Education Center Accredited by the American Association of Museums Contents of the Picker Art Gallery Website may not be reproduced without written consent. Copyright 2008.		TESTIMONIALS & REVIEWS Linda Leach, Sherburne-Earlville Teacher says: "Thank you so much for inviting Sherburne-Earlville to the Picker. As you know, I was worried that we would not be able to attend because of budget concerns, particularly the restrictions on traveling. Being reimbursed by the "Go For Art" money was the deal-maker for us. Without this money, our students would not have been able to enjoy the Australian art and the pieces in the Picker's regular collection or the timely narrative Paulin photographs. In the past I have sometimes found visiting museums and galleries chaotic and meaningless for the students. The division into small groups led by the color-coded docents and the VTS method of responding to the art magically transformed a herding nightmare into a relaxing and engaging day. We particularly liked the writing exercise - replete with clip boards and pencils. To see the students seriously analyzing a piece of their choosing is a testimony to the confidence they felt after being allowed to experience art without canned commentary by the "experts". By the end of the day, students felt like their own observations were valued and encouraged. Many wanted to follow up the visit by inviting their parents to come with them to the gallery for a visit, too! Melissa, your flexibility and warmth welcomed us, and your enthusiasm for connecting children to art is infectious. All of the chaperones (from bus drivers, secretaries, teachers, and the principal) remarked about the quality of the field trip. We look forward to working with you again, and our staff is hoping to arrange individual projects on the Colgate campus and on our campus. Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity. As a Colgate alumna, I am proud of the community-building and outreach that your program encourages. I was struck by your comment to the students as we left, "Thank you for coming. Doesn't being around art boost your day?" It does!" For more information or to schedule a group visit, please call (315) 228-7634 or email Melissa Davies, Educator.