Pupils’ creation inspires permanent piece of art
Wall hanging unveiled during Dec. 7 ceremony
BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer

JEFF GRANIT staff Marlboro Early Learning Center Principal Kathryn Arabia gives Lisa Naboulsi, who was the school’s PTO president last year, a hug as a special mosaic creation is formally presented to the school.

Parents and grandparents of pupils at the Marlboro Early Learning Center have provided the school with a tangible memory of the youngsters’ work with fish.

The PTO’s annual beautification project was dedicated to the preschool class of 2005-06 at a ceremony held Dec. 7.

The small glass mosaic wall hanging is about 5 feet wide by 3 feet tall and is titled “Peeking Into Our Fish Tank.” The piece of art will be permanently displayed in the preschool entrance to MELC, Tennent and Harbor roads, Marlboro.

During the dedication ceremony, MELC Principal Kathryn Arabia said the PTO’s annual parent legacy project provides a bridge between home and school. She said the mosaic artwork the parents and grandparents designed for this year’s project recognizes the power of the arts.

The inspiration for the project stemmed from the introduction of a 15-gallon fish tank in June Carman’s and Janet Klein’s preschool classes last year. The fish tank included decorative coral reefs, sea plants and colorful, tropical, freshwater fish.

JEFF GRANIT staff The glass mosaic “Peeking Into Our Fish Tank” hangs in the hallway at the Marlboro Early Learning Center.

Carman and Klein said what they thought would be a soothing decorative feature in the classroom turned into an in-depth project-based unit on fish. Subjects including music, literature, writing, art, math, science and geography were all incorporated into the pupils’ study of fish.

Arabia explained that the teachers thought the fish tank would promote social conversation and thinking among the children. However, the youngsters’ interest in the fish tank prompted a further look into the ocean’s environment, she added.

After learning more on the subject, the pupils wanted to preserve their knowledge through art, the principal said. This was done through a collage replicating the fish tank.

Carman and Klein said the children worked hard to make the fish tank come alive on a bulletin board outside their classroom.

Arabia agreed and said the pupils replicated the textures and shapes of the objects in the fish tank, such as using scrunched pieces of tissue paper to represent the rocks on the bottom of the tank.

Carman and Klein added that the pupils re-created the sea plants by cutting green wallpaper samples into small squares and tearing red construction paper by hand. A large brown coral reef was made by gluing cereal into patterns on paper strips. The fish were created by tracing and cutting shapes and gluing them onto precut fish, the teachers added.

“The children were very proud of their creation and having the PTO replicate their art work is truly a gift to the children and honors their work,” the teachers said.

Claud Kissin, a grandparent of a former MELC pupil, assisted the PTO in designing the mosaic project.

“I believe art is really important to the children,” he said.

According to Kissin, the mosaic project took about six months to complete. He said it started with meetings to discuss how to go from the children’s bulletin board project to the mosaic piece. Other steps in completing the design included choosing the color tiles, studying the art of mosaic and creating the project itself.

“As we went along our proficiency got better. It looks easy but it’s not,” Kissin said.

Lisa Naboulsi, who was last year’s PTO president, said making the project involved a wonderful group effort with the pupils, teachers, parents and grandparents.

Arabia agreed with Naboulsi’s sentiments and said, “It was a contribution of the whole community.”

Susan Foti, an art teacher at MELC, assisted the parents and grandparents in making the mosaic project.

“We did a good job, as well as any professionals. It’s like doing a big giant jigsaw puzzle,” Foti said. “It was pure pleasure making art with this group of parents and grandparents.”

Naboulsi agreed and said, “It was really such an enjoyable project, especially since we took the children’s artwork and brought it to life. It’s a small piece of art but it’s amazing how much work went into it.”