STUDENTS USE NEW ART FORM — Students at Steubenville High School turned discarded items into works of art through upcycling projects done during Maymester classes. Art teacher Emily Miller said this process gives students a chance to use their imaginations, while bringing materials to new life. Students, including from left, Gianna Roderique, Katie Rivers and Joey Wood, will work on a project using Wood’s demolition derby car hood he donated following the Jefferson County Fair. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Students at Steubenville High School lived by the adage: Making everything old, new again.

And that they did, as nine students in eighth, ninth and 11th grades, turned discarded items into art through the practice known as upcycling. The students began upcycling during their Maymester classes, working with everything from wood to metal. They added touches of paint or repurposed