Reaching Heights’s Exceptional Arts Exhibition opens May 22
Exceptional students from Cleveland Heights-University Heights public schools will showcase their creativity and artistic ability at the Exceptional Arts Exhibition, May 22–31, at the Lee Road Library.
The artists and their art teachers will co-host the opening reception on Thursday, May 22, 4–7:30 pm. There will be refreshments, and a musical performance by Heights High’s Lady Barbershoppers. The opening is free and open to the public.
This very special art exhibit features artwork created by students with disabilities and learning differences, curated by district art teachers. Student artists will have the opportunity to represent their schools, sell their art and come together as honored guests at the opening reception.
The event is a collaboration of the CH-UH City School District, Heights Libraries, Family Connections, Heights Arts, the Cedar Lee merchants, and Reaching Heights.
Sponsored by the Exceptional Children’s Advocacy Group (ECAG), a parent-led initiative of Reaching Heights, this art exhibition provides an opportunity for the community to show support for families of children with special needs.
“As a parent of an exceptional child, I know how meaningful it is to support the 18 percent of our district’s student population who are identified with special needs,” said Lisa Hunt, program manager. “We need to change the negative narrative and stigma often surrounding learning differences and disabilities.”
Reaching Heights is a citizen voice for public education and a resource for CH-UH public school students and educators. Since 1989, Reaching Heights, an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has worked to engage the community to support excellence in public education. Reaching Heights staff and board members work on three areas of focus: academic support, music support and community engagement.
ECAG works to increase understanding of, and support for, issues surrounding special education by empowering, supporting and providing educational opportunities to parents and caregivers in the CH-UH district. To learn more about Reaching Heights, and to volunteer or donate, visit www.reachingheights.org.
Heights Observer Editor
Lisa M. Hunt, is the newly appointed Assistant Executive Director at Reaching Heights. She is a graduate of Cleveland State University with a Master's in Nonprofit Administration and Leadership. She is a proud mother of two CH-UH students, Brycen and Jordan and considers herself a staunch advocate for the arts.