LatinaLista — Today’s economy is making everyone tighten their financial belts — families, businesses, the government and schools!
The hope is always that schools can be spared from any kind of budget cutbacks since it’s the children who directly suffer but that’s just not reality these days. Whether it’s cutting the number of teachers, textbooks or supplies, cutbacks are a reality in our public school systems.
Students either accept the cutbacks or do something about it.
Florida native and seventh grader, Taylor “Tae Tae” Davis, decided to do something about it last year when her school’s budget cuts meant cutting money for art supplies in her arts program.
Tae Tae was able to secure donations from companies to buy art supplies and it gave her the idea to create the non-profit The Traveling Canvas.
The Traveling Canvas is a non-profit that secures art supplies for students in underfunded schools; provides supplies and art education to underprivileged children in homeless shelters and orphanages and provides young artists with opportunities to sell their artwork as a way to save for college.
Only several months old, The Traveling Canvas has already garnered a lot of press and even recognition from Congress. Yet, Tae Tae has some definite goals for the first year of the program which include taking The Traveling Canvas on the road to an orphanage abroad to spend a week painting with children who have no access to art supplies.
So far, judging from the press, Tae Tae and her non-profit are not only boosting the self-esteem of children living in unfortunate situations but both are inspiring adults and children alike.
There are three levels of donors for The Traveling Canvas: supply donations, individual giving program and business sponsorships.
“In the future, I believe that creative minds will be valued more than they are today. I believe that grown-ups will realize the importance of feeding our minds with art and creativity and put an end to taking this away little by little every year. Creativity should be promoted more in our school. It will inspire kids like me to be better prepared to be a problem solver, inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and future mentors to the next generation. Through my art and imaginary skills, it has given me the ability to strive to achieve great things in my life. I want to share that with every child on this planet! I love what Albert Einstein said “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge”
— Tae Tae Davis
