Baldwin School of Puerto Rico’s Elementary and Middle/Upper School Art students are honored to represent Puerto Rico in the 2016 America Celebrates: Ornaments from Across the USA Display.
Ornaments handcrafted by students from The Baldwin School of Puerto Rico will dazzle President’s Park (White House) in Washington, D.C. as part of the 94th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting display. The group, composed of 22 students between 2nd and 12th grade, designed 12 ornaments using papier-mâché, cardboard, newspapers, beads, glitter, masking tape, wire, acrylic paint, and other recyclable materials to showcase their island culture, geography, and heritage. The hand crafted ornaments will adorn one of 56 trees representing each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia from December 1, 2016 through January 1, 2017 as part of the America Celebrates display.
“We feel honored to represent Baldwin School and Puerto Rico in this longstanding Holiday tradition at our nation’s capital,” said Art Department Subject Area Leader, Sofía Vizcarrondo and Elementary Art Teacher, Socorrito Díaz. Depicted are our national flag, Taíno Indian petroglyphs, the Maga flower, Old San Juan traditional houses, a “Vejigante” mask, our “coquí”, the Three Kings, a rustic cottage in the mountain region of Utuado, a beach-side cottage in the Parguera region of Lajas, an iconic fishing boat in the Crash Boat region of Aguadilla, a Spanish fort sentry box (“Garita”) and the famous bronze statue of “La Rogativa”, both in Old San Juan.
Presented by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation, the National Christmas Tree Lighting is one of America’s oldest holiday traditions. The first National Christmas Tree lighting took place 94 years ago on Christmas Eve in 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit a Christmas tree in front of 3,000 spectators on the Ellipse. Since 1923, each succeeding president has carried on the tradition.
The Elementary School students depicted our national flag with coquís (tiny frog), Taíno Indian petroglyphs, the Maga flower, Old San Juan traditional houses, a “Vejigante” mask, and a Spanish fort sentry box (“Garita”).
Our Middle & Upper School Art Club students depicted our “Coquí”, the Three Kings, a rustic cottage in the mountainous region of Utuado, a beach-side cottage in the Parguera region of Lajas, an iconic fishing boat representing the Crash Boat region of Aguadilla, and finally a sentry box (“garita”) and the famous bronze statue of “La Rogativa”, both in Old San Juan.
We would like to thank our students for their creativity and dedication in crafting such beautiful works of art. The Ortíz Echevarría Family, Fiol Collazo Family, and the Puig Family for your help and support in the process. Finally, to our amazing Art Department Faculty - MUS: Sofía Vizcarrondo (Subject Area Leader), Sofía Moraskie, and Mace Ferrer; and Socorrito Díaz and Maripili Fernández in the Elementary School, THANK YOU for accepting this challenge despite the unexpected notice and short deadline. This would not have been possible without your guidance and support!!
Elementary School Participants:
- Andrea Betances (2nd)
- Alejandro Monserrate (2nd)
- Sophia Mojena (3rd)
- Karla Ortíz (3rd)
- Angela Muntaner (3rd)
- Estefanía Puig (3rd)
- Ana Victoria Ortíz (3rd)
- Estella Rivera (3rd)
- Amaia Fiol Collazo (3rd)
- Laura Ortíz (5th)
Middle / Upper School Participants:
- Isabella Kury (6th)
- Victoria Spikes (6th)
- Mariana Reyes (6th)
- Laura Pichardo (6th)
- Andrea Jara (6th)
- Karina Acevedo (6th)
- Benjamin Zabala (7th)
- Sofía Teixeira Cox (10th)
- Rebecca Constancia (10th)
- Rebecca Cabanillas (12th)
- María Gabriela Blanco (12th)