It is with great joy and pride that I share some wonderful news from our art class. One of my students, Albert Huan, has been selected as a winner in the 2026 KidWind Energy Art Challenge, a national-level competition that celebrates creativity and awareness around renewable energy.

Albert’s artwork stood out for its exceptional creativity, strong artistic expression, and thoughtful understanding of solar energy. Through his work, he was able to visually communicate not only the beauty of renewable energy, but also its importance for our future. His use of color, composition, and imaginative storytelling made his piece truly memorable.

As part of this recognition, Albert will receive an official award plaque, and his artwork will be proudly displayed at the World KidWind Challenge in Madison, Wisconsin, from May 17th to May 20th. In addition, his work will be featured on the official KidWind Energy Art Challenge website, allowing a wider audience to appreciate his creativity.

What makes this achievement even more meaningful is the process behind it. In our class, we focus not only on developing technical skills, but also on encouraging students to think deeply about themes and express their own ideas through art. Albert embraced this challenge fully. He explored the concept of solar energy with curiosity and sincerity, and translated his understanding into a compelling visual story.

Moments like this remind me why art education matters. When students are given the space to explore, think, and create, they can produce work that goes beyond expectations. Albert’s success is not just about winning an award—it is about growth, confidence, and the courage to express meaningful ideas.
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I am incredibly proud of Albert and grateful to be part of his artistic journey. I look forward to seeing how he continues to grow and inspire others through his work.
Congratulations again, Albert. This is only the beginning.

School Nova Art 1A, 1B, 1C

– My E-Cards Project

​This semester in School Nova Art, our students worked on a special interdisciplinary project called “My E-Cards Project.”

This was not just a drawing activity. It was an exploration of how art and science can meet on a single sheet of paper.
Students designed their own illustrated cards and embedded real LED lights inside them using simple paper circuits. What began as pencil lines on paper eventually became pathways for electricity — and finally, light.

Drawing the Invisible

We began with a simple question:

Where does electricity travel?

Can we draw an invisible path?

Students learned the basic structure of a closed circuit — positive and negative sides, continuous pathways, and the importance of connection. Using copper tape, coin batteries, and LEDs, they constructed working circuits directly on paper.
At first, the lines looked ordinary.

Then suddenly — the light turned on.
That moment of discovery filled the classroom with excitement. A quiet sketch had transformed into something alive.

When Art Meets Engineering

The project unfolded in three stages:

1. Understanding the CircuitStudents explored how electricity flows and why a path must remain unbroken. If the circuit were incomplete, the light would not turn on. Through trial and error, they began to understand cause and effect.

2. Designing the Artwork
Each student created a personal design that incorporated light intentionally.
Some made glowing moons in night skies.

Others created illuminated windows, stars, or abstract compositions.
The LED was not decoration. It became a central element of the artwork.

3. Building and Problem-SolvingStudents carefully applied copper tape, placed LEDs in the correct direction, and engineered foldable card structures without breaking the circuit.

Not every attempt worked immediately.
When the light failed to turn on, students adjusted connections, reversed components, and tried again.
This process of testing and refining was an essential part of the learning experience.

Why This Project Matters

In art education, I want students to move beyond surface decoration. I want them to experience the power of making something that truly works.
When a student presses the card, and the light turns on, they see a direct result of their thinking, planning, and persistence.
It is not simply a craft.
It is a moment of realization:
“I made this function.”
That experience builds confidence.

Creativity Through Structure

This project also reinforces an important idea:
Creativity does not mean randomness.
It requires structure, logic, and thoughtful design. Students had to plan their circuit layout before committing to their final drawing. They learned that artistic freedom and technical precision can coexist.
Art, in this sense, becomes both expressive and analytical.

A Small Light, A Lasting Impact

​One student said, “I can’t wait to show this to my family.”
That simple statement captures the purpose of the project.
Through “My E-Cards Project,” students did more than create a card.
They built a connection between imagination and reality.
A small light turned on --
and with it, a deeper understanding of how ideas can become tangible.

I am very happy to share and celebrate the wonderful news that Elbert’s artwork has been selected for the Save the Frogs! Art Contest. This is a meaningful achievement, and I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Elbert for his thoughtful participation and creative effort.

What makes this recognition especially meaningful is not only the final result, but the values and intentions behind the contest itself. Elbert’s work stands as a sincere response to an important global issue, expressed through art with care, imagination, and responsibility.

About the Save the Frogs! Art Contest

The Save the Frogs! Art Contest is an international environmental art competition that invites children and students from around the world to reflect on the importance of amphibian conservation. Frogs are highly sensitive to environmental change, and their rapid decline is a powerful indicator of ecological imbalance. Through art, this contest encourages young participants to think critically about environmental protection, biodiversity, and humanity’s responsibility toward nature.
Rather than focusing solely on technical skill or competition, the contest emphasizes awareness, participation, and message. Students are encouraged to use their own visual language to communicate why frogs matter and why protecting the environment is essential for the future.

The Meaning Behind Elbert’s Artwork

His artwork captures attention through its playful imagery while delivering a clear and meaningful message. The friendly frog character invites viewers in, creating an emotional connection before prompting deeper reflection about environmental preservation.

In children’s art, what matters most is not perfection, but intent, empathy, and authenticity. His work demonstrates all three. He approached the theme with sincerity, transforming an abstract environmental issue into a personal and approachable story. This ability to translate ideas into visual form is a vital step in artistic growth and was clearly recognized through his selection.

A Thoughtful and Impressive Certification System

One of the most impressive aspects of the Save the Frogs! Art Contest is its individual certification system. Each participating student receives an official certificate bearing their own name, regardless of award ranking. This approach leaves a lasting impression.

