Molly Foster

Molly Foster

Molly Foster, an art teacher at Hollymead Elementary School in Charlottesville, Virginia, empowers students each year to put their artistic creativity towards a great cause by hosting an art fair to raise awareness and fundraise for endangered animals.

As the art teacher at an arts integration-based elementary school (preK-5), I came up with the idea to put an art show together that would showcase all of our students' work in art and other content areas. Now in its fifth year, the art show raises funds for WWF by selling our artworks of endangered animals.

Earth Day seemed a perfect time to integrate the arts with learning about our planet, the animals that live among us, and how human behavior is affecting the Earth. Local artists, environmentalists, and musicians join us in this day of art and support of endangered animals everywhere. A local animal sanctuary even brings in a few animals to visit with our students.

The students work for months on their art. They include the name of the animal and some students include the population of those animals left in the wild, which impacts viewers in a strong way. Students also make posters that share ways to help the planet. They feel empowered because they are raising money for endangered animals through their art and learning new ways they can help the Earth.