WMEMS students creating art to raise funds for Lighthouse Mission

Teenagers at a Winnipeg school are demonstrating what it means to love unconditionally by creating art for a local soup kitchen's auction.

Sheri Kovacs, the art teacher at Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary & Middle School's Bedson Campus, is proud of her students after more than a dozen were moved to create art to donate to Lighthouse Mission's online art auction.

"They were discussing between themselves that the good they were doing to help others," Kovacs says. "It did bring a tear to my eye."

The project started after one of the school's parents who works at the soup kitchen shared a brochure with the school about the upcoming art auction. From there, students put pencils, paintbrushes, and whatever else they wanted to canvases and got to work.

"We had students jump on this, not just because it was art but because they were helping people. That is pretty cool to come from a middle school-aged child."

The teacher says the students "put their heart and soul" into their work.

Beverly Ajtay, Lighthouse Mission's Operations Manager says 25 pieces were donated between the 16 students and Kovacs' own work.

"Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary School was a big part of it," Ajtay says.

In total, 100 pieces were donated to the mission's art auction, which will help them pay for the rise in need over the past year and create more drop-in space.

Kovacs says her students have been talking about the impact their art will make.

"When they realized that the money was going to people less fortunate in our city, they were like 'Madam Kovacs, we have so much. We have to give to these people.'"

When she asked them what giving meant to them, the students acknowledged that they have a home and food while others may not. 

"They were speaking with their heart... these kids love giving and it just makes me feel so good that they had good upbringings at home and maybe we are doing something right at school to send them on the path to help others first. It was really heartwarming."

She says students were worried that people will not like their work but told them "the right person will find the right art."