PNCA Creative Conservation Corps

This innovative education program empowers high-school students to be primary investigators in community-focused craft and design projects that connect hands-on work to creative careers in multiple fields. Students at each school will prototype and fabricate utilitarian objects, produce and present collateral materials that effectively communicate their work, and practice creative problem-solving. In doing so, students will learn specific material skills and processes, use design methodologies, and analyze their work in project presentations and group critiques. This range of activities will support Oregon’s 40-40-20 plan by introducing students to college study and creative career choices.

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Student feedback from our ideation session.

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Creative Studio brings the Creative Conservation Corps back into action. This fall season, we are working with high school students on our campus. We will focus on artistic and designerly processes, especially ideation and collaboration. Here, CCC mentor Nyssa Oru leads a Halloween Day tour of the PNCA printmaking studios and a sketching session.

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Roosevelt HS students read their finished children's books to third-grade students from Sitton Elementary School, who had critiqued the high schoolers' draft books several weeks earlier and are back for another visit. Sitton ES teacher Charles Fritz and Roosevelt HS teacher Amy Ambrosio look on happily to see their students engaged in a dialogue about their original stories.

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As the children’s books are moving into the final editing, students produce reviews for the covers/jackets of their peers’ works. Tiny Son comes with a big promise and smile!

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Rilla Alexander, lead teacher with the Creative Conservation Corps at Roosevelt HS, says "it's all happening!" Check out this first series of the students' children's book covers.

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Back cover of Amy Vang’s book “TImmy’s Idea.” More to come from Roosevelt HS students!

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Danny on the right, William on left and back.

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Danny Mackin and William Kendall leading final work on “Chuck Close" style mural project with p:ear and PYB. What a perfect week it has been!

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The Creative Conversation Corps in good company of p:ear and Portland Youth Builders. Thank you Laika for the generous invitation. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Pierson, PYB)

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The Creative Conversation Corps on an exciting fieldtrip to LAIKA today. Thank you for the generous invitation. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Pierson, PYB)

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Rilla Alexander leads the Creative Conservation Corps project at Roosevelt HS this spring. She recently delivered one of PDX Creative Mornings lectures. “Done is better than None,” is her fun, generous and thoughtful talk on the creative process. Lovely and moving, check out the whole lecture at PDX Creative Mornings.

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Our presentation and workshop agenda at the TRIO Conference in Silverton, Oregon.

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Launching into group work about dream projects/collaborations at the TRIO Conference in Silverton, Oregon.

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Geof Garner offering color choices during the early part of our workshop at the TRIO Conference in Silverton, Oregon.

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Join Geoff and Patrick for a CCC presentation at the annual Oregon TRIO conference tomorrow. They will share their observations and insights into the deeply collaborative approach that is relfected not only in student learning and engagement but also in virtually all aspects of CCC program development.

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What does the character want: Cap to the right or to the left?

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Children's book character getting a head.