Arts Awards at the St. Helena Boys and Girls Club

Kari Martin, in the Art Room at St. Helena Boys and Girls Club, with December's art show.

I’m looking forward to working with Kari Martin, program director and art director for the Boys and Girls Club in St. Helena, and the children in her program, on Hearts Across the Valley in St. Helena. And I was honored when she asked me to help with the judging for the club arts awards this year (I did a couple of years ago, too). We looked at the artwork in each category, talked about the criteria, and I made decisions carefully and thoughtfully.

Children look at the show, and check to see what awards they've won.

Then I returned the following Monday, to see the show, and to watch the children come see it, too.

Children look at the artwork and awards, at St. Helena Boys and Girls Club, in December.

The children’s drawings, paintings, and collages will go on to regional and national competition, so the judge’s choices can have wider ramifications than purely local recognition. I loved seeing the children’s curiosity as they looked at each piece of art, and their happiness and excitement about the awards.

A girl points to her artwork, and her award, with her family, as her mother takes a picture of it.

A number of children made sure all their friends and family saw their award-winning pieces. Their pride and joy was priceless.

A boy points proudly to his very creative award-winning bird sculpture for a photo, as his father looks on.

Kari has put together an amazing program here. Last year she was recognized with a first place award from the national Boys and Girls Club organization for the best art program in the nation! Her creativity, commitment, and caring for the children is evident in everything she does.

Kari and some of the children cluster around artwork displays, at St. Helena Boys and Girls Club.

I'll be coming back soon and working with Kari and the children on Hearts Across the Valley. I'll be working with St. Helena Elementary School too, right next door. This is going to be a fun project!