Auburn, Ala. - Auburn City Schools fourth and fifth students discovered new worlds through nature, puppets, and performance at the 13th Annual Adventures in Art (AIA) program Sept. 10 - 14. AIA is a community-based, art education program presented by Auburn Parks and Recreation each year. This year's program, "Nature on a String," was partially funded through a Community Assistance Grant from the Junior League of Lee County (JLLC) and the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA).

Over the course of five days, all fourth and fifth graders from Auburn City Schools enjoyed learning about art, nature, and performance in a fun and stimulating environment. This year, the program focused on the art of performance through puppetry. The day started at the Auburn Performing Arts Center - Julie and Hal Moore Center for Excellence, where students were treated to a theatrical performance by the Center for Puppetry Arts (CPA) out of Atlanta, Ga. Students then traveled to the Auburn University Donald E. Davis Arboretum where they attended three workshops: 1) a visual arts projects where students created a frottage inspired by the work of naturalist artist John James Audubon; 2) a performance workshop on puppet manipulation with CPA; and 3) an educational tour of the Arboretum where students discussed plants growing in special habitats that exist in the state of Alabama, such as rocky hillsides, stream bottoms, pond edges, salt spray influenced sand dunes, pitcher plant bogs, and the alkaline soil of the Black Belt Prairie.

This year's Adventures in Art program was sponsored by the The Donald E. Davis Arboretum, Auburn University professor Chichi Lovett and her ARTS 3010 & 4010 students, the Auburn Performing Arts Center - Julie and Hal Moore Center for Excellence, Golden Flake, and the Auburn Arts Association. Adventures in Art is one of two community-based, art education programs the City of Auburn and its community partners present for students from Auburn City Schools. These all-inclusive programs provide a day of interactive, curriculum-based, art education for students. Through grant money and sponsorships, the program includes everything from transportation to and from the field trip to performing artists and musicians throughout the Southeast sharing their time and talents with the students. Auburn Parks and Recreation would like to extend their gratitude to all sponsors, the ASCA, and the JLLC for their continued support of Adventures in Art.

Mayor Bill Ham, Jr. accepts a Community Assistance Grant from Junior League of Lee County President Kathy Powell.

For more information, visit www.auburnalabama.org/parks or contact the Arts Center at 501-2963.