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Artist Statement

Esquela Vieau has been such a positive experience for me and I feel that I have gotten a positive response from the kids and faculty as well. In high school I worked at a similar school on 35th street in a primarily Latino neighborhood. This was also a very positive experience. Yet there seems to be something different about this school. The extent of after-school activities and the dedication of all the faculty and volunteers is to another extent here. There is something very inspiring about a group of people who do not get paid very well yet are extremely content with giving back to the community in order to reinforce a positive atmosphere for the children and community overall. I admire them greatly.

In putting together this essay I wanted to show some of the joy that I brought to the kids and the even greater joy that they brought me. My favorite picture is of the children cheerfully doing their homework as a shaft of sunlight drapes over one of the smiling girls. This shot really summed up the warmth and joy that I felt at Esquela Vieau. I also wanted to show a sense of communal effort and sharing of one's time and knowledge. This is something that I learned about this wonderful community. All the faculty, volunteers, and even parents are part of a dedicated network of people who have invested their time and energy (which can be trying at times) to an often times thankless effort. I wanted to show how this effort had rubbed off on the children who can be seen helping one another out. There was also a large group of older kids (3rd and 4th graders) who stayed after school to help out the younger pre-preschoolers make their Easter baskets. They were not asked to do this, but they knew that the teachers needed help. They were obliged to help out some of their fellow members of the community. These are the kinds of good deeds and dedication that makes this community a vital force in Milwaukee.