The Story in Me:
2019-2020 Aliento ECFI Fellows Gallery
This year Aliento kicked off a partnership with Eisenhower Center for Innovation. Through an application process, we selected 16 fellows who showed a commitment to growth, leadership, and healing. We held monthly workshops where the fellows explored different topics including identity, gratitude, and agency while practicing bravery and vulnerability. We also worked in partnership with students, teachers, and staff where we co-created social emotional learning practices to enhance school culture of social-emotional development. We are so proud of everything they have created and wanted to share a small piece of their journey with the rest of our community. Congratulations to our 2019-2020 Aliento ECFI Fellows!
About our Partner ECFI:
Eisenhower Center For Innovation is a K-6 neighborhood school serving 450 students from a variety of families and cultures. Our teachers and staff are dedicated to creating a community of learners and supporting whole-child development. This looks like placing equal priority on engaging, technology-infused academic instruction, social-emotional development, and restorative justice practices in the daily student experience at school. Our Eisenhower family is committed to values that include: acceptance, compassion, creativity, diversity, growth mindset, joy, perseverance, respect, resilience, responsibility, service, and tolerance. We are inspired by the strength of our families and invested in the future success of all of our students!
A special shout out to Ms. Weston whose dedication to her students and collective healing helped make this year a success! 💕
Day and Night
Allison Altamirano
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: Being with family
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: My mom and my dad, dog that help me out a lot. My mom helps me in homework and in school. My dad helps me with problems and my dogs help me not to think about bad days. I think of my mom who came from Mexico city. My sister and I were born in Scottsdale. What I like more of my roots is the food, dancing, music, the beach all of the traditions
Piece 1:
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Title: Day and Night
What is my piece about: This piece talks about how I feel during the day and night. My favorite part of the day is the afternoon and of night is going to rest.
Feelings
Piece 2:
Art Medium: Collage
Title: Feelings
What is my piece about: The piece is about what I love about me and the things I love to do.
Things I Like to Do (Part 1)
Anthony Palacios
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: Play Football
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: My dad and brother. I used to have a lot of dogs and I went to a dog park to walk them and my dad came from Mexico and I was born in Mesa and my brother, sister, little brother were born in Phoenix.
Piece 1 + 2:
Things I Like to Do (Part 2)
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting + Collage
Title: Things I Like to Do (a series)
What is my piece about: It’s about things I like to do. It about my life and what I do when I’m bored or nothing to do.
Happy with Sad World
Julian Arvayo
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: Play Sports
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: My family & Mexico because Mexico and my family are beautiful
Piece 1:
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Family
Title: Happy with Sad World
What is my piece about: A happy side with a rainbow & trees & a sad side with nothing...not finished (work in progress)
Piece 2:
Art Medium: Collage (pencil, photos, stickers)
Title: Family
What is my piece about: It’s about my family. The middle part is where my sister was born and the top is space because my brother likes space.
This is Me
Abril Tellez
Grade Level: 5th
Favorite Thing to Do: Draw about my feelings
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: How my family moved here for a better future 💜
Art Medium: Collage
Title: This is Me
What is my piece about: My piece is about me, my family, my experiences, my feelings, my life, my thoughts, and my life because what you see in the paper is me and I am proud to show to all of you. When I think of my family I think of a big happy unique family that likes to play around and spend time with each other and also likes to explore/ travel.
All About Me
Bianca Cota
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: Hang out with family, play sports, dance, painting
Piece 1:
Art Medium: Collage
Title: All About Me
The Happy Side and The Sad Side
What is my piece about: In this piece I described my life by using pictures in some magazines. I think of everyone in my family because of my culture and able to have this beautiful family of mine.
Piece 2:
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Title: The Happy Side and The Sad Side
What is my piece about: In this piece I painted in one side a happy place I would like to be and in the other side people fighting makes me sad.
Happy Colors
Maria B. Romero
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: Listen to music, hang out with friends
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: My whole family, everyone who has my blood. And people that make me sad or happy.
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Title: Happy Colors
What is my piece about: It’s about all the colors that make me happy and when I see it I remember everything that makes me sad or happy.
Sunset
Melanie Altamirano
Grade Level: 5th
Favorite Thing to Do: Listen to music, play games, hang with friends
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: I have 2 dogs. One is a golden retriever and the other one is a _Chiawa__ I love my dogs. I have food I love to eat.
I like when we are all together like this week my cousins came from Oklahoma to see us. I love my family :)
Piece 1:
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Title: Sunset
What is my piece about: About a sunset I like to look at when it’s afternoon, it makes me feel like I’m about to go to sleep on a cloud.
Life, Feelings, Family
Piece 2:
Art Medium: Collage
Title: Life, Feelings, Family
What is my piece about: It is about the things I like about my life. It also has my family initials.
Trippy
Sharoll Silva
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: TikTok
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: How my family moved here for a better future 💜
Art Medium: Collage
Title: Trippy
What is my piece about: I like art in many ways
All About Me
Calvin Ventura
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: Play soccer
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: I think of playful and funny people
Art Medium: Collage
Title: All about me
What is my piece about: It's about sports and nature
Yuridia Peña
Grade Level: 5th
Piece 1:
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Title: None
What is my piece about: The drawing I made is about nature. I put flowers because flowers are part of nature and make nature look beautiful. Then, I put birds because you can listen to the birds sing and see them fly around. Last, I made it look sunny because you could do fun stuff at daytime and also look pretty.
Piece 2:
Art Medium: Collage
Title: None
What is my piece about: I put flowers because my family loves flowers and we think they’re pretty. Next, I put a dog because me and my sister love dogs and we really want one but we can’t get one. Last, we have fun because me and my family get together and play games so (we) could have some fun-time!
Jose Chairez
Grade Level: 6th
Art Medium: Acrylic Paint
Title: Untitled
What is my piece about: This painting represents what I thought happiness looked like when I was small. One side included a rainbow which was colorful and pretty while the other side was black and boring. Now I know that I have a choice of colorful or not.
Moods
Miguel Uribe
Grade Level: 6th
Favorite Thing to Do: Play video games/games
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: I think of helpful and funny people
Piece 1:
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Title: Moods
What is my piece about: A painting of what happy and sad things are to me.
My Future
Piece 2:
Art Medium: Collage
Title: My Future
What is my piece about: My piece is about sports. I chose it because it is my dream. I also put colleges because I want to go to college
Reaching My Goal
Gerardo Vicente
Grade Level: 5th
Favorite Thing to Do: Listen to music and eat
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: I think of pets, food, uncles, sometimes the people that are not with us anymore.
Art Medium: Collage
Title: Reaching My Goal
What is my piece about: I want to study hard so I can get all of my high school credits and graduate
Soccer Stadium
Rodrigo Aviles
Grade Level: 5th
Favorite Thing to Do: Is to play soccer
When I think of my family/roots, I think of: My mom and dad came here from Mexico for a better life. My 2 brothers and I were born here in Arizona. I’m proud of my culture and how my parents were raised in a ranch full of great animals!
Art Medium: Acrylic Painting
Title: Soccer Stadium
What is my piece about: I drew a soccer stadium because I wish I can play it when I’m older. It’s where I have fun the most and just running while I kick the ball.
Robert Hernandez
Grade Level: 6th
Yudith Garcia
Grade Level: 6th