Mosaic art show wraps up Black History Month in Prescott (2024)

PRESCOTT – Local students paid tribute to five Black trailblazers throughout history, using their impeccable art skills to create a series of portrait mosaics.

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As part of Black History Month, students in Grades 4 and 5 at Wellington Elementary School school put their building skills on display by creating brick mosaics, using more than 30,000 Lego pieces to replicate iconic photographs of historical figures.

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The student created the 3D Lego portrait gallery with mosaics of Harriet Tubman, Katherine Johnson, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.

OnMar. 7, the entire school was invited to see their finished portraits, with the builders serving as gallery employees – answering any questions, and discussing the history behind the portraits.

“Experience has taught me that hands-on fun activities are a sure way of getting my students engaged and excited about learning,” said teacher Lorianne De Spiegelaere.

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“As we progressed through February, exposing my students to a project of this magnitude was an exciting way to spread awareness and learn more about Black history.”

Along with daily designated time to work on the project, students also gave up their own time to continue building so they’d finish on time.

“We had kids asking to stay in during recess,” De Spiegelaere said.

“They even worked through their lunch to get a few more building minutes in.”

The students held a canteen fundraiser to be able to build and host the art show, offsetting the cost of the bricks, baseplates, and easels.

“It got stressful sometimes when you don’t have all the pieces,” said Grade 5 student Ben Peters.“But to see the final outcome makes me really happy.”

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“We’ve been working really hard but after we see the finished project I just keep going because it just looks so cool in the end,” added Abbe Chase.

Upper Canada District School Board Trustee Lisa Swan, Prescott Mayor Gauri Shankar, and Augusta Township Mayor Jeff Shaver also attended the show.

“I think it’s wonderful how engaged the kids were. They told me how they raised funds to get the bricks and how they didn’t know a lot about the subject matter. I learned things about these historical figures that I never knew before,” said Swan.

“It’s great to teach our kids different cultures and different movements. We have a multicultural class and it’s good for them to learn that,” Shankar added.

The project was part of the school board’s celebration of the achievements of Black Canadians all February long. Officials with the board said they focused on lessons, activities, and field trips that “emphasize ongoing learning about the Black community.”

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The goal, they said, was for all staff and students to participate in classroom activities that celebrate the history, culture, perspectives and lived experiences of Black Canadians.

“The Upper Canada District School Board is committed to ensuring that our students and staff are educated about the valuable contributions of all members of our society and have the knowledge and skills to identify and address prejudice, discrimination and racism,” Dan McRae, the board’s principal of equity and inclusion, said in a statement at the onset of Black History Month.

“We do this all year round, but in February schools put a focus on Black history and voices. It’s exciting to see our schools really embrace Black History Month and infuse everyday lessons with rich cultural and historical content.”

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