CLASSROOM OF THE WEEK Yost’s art students bring color to school construction

Published 2:04 pm Monday, October 12, 2026

In Cherri Yost’s Blair art classroom, students are using shapes and colors to brighten their school while learning to create with confidence.

“I get most excited to share how much fun kids have in art,” Yost said. “The room is filled with smiles, art chatter and busy hands. I love how happy art makes the kids.”

Construction in the building has become part of their learning.

“With all of the construction going on in our building, we have focused on how art can make any space beautiful,” Yost said. “We took the blank, boarded walls and added life to them with shapes and colors. Students have started to notice other murals around town and how they make the space beautiful and make them feel happy.”

A recent color wheel lesson gave fourth graders a chance to discover what they could figure out for themselves.

“Recently, a fourth-grade class was starting a color wheel. The students reviewed primary and secondary colors,” Yost said. “I told them that now they get to learn the tertiary colors. I heard lots of ‘What’s that?’ Once I explained that they are the third set of colors in between each primary and secondary color and how to say them, the kids were shocked with themselves that they could ‘read’ the color wheel and figure out that group of colors very easily. They were so proud of themselves, and so was I!”

Students also have a classroom tradition that gives them a choice in what they create.

“The kids would want me to mention Fun Friday,” Yost said. “When we have a full week of school, art classes get to do super fun activity centers on Fridays. Legos, beading, magnetics, free drawing and art games are some of the fun choices the students are able to rotate to. The kids love the freedom to choose the activity and create how they want. It is always such an exciting day.”

Yost hopes that willingness to create stays with students after they leave her classroom.

“I want all the students to carry with them, when they leave the art room, the want and the courage to always create,” Yost said. “Never say, ‘I can’t do that.’ Just try, and you will always surprise yourself.”