Some students in Queens are making it their mission to stand up for animals, through art. Matt McClure introduces us to our Queens People of the Week.
Little Isaiah Rodriguez already has big ideas on how to protect the environment and endangered animals.
“I believe that this table can show people that we need to respect and care for our animals not hunt them down and poach them for our own self benefit,” said Rodriguez, a sixth-grade student at the Walter Reed School.
Rodriguez is one of nearly two dozen children from the Walter Reed School who dedicated their time creating this park table.
It was all part of the Learning Through an Expanded Arts Program or LEAP -- a non-profit organization that brings an arts-based curriculum into public schools.
The children decided on their own to focus on animal abuse, poaching, and the importance of preserving natural habitats.
“They're an amazing group of kids who have been so brave to take on this topic and to really impact the community on this issue,” said Alexandra Leff, the Creator and Director of LeAp.
“They're excited to paint and make work but it's also that they're very excited and passionate and want to make a change and make people aware of what they can do to make the world better,” added Chrisy Powers, a LeAp Teaching Artist.
The children spent weeks learning about and painting animals and their habitats -- many of the animals are at risk of extinction.
The young artists say they learned so much while doing this project and hope to encourage others to treat the world with respect.
“In life you make choices and those choices make you who you are,” said Rodriguez.
“Treat others the way you want to be treated and that's just how it goes,” said Vincent Suraty, another student who worked on the project.
And so for inspiring others to treat all of the world's creatures with love, these students from the Walter Reed School are our Queens People of the Week.