlier post.
Read the entire press release here.
Partnering with on a project that celebrates a woman with vision and assisting modern day students taps into all of the reasons I love my industry. Visionaries see more than a promotional product, instead carefully selected products become a vessel for your narrative, helping market the brand behind the story. In this case, Dr. Brown.
Comments