Painting their own paths: ACCESS art program soars with at-risk students

Pick a quote, any quote, and paint a picture of those words. This is just one of the artistic exercises the OCDE ACCESS art program uses to mentor at-risk students.

As a teacher on special assignment with ACCESS, Ruth Rosen works to build self-esteem and help guide students in a positive direction.

“I love working with this population of kids,” said Rosen. “I think they’re great because they’re basically right-brainers.”

The program provides a safe, educational outlet for artistic expression, encouraging students to collaborate through brainstorming and historical research to create vibrant works of art.

Take a look.