USC art students create portraits for Jordanian orphans
Kate Shaughnessy (left) and Chloe Perkins work on their portraits
Laura Lapham in the process of creating her portrait
A collage of portraits painted by the students
The average teenager has had their life captured in images, from baby pictures to school pictures to frequent selfies. It’s hard to imagine being a child and not having a single photo from your childhood.
The Upper St. Clair High School art department recently partnered with the Memory Project to create and donate portraits of children and teens living in an orphanage in Jordan. From digital images provided by organization volunteers, students spent months perfecting their drawings and paintings.
“Receiving personalized gifts made in their own image was a totally new experience for them, and all the more meaningful considering their current circumstances,” said Ryan Egan, communications director for the Memory Project.
The Memory Project is a charitable nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create and donate portraits to youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents, violence and extreme poverty.
To show how truly grateful the children were to receive the portraits, officials from the Memory Project captured video of the delivery to send to the participating schools.
“The Memory Project video is a great illustration on how our students are able to impact others around the world,” Principal Louis Angelo said. “The video is incredibly moving. I am so proud of our students and our art teachers for participating in the Memory Project and making a difference.”
In addition to the portraits, Upper St. Clair High School students contributed nearly $7,000 to the project.
“We were able to purchase $5,187 in art supplies for various community centers serving the children in the refugee camp, and we were also able to donate $1,600 to the orphanages,” Egan said. “That is a terrific amount of support for all of us to provide together, along with these very special portraits.”
The project was spearheaded by Upper St. Clair High School art teachers Erika Valentine and Robyn Smigel and members of the USCHS Art Club: Kiana Izadbakhsh, Chloe Perkins, Emily Besselman, Laura Lapham, Sarah Lopez, Kate Shaughnessy, Parachi Masown, Kyrie Graham, Lauren Teresi, Karlie Daschbach, Evelyn Glassbrenner and Isabela Couch.