Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs SmArts ArtCastle leaves an impression on Aila-Dawn
23 May 2024
Multi-coloured portraits line the gallery walls – the visual end to three days of work by a group of proud young artists. In front of her artwork, a smiling young achiever stands proud. Aila-Dawn’s just completed the Smarts ArtCastle program.
Along with other Year 9 and 10 students, Aila-Dawn spent three days learning about creative careers while creating her masterpiece. Hands and minds were busy as the students painted and sculpted.
She arrived unsure of what to expect at SmArts. By the end of the program, she was ready to paint a future in the arts – and the future’s looking bright!
Young Australians like Aila–Dawn are the dreamers and creators of their own futures. But for some, poverty makes them go without supplies or access to learning opportunities. Through no fault of their own, many children miss out on accessing what they need to imagine and build a brighter future.
This is what your sponsorship can provide for students like Aila-Dawn. Sponsorship has helped equip her with what she needs to awaken an artistic passion and create a new vision for her future.
My sponsorship has helped my mum to afford all of the things I required for school.
Aila-Dawn was matched with a sponsor in kindergarten. Sponsorship has been a positive influence on her school experience ever since. Her family’s been able to afford the essentials like shoes, uniforms, lunch boxes, school bags and books.
“All through my school years, my sponsorship has helped my mum to afford all of the things I required for school. We were overjoyed when we could go shopping for school supplies," says Aila-Dawn.
As part of her sponsorship, a Learning for Life Coordinator connected Aila-Dawn with out-of-school learning and mentoring programs. These programs are proven to build confidence and develop social and communication skills Aila-Dawn needed to get the most out of school. One of those programs was SmArts.
Encouraged by her two brothers who went through the SmArts program earlier, Aila-Dawn decided to give SmArts ArtCastle a go.
Through SmArts, Aila-Dawn felt surrounded by support so she could explore her own abilities and connect with the artist within. The professional mentors at SmArts encouraged Aila-Dawn to be herself as she created.
“When I lost interest in class my teacher at SmArts asked me why. I said that the painting didn’t feel like it was mine. She replied, ‘Make it yours then. It’s art.’ And that was my favourite part. A teacher had never told me that I couldn’t go wrong with art.”
When Aila-Dawn showed off her one-of-a-kind pixel portraits and 3D displays at the end of the program, it was a moment of well-earned pride.
After the program, Aila-Dawn was energised to make a name for herself in art.
“I wasn’t sure at first, but this program has awakened my love for art and made me realise becoming an artist is something I definitely want to do,” Aila-Dawn shares. “I sincerely appreciate everything my sponsors do and the opportunities they’ve given me, I couldn’t have done it without them.”
