Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/510699
20 During the lower school years, students study works of well-known self-portrait artists like Frida Kahlo and Rembrandt. From color to construction to contour, students begin connecting themselves to art. This Page: Kiyan Alsikafi '26, like all the first graders, created his self-portrait with construction paper. The project was inspired by The Colors of Us by Karen Katz, which tells the story of a 7-year-old-girl who experiences the diversity of skin colors on a walk, and then paints pictures of every person she saw. The first graders thought of words to describe their own skin color, which they attached to the portraits. Next Page: When he was in first grade in 2005, Getty Hill '17 didn't let the borders of the paper hem him in. Jade Esmurria, a current JK student, used tempera paint to make her self-portrait. As our students begin their educational journey at Latin, not only do they learn math, science, reading and the other academic subjects that make up the core of a liberal arts education, but our teachers also challenge and support them as they learn about themselves. In the lower school, this means conversations with students about who they are, their families, their neighborhoods, their ancestors and history. In the middle school, students are encouraged to explore their interests and discover their strengths through a diversity of clubs, activities and sports. As upper schoolers, they continue to shape their identities through course selection, service opportunities and Project Week experiences. At every stage, an essential component of the visual arts curriculum is the self-portrait. In effect, Latin students are always in the process of creating "selfies." Without the use of iPads or social media, they are creating images that reflect a growing and evolving understanding of themselves. In the following pages, we share how our young artists see themselves over the years, not only as their artistic skills grow, but also as they develop a more sophisticated view of the world and their place in it. 20