HCF Board Members Lance Ryskamp and Robert Plantz recently presented a grant check to South Shore Arts’ Director of Administration and Education, Micah Bornstein, at The Center of Performing Arts. The presentation concluded a very successful partnership with South Shore Arts to fund a literacy-based book-to-project workshop for all second-grade classes of the School Town of Highland, Our Lady of Grace School and Highland Christian School.

(L-R) HCF President Lance Ryskamp, South Shore Arts’ Micah Bornstein & HCF Board Member Robert Plantz.

The project was based on the story The Skin You Live In, written by Chicago-based author Michael Tyler, illustrated by Hammond native David Lee Csicsko, and published by the Chicago Children’s Museum. The book uses rhyme and colorful illustrations “to celebrate the ways in which we are unique and similar”. Under the project, South Shore Arts provided copies of the book to the participating classes in advance, and then followed-up with an instructor, who furnished all of the necessary supplies to lead students in creating their own unique self-portrait inspired by the book.

“It was a pleasure working with South Shore Arts on this project,” HCF President Lance Ryskamp said, “HCF was very pleased to be able to bring this wonderful project highlighting diversity and inclusion to all of Highland’s second grade classes.”

Second grade students from Southridge Elementary work on their artwork

Students proudly display their completed self-portraits