Mark Zimmerman visits Koch Elementary.

www.thepublicopinion.com

BY TERRY O’KEEFE
Public Opinion Staff Writer

MILBANK — Fourth graders at Koch Elementary School were busy expressing themselves Wednesday morning, putting their images down on paper in the form of water color art.

It was part of artist-in-residence Mark Zimmeran’s efforts during his three-week stay at the school. Zimmerman has been working with the youngsters in kindergarten through fifth grade, using a different
approach with each group.

“First graders don’t know realism,” Zimmerman said. “Fifth graders, they want to draw something that looks
real.

“We basically work on two things — the skill-set of drawing and I also encourage them to take a chance with their imagination and try their hand at something different.”

This is the third year Koch Elementary has had an artist-in-residence for a few weeks during the school year. Each year, the project has been funded by the local Parents Promoting Education group which pays one-half of the cost, with the state Arts Council picking up the other half of the tab.

It is so nice to see professional adults spending time with chidlren.