S. Maxwell Brown: Grade 7

The seventh-grade class of Buckley Country Day School is artistic in many ways. Mrs. Jennifer Demopoulos, the art and dance teacher, is teaching the seventh-grade about self-portraits. She is, however, teaching the students a different way of interpreting self-portraits. Mrs. Demopoulos specifically instructed the students to include certain things they like or things that have deeper meaning behind them. Many students internalized her idea of creating self-portraits and made it their own.

For example, Jackie Fiechter chose items meaningful to her life. The sunglasses represent all of her family who lives in California. She has them to remind her of the precious family she has.

One of Olivia Hanna’s objects was a cupcake. She said that the actual cake symbolizes her friends, and the prickly wrapper resembles all of the hardships in her life. The frosting of the cupcake is the sweetness in her life.

Another seventh-grade project that is underway is a mural creation to put on the wall of their new lounge in the Upper School. The class has put together drawings and words to represent both the school and their own identities. Once the students have completed the finishing touches, the extraordinary masterpiece will be featured on the bulletin board of the seventh-grade lounge. Until then, the seventh grade will continue with their artistic ways and styles.