Art of glass: Grants help fund fun glasswork projects in Green Local Schools

Rachel Karas, The Daily Record
·3 min read

SMITHVILLE ‒ After her students showed interest in glasswork, Green Local Schools art teacher Jennifer Winkler got to work feeding their passion.

She got a glass kiln for her classroom last fall and helped them make a stained-glass window.

Then she took her art club on a field trip to the Mansfield Art Center to learn the basics of glass blowing.

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Most recently, with the help of some grants approved this summer, Winkler plans to buy a torch and furnace to do larger, more intricate glass projects.

She reflected on how far the art program has come and what these investments will mean not for her students and the school’s art club.

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After raising enough money last winter to buy a 3D ceramics printer, Winkler’s students set their eyes on some new glass blowing equipment. Since they were a bit pricey, she applied for some local and national grants.

Winkler learned this summer she has been approved for all three grants, totaling $13,752.

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  • Beaverson Foundation Community Fund through the Wayne County Community Foundation totaling $2,752

  • Voya Unsung Heroes program totaling $2,000

  • Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation Fund through Richland County Foundation totaling $9,000

With the money from the Richland and Wayne County foundations, Winkler was able to purchase a Mini Dragon Glassblowing Furnace kit.

The furnace is small enough to fit into an SUV, van or pickup truck and also has wheels so it can be easily moved. Since it runs on propane and natural gas, Winkler said, they plan to put it outside of the school for safety reasons.

(Left to right) Josh Smucker, Taylor Rohrer and Savannah Messenger hold a stained glass window project the Smithie Art Club worked on last school year. The window now hangs in the classroom of art teacher Jennifer Winkler who recently got roughly $13,7000 in grant money approved which will go back into her classroom.
(Left to right) Josh Smucker, Taylor Rohrer and Savannah Messenger hold a stained glass window project the Smithie Art Club worked on last school year. The window now hangs in the classroom of art teacher Jennifer Winkler who recently got roughly $13,7000 in grant money approved which will go back into her classroom.

A new desktop glass-blowing torch will also be added to her classroom thanks to Voya – a health, wealth and investment company.

The remainder of the funding will go toward safety equipment – like special safety googles – and smaller equipment pieces like propane tanks and hoses.

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More crafts for the Smithie Art Club

Although they are pumped about the prospects of new projects, Winkler and her students are even more excited about the opportunities these new gadgets can bring for the Smithie Art Club.

The self-funded club for sixth through 12th grades relies on funding earned from selling artwork to pay for future projects.

These earrings, name plates and other small trinkets were all made by the Smithie Art Club. Making and selling art is how art teacher Jennifer Winkler said her students have been able to keep the club running since it does not receive funding from the Green Local Schools district.
These earrings, name plates and other small trinkets were all made by the Smithie Art Club. Making and selling art is how art teacher Jennifer Winkler said her students have been able to keep the club running since it does not receive funding from the Green Local Schools district.

Winkler said the students are looking forward to making bigger projects – like ornaments and figurines – to sell at their school “Santa Shop” in December and other craft fairs and festivals during the holidays.

Those sales will be put back into funding materials, supplies and tools for the club, Winkler said.

“It'll be a continuous cycle,” Winkler said. “... They gave us seeds kind of, and we're gonna continue to grow from there.”

Contact Rachel Karas at rkaras@gannett.com

Twitter: @RachelKaras3

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Green Local Schools get grants to fund new glass blowing equipment