LPS elementary students produce noteworthy pieces of art

April 17, 2025

Roper Elementary School fourth grader Kuei transported people to a peaceful paradise this spring with her noteworthy artistic abilities.
 
Kuei joined dozens of Lincoln Public Schools students and families at the 2025 LPS Elementary Art Show. They toured the Steve Joel District Leadership Center and the Hawthorne Building to view colorful paintings, drawings, photographs and mixed media that showed everything from open-eyed owls to friends walking in a city.
 
Kuei drew a picturesque nature landscape of a lake at sunset. Three birds were silhouetted in the glowing red and yellow sky, and they were flying over a patch of water that included different shades of blue.
 
What did Kuei feel she learned from creating her scenic view?
 
“Your hard work will pay off,” Kuei said.
 
Prescott Elementary School fifth grader Ellis based his artwork on an anime called “Jujitzu Kaisen” that he had seen. He drew a hand reaching toward a purple ball while two other balls were swirling around a person’s wrist. He said the smaller objects symbolized the positive and negative energy of the day mixed together, and the purple part represented the potential for everyone to create good outcomes.
 
“When I heard that it was going to be hung up, I got a jolt of pride,” Ellis said. “I really like knowing that people can see my art and really appreciate my art. I think it’s really, really nice.”
 
Prescott art teacher Amber Reining felt Ellis’ artistic choices of scale, drawing techniques and material selection made his piece a show-worthy selection. She said it is fulfilling to help hundreds of elementary students learn how art can impact their lives.
 
“It is such a gift to be able to work with students at the elementary level for multiple years in the art room before they leave,” Reining said. “You really get a chance to know them deeply and get to watch them grow as a person and an artist. There is nothing like watching them get excited about their own ideas in the art room to start making those artistic choices for themselves.”
 
Morley Elementary School kindergarten student Ezekiel learned about that artistic freedom when he made his version of the popular video game character Sonic the Hedgehog. He gathered blue, red, white and yellow construction paper and used scissors to form the head, body, hands and legs. He put a googly eye on the head and made sure to fashion a haircut true to Sonic’s character.
 
“I cut his hair so it could look spiky because he’s a hedgehog,” Ezekiel said.
 
The same animal also became the main character in a mixed media artwork by Wysong Elementary School fourth grader Cal. He combined sharpies, paint and colored pencils to form a piece that showed a round hedgehog standing near a single tree. He turned sharpie marks into bushes, added several rocks on the ground and made a purple sky with traces of blue.
 
Cal said the project helped him understand how artists are inspired to create paintings, sculptures, drawings and quilts. He felt it was important to have a personal investment in what the final product would look like.
 
“What I learned is like, always kind of express yourself in art,” Cal said. “Not just think about what you’re going to do and then just draw it, but kind of express yourself.”
 
Students of all ages shared the same type of pride that Kuei, Ellis, Ezekiel and Cal displayed at their art show appearances. Parents and guardians took many photos throughout the event, and children combed the walls to find where their creations were located. They also posed with special certificates that honored them for being chosen for the event.
 
Ellis stood by his drawing throughout the show and greeted people as they walked by. He said it was fun to explain to them how he made his image and why he is passionate about the art world. He received new markers as a Christmas present and has been working on different types of art projects.
 
“I really just like to show that any type of art can be appreciated,” Ellis said.

LPS Visual Art Curriculum Specialist Lorinda Rice said some of the elementary artwork is being displayed at both the district office and Hawthorne Building all year, and others are being prepared for delivery to different local businesses. They will be on display until February 2026.
 
Kuei summed up the feelings of all of the elementary students as she looked at her sunset drawing. When asked how it felt to have something on display for other people to enjoy, she responded with a bright smile and one word.
 
“Great.”
 
Visit home.lps.org/art to learn more about how art classes help LPS students every day.
 
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