Portraits created as a part of the Memory Project by WHRHS Art in Action Students included those by (clockwise from top left), Savannah Murphy, Nora Rooney, Eryka Ingram and Connor Wozniak. (Photos Courtesy Whitman-Hanson Regional School District) 
Some of the children in Afghanistan hold up the portraits they received as part of the Memory Project. (Photo courtesy Whitman-Hanson Regional School District/The Memory Project)
WHITMAN — Superintendent Jeffrey Szymaniak and Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Art Instructor Christina Maher are pleased to share that 11 WHRHS Art in Action students participated in the recently-completed international Memory Project.
The Memory Project is an international effort with the goal of creating keepsakes for children living in desperate situations, many of whom left home with limited personal belongings.
As a part of the project, students created portraits of children living in a refugee camp in Afghanistan. In total, over 1,000 portraits were created by U.S. art students for the children and teenagers, who then received the portraits to keep.
Additionally, the project was part of a multi-school effort that aimed to raise money to support the aid organizations helping these children.
The portraits were delivered earlier this month.The project began over a year ago but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With insurmountable odds and in spite of both COVID-19 and political unrest, the extreme effort from everyone involved in the project finally paid off and we were able to complete it,” said Maher. “I would like to commend all those who participated in this project, including U.S. art students, teachers and Memory Project staff for their generous acts of kindness.”
To view a complete gallery of the portraits created by WHRHS Art in Action students, click here.
To view a video of the students in Afghanistan receiving their portraits, click here, and to view a video specifically thanking Whitman-Hanson Regional High School Art in Action students, click here.
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