Children paint with the wheels of wheelchairs and the paws and tail of a service dog.
Crayola believes there is a place where houses float and cars fly, where you can climb a ladder to the clouds and send an octopus to the moon. Mikayla’s Voice inspires children to embrace and include individuals of all abilities. Like our ladybug logo, we all have a yellow spot ~ something that makes us unique ~ and we celebrate these differences! In this one-of-a-kind program developed by Mikayla’s Voice and funded by a Crayola grant, children paint not with brushes, but with the wheels of a wheelchair and the paws and tail of a service dog.
Their paintings are a beautiful reminder that it is always possible to find a way to include everyone.
Two 5’ x 6’ acrylic paintings with tissue paper decoupage were created by:
Mikayla and two sixth-grade art classes at Nazareth Area Middle School, Nazareth, PA
Sara and her fifth-grade class at Southern Lehigh Intermediate School, Bethlehem, PA
Jack (and Machi! his service dog) and his third-grade class at The Swain School, Allentown, PA
All six paintings ~ and over 60 photos of the work in progress ~ are on display and will remain until January 21, 2013 at The Crayola Experience. Anyone visiting Crayola to see the exhibit in celebration of these children, their art, and their message will receive $1.50 discount off the regular price of admission.
About Mikayla’s Voice
Mikayla’s Voice (www.mikaylasvoice.org) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to:
Inspire children and young adults to embrace individuals of all abilities.
Empower them to create cultural change by teaching others to include everyone.
Educate our community about the meaning and importance of inclusion.
Through increased inclusive practices in our schools and communities, this generation of children has been blessed with greater appreciation for and friendships with children with disabilities. It is important to help them share the benefits of inclusion so this trend may continue to grow. That is our goal at Mikayla’s Voice.
