Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Athena Club promotes art in Belle Plaine
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
BELLE PLAINE — The Athena Club of Belle Plaine has been supporting the ART program at the elementary school for the past 28 years.
Athena has provided grant money with which students visit art museums. Each fall, fourth graders go to the Des Moines Art Center, fifth graders to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and sixth graders to the U of I Stanley Art Museum.
Athena members have also volunteered in fourth grade art classrooms to provide art history programs they’ve developed, lead by Sue Riherd and Duronda Schlue.
An art teacher for the past 25 years, Gina Miller said the grant money, support, field trips and art history slide presentations each year have been an integral part of the successful art department in Belle Plaine schools.
“The passion of the ladies of Athena have truly changed the lives and educational opportunities of all students in the past 28 years,” said Miller, “and I am humbled to be part of that. I cannot express enough gratitude for all that they have done to support art in the community."
