This past Saturday, the Boca Raton Museum Art School welcomed our students for an inspirational day of creativity. Lynn Stender lead the group, joined by volunteers Laura McCutcheon and Deanna Wheeler, along with BFFs Caren Sollod, Mandy Bennett, Amy Wilkinson and Karen Spagnardi with co-founder Donna Biase, BFF students came together for our special art project, but we really have one person to thank, Victoria.

One of our very own students, Victoria, came to us with the idea for the event. A bright girl with a love and appreciation for art, she thought it would be a great idea to join other students with the same passion. She envisioned a day where BFF students could come together, paint, sketch, and ultimately, create a display to show their work with the world; a day devoted to fostering creativity, building self-esteem, and encouraging one another. We loved the idea, and couldn’t think of a better way to spend our Saturday!

Considering BFF provides foster care youth with the means to achieve academic success, the correlation between art and education is definitely not lost on us. A recent report by Americans for the Arts states that students involved in the arts demonstrate greater academic success and lower dropout rates. In fact, these students are “4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement.”

This Saturday, we looked on as our students painted colorful creations and sketched illustrations with charcoal, pastels, and pencils. While each student selected a different medium, the end results were equally wonderful –– big smiles and an unparalleled feeling of pride and self-expression.

Whether it’s purely an outlet for their creativity, fuel for academic achievement, or a little bit of both, creating art makes our students happy. And, that alone is something to smile about!