Student Artists Create Portraits for Children in Cambodia

Madison High School arts students this fall worked to create portraits of 20 children who live in Cambodia.

The portraits are meant to give children with few personal keepsakes a special memory of their youth, to honor their heritage and identity, and to help them build a positive self-image.

The portraits were created as part of the Memory Project, an initiative that has students create original portraits for children around the world who have been orphaned, neglected or disadvantaged.

The project gives American students a chance to open their hearts to children who have endured hardships, and promotes sharing kindness, a news release about the program says.

Madison students participated in as part of a class, Advanced Art Studio/Art Major, taught by Heather Sokolowski.

Students receive photos of children who are waiting for portraits, and then work in the classroom to create the portraits, which the Memory Project delivers.

The project is a program of the nonprofit My Class Cares in Madison, Wis. More than 30,000 portraits have been produced for the project since it started 2004.

Madison High School's participation was funded through a grant by the Madison Music Association. 

“We are excited to be supporting this program in the visual arts," MMA President Helen Raymaker said. "Ms. Heather Sokolowski has brought us a project that is both global and individual. In addition, the chance to see the impact your art will make on a specific person is very powerful."