This year students in Rana Nestrud’s Elk River High School Drawing 2 and 3 class drew portraits of children living in an orphanage in Madagascar.
The portraits are part of The Memory Project, a program started by Ben Schumacher, of Wisconsin.
The Memory Project is a nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create portraits for youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents and extreme poverty. It is a way of showing concern through artwork.
The portraits will be delivered to the children at the end of January.
“It’s important for students to give back to the community, whether it’s local or global,” Nestrud said. “It doesn’t have to require money — we can give back through our time and actions. My students used their skills in shading to complete the portraits. I am really proud of their work and commitment to the project.”