Student creativity shines at Oak Point Art Show

On a recent evening in May, the Oak Point Elementary hallways were filled with colorful crayons, donuts, butterflies, portraits, cityscapes, flowers and more as the school hosted its annual art show. For nearly 10 years, including a couple of virtual shows, Oak Point has gathered together to celebrate students’ visual artworks, from sculpture to collage to drawings to paintings and yarnwork. This year’s show was just as vibrant as it had ever been. 

Art teacher Jules Belmont waited in the hall to greet students and their families with a smile as they arrived. Belmont had been organizing the show for a few years and was excited for students to display their favorite pieces of art that they’d personally selected from the school year’s worth of work. “It gives students an opportunity to shine in ways that are personal and independent,” she said of the show. 

One after another, Eagles and their families entered Oak Point, with students either leading families directly to their work or rushing off to complete a scavenger hunt created to help them explore the show. Handmade art filled nearly every inch of the hallway, and in each atrium was an activity for students that focused on safe, kind and responsible behavior. As much as the students were eager to show off their art, they were just as excited for the prize at the end of the scavenger hunt. “Gonna get a cookie!” kindergartner Archie Amevo exclaimed before determinedly heading off to complete the next scavenger hunt item. The cookies were very popular that evening.

A visit from incoming Oak Point principal Theresa Marty contributed to the Art Show’s excitement. As associate principal Oscar Andrade Lara walked her around, Marty introduced herself to students, families and staff members. She briefly met Archie, but his drive to win a cookie was a little too strong for him to stay around long.

Down the hall, other students were proudly showing their work to their families. Fourth grader Liviyah Crawford was excited to show her parents the bright butterfly she’d crafted from colorful pieces of paper. Fifth grader Mihika Vaghela posed for a photo with Belmont in front of her art, a large piece of paper decorated with a multicolored brick pattern overlaid with her name in purple bubble letters. She and her longtime art teacher were both excited and a little sad for Mihika to be moving on to CMS next year. It would be a big adventure, but it was hard to see her leave Oak Point.

For other students, Oak Point would remain their home for several more years. Second grader Kriyansh Singaholi showed off his purple, blue, orange and green sunflower to his family. His biggest challenge at that time? Picking the one piece of art from the year to include in the show. “Because they were all good,” he said matter-of-factly as his family laughed.