By honoring every serious participant individually, the contest sends a powerful message to students:

• Your voice matters
• Your effort is recognized
• Your ideas deserve to be seen

For young artists, receiving a personalized certificate is not a small detail. It validates their work, builds confidence, and encourages them to continue expressing themselves creatively. Albert’s certificate represents not just participation, but acknowledgment and respect for his contribution.

Why I Continue to Participate with My Students Every Year

I choose to participate in this contest every year with my students because it aligns deeply with my educational philosophy. This competition values meaning over rivalry, reflection over results, and growth over comparison.

Each year, I see students evolve. What begins as drawing a “cute frog” often turns into thoughtful conversations about ecosystems, climate change, and responsibility. Through this process, students learn that art is not only about creating images, but about communicating ideas and values.

The Save the Frogs! Art Contest consistently provides a respectful, encouraging, and globally connected platform for young artists, and that is why it continues to be an important part of our studio experience.

A Final Congratulations to Elbert

His selection is a reflection of his thoughtful participation, creative voice, and willingness to engage with an important topic. This experience is a meaningful milestone, and I hope it encourages him to continue exploring art as a way to understand and engage with the world.
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Congratulations once again to Elbert. I am proud of his work and look forward to seeing how his artistic journey continues to grow through experiences like this one.

This year, our 3a, 3b, and 3c art classes at School Nova explored an inspiring range of hands-on projects that blended drawing, sculpture, mixed media, and creative design. The portfolio you see here brings together some of the most expressive highlights from our classroom—air-dry clay koi ponds, large crepe-paper lotus lanterns, observational hand drawings, and more.

Each project invited students to think beyond a single medium and to discover how different materials can come together to create something imaginative and meaningful. Through sculpting, painting, designing, and experimenting, students strengthened not only their technical skills but also their ability to observe, interpret, and express their ideas visually.

This portfolio represents the joy, curiosity, and artistic growth that unfolded throughout the 2025–2026 school year. It is a celebration of their dedication and the creative worlds they built with their own hands.

Conclusion

​As we look back on this year’s work, it becomes clear that each project offered students far more than a finished product. Through clay modeling, mixed-media design, careful observation, and imaginative construction, they learned how to problem-solve, take creative risks, and discover their own artistic voices.
What you see in this portfolio is not only the outcome of their hard work, but also the record of their growth—moments of curiosity, discipline, experimentation, and joy. Every koi pond, lotus lantern, and hand study reflects a student who challenged themselves, learned something new, and transformed simple materials into meaningful art.

I could not be more proud of what they have accomplished.

This collection stands as a beautiful reminder of what young artists can achieve when they are encouraged to explore, imagine, and create with confidence.

​This year’s Google Doodle Art Contest, themed “My Superpower,” inspired students to explore imagination, creativity, and self-expression through unique artworks.

This year’s Google Doodle Art Contest opened unusually late, finally launching in October. In most years, the contest begins early in the spring, giving students plenty of time to prepare. Because of the delay, many teachers and students waited with curiosity, and once the announcement was made, interest surged immediately.
The theme for this year is “My Superpower.” It is a simple but powerful topic that invites students to reflect on the strengths, abilities, and inner qualities that make them unique. I always encourage my students to participate in this contest, not because it requires advanced drawing skills, but because it pushes them to think creatively, visualize ideas, and express personal meaning through art.

One of the core elements of the Google Doodle contest is drawing within the shape of letters and using positive and negative space effectively to complete the artwork. This challenges students to move beyond straightforward illustration and think more abstractly about composition, balance, and symbolism. As they navigate these creative constraints, they naturally become more intentional in their decisions—what to emphasize, what to hide, how to guide the viewer’s eye, and how to communicate a message within a limited space.

Through this process, students discover that art is not just about making something beautiful, but about clarifying their own thoughts. Every year I see them grow: their visual storytelling becomes stronger, their imagination becomes more active, and their confidence in expressing their ideas increases.

One of my students, Albert, created an especially memorable piece this year. His chosen superpower is imagination. He explained that his imagination allows him to travel through time—journeying into ancient civilizations, walking among historical structures, and experiencing history as if it were alive. For him, imagination is not simply daydreaming; it is a gateway to the past and a tool that transforms knowledge into vivid experience.

His artwork reflects this beautifully. A small figure stands on a massive stone structure, overlooking an ancient city. Below, broken pillars, mysterious caverns, cascading waterfalls, and climbing vines fill the space, all contained within the shape of the Google Doodle letters. He used mostly gray, green, and blue tones to evoke the feeling of an old, weathered world, yet infused it with movement and life. His composition creates the sense of stepping into a forgotten era—a place reachable only through the power of imagination.

What struck me most was Albert’s explanation: “If you have imagination, time travel becomes possible.” This statement captures the true spirit of the contest. A superpower doesn’t always have to be something supernatural; sometimes it is a strength we already possess—one that can grow, deepen, and open new worlds as we learn to use it.

Other students also created a wide range of thoughtful and colorful works, expressing superpowers such as empathy, musical sensitivity, problem-solving, environmental awareness, and resilience. Each piece became a reflection of the student’s inner world and a testament to the unique qualities they are developing.
To me, this is the true value of art education. It is not simply about producing polished pictures, but about guiding students to understand themselves, explore their imaginations, and express their own voices. The Google Doodle Art Contest provides an ideal platform for this kind of growth.

I am proud of every student who participated this year, and I look forward to seeing how their creativity continues to unfold through future challenges and opportunities.