Arlington High School Art Teacher to Inspire and Learn in The Gambia

Boston, May 23, 2024 – In an inspiring journey of cultural exchange, Arlington High School art teacher Adam Gooder will join the Aiducatius Creativity Internship in The Gambia this summer, sharing his artistic talents with over 1,000 students at St. Martin's Basic Cycle School in Kartong. From June 17 to June 30, 2024, this unique program will see interns from around the globe engage with the local arts scene while providing creative education to Gambian students.

Adam Gooder, a beloved art teacher at Arlington High School, is set to embark on this enriching cultural exchange. "Art has the power to bring diverse cultures together by providing a universal language of expression," said Gooder. "I'm excited to introduce drawing and painting techniques to the students in The Gambia and learn about their artistic traditions, which I can't wait to share with my students back home in Arlington."

Joining Gooder will be Tara Creed, an Educatius local coordinator from Utah working with host families; Serena Pelizzari, a former exchange student from Italy; and Norun Igeltjørn Brænd, a former exchange student from Norway. The diverse group was selected for their artistic talents and experience designing engaging activities for students at the school.

"This internship fosters cross-cultural connections through the shared joy of creativity," said Carla Kearns, Vice President of Communications for Educatius, who is coordinating the initiative. "Our interns will support the development of a drawing and painting curriculum at St. Martin's School while learning from students and teachers in The Gambia."

In addition to leading lessons and activities, the interns will collaborate with St. Martin’s School teachers to share skills to sustainably incorporate drawing and painting activities into their lessons after the internship concludes.

To support this inspiring initiative, community members can follow the interns' journey and view the students' artistic talents in the planned online art gallery. For more information and updates, visit Educatius' website or follow their social media channels.

Educatius proudly supports access to education through Aiducatius’ many activities, including supplying students at St. Martin’s Basic Cycle School with essentials like textbooks and uniforms.