The Bilkiss Legacy Continues: CCEF Provides Art Kits to 3,400 CCUSD Students

School is back, but still at home, so art kits with fundamental supplies were assembled and distributed to each and every elementary school student in the District. Kits will also soon be distributed to middle school students enrolled in the arts elective at CCMS and to iAcademy students. The 3,400 kits are courtesy of the Culver City Education Foundation (CCEF), which received a bequest from Darlene Bilkiss, a former CCEF board member and beloved Farragut Elementary Schoolteacher for 38 years.

In addition to supporting standards based learning, these kits provide a much needed creative outlet and form of self-expression, so necessary for all of our children at this time.

“Giving our students the ability to create and express themselves, even during this time of distance learning, is so crucial,” said CCUSD K-12th Grade District Arts Coordinator Heather Moses. “It also underscores the commitment that CCUSD has made to arts education over the years. Arts education is not optional. It’s a core subject that supports every other subject that our students are learning. We are grateful to CCEF and Ms. Bilkiss’s gift that allows our students to have access to real art supplies.”

The elementary school students are receiving weekly asynchronous art lessons from three credentialed art teachers: Margaret Alarcon, Hillary Stucker and Eileen Pottinger. The lessons are presented in a pre-taped video format, allowing for asynchronous lessons which students can complete during scheduled class times or on their own schedule.

“It is a privilege for CCEF to provide the funding for the art kits,” said CCEF Executive Director Renae Williams Niles. “We are grateful to the planned gift bequest from Darlene Bilkiss. I know she would be proud to see a portion of her gift impacting every elementary school student in the district.”

Pictured above: CCEF and CCUSD volunteers assemble 3,400 art kits for distribution to every CCUSD elementary student.

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