Harriet Tubman Middle School

Portland Public Schools will celebrate the accomplishments of its student artists and performers at the HeART of Portland event April 16-27 at the Portland Art Museum. The event is PPS’s annual showcase of the art education made possible by the Portland Arts Tax.

The event starts with an opening reception on Tuesday, April 16, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the museum’s Kridel Grand Ballroom. The reception will feature a variety of acts from the district’s performing artists, with vocal and instrumental music, dancing and theater performances by students from all school levels.

The performances will be interspersed with remarks from four featured speakers: Brian Ferriso, Portland Art Museum Executive Director; Greg Archuleta, a Chinook artist and Native American educator; Chloe Eudaly, a Portland City Commissioner; and Guadalupe Guerrero, PPS Superintendent.

The reception kicks off an exhibition of 80 pieces of visual art – paintings, photography, sculptures and more. The exhibition will run through Saturday, April 27, when the event’s closing day coincides with the museum’s monthly the Miller Family Free Day. Admission will be free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and PPS students will perform throughout the day.

There also will be a hands-on artmaking experience, “Flags of Hope,” in which all are invited to create a cloth flag representing what each person finds hopeful in the world to be added to a collaborative collection that already has 400 flags in it and will be exhibited at the district office in the spring.

Student art was at the heart of the event’s promotional material through a district-wide poster contest. The winner was Gabriela Morejohn of Markham Elementary School, who worked under teacher Erica Huber to create a painting used as the main poster image.

Three other students had their works made into postcards. Sophia Spehar, working at West Sylvan Middle School under teacher Anne Larsen, was runner-up. Two students who worked with Beach Elementary teacher Carlos Baca tied for third: Carolina Alonso and Harlow Kleffner. (See their postcards)

Lincoln’s anniversary event: Lincoln High School's year-long celebration of its 150th anniversary will reach its high point on Saturday with the "Big Party" at Portland State University's Viking Pavilion.

The event, which starts at 5 p.m., will gather alumni, past and present teachers and administrators and family members, and will feature food and entertainment from current and former students.

Tickets and more information are available at the Friends of Lincoln website, where paraphernalia, including a commemorative anniversary blanket and 150 years of yearbooks, are available for purchase.

Special education resource fair: A fair to help special education students prepare for life after high school will be held Tuesday, April 23 at Roosevelt High School. The Special Education Transition Resource Fair is open to all, and will run from 6 to 8 p.m.

The fair will feature a variety of vendors who specialize in helping special education students, including Youth Transition Program, Impact NW, TriMet Ridewise, Portland State University’s Think College, Disability Rights Oregon, Job Core, and Developmental Disability Service.

For more information about the fair, contact Kia Swain at kswain@pps.net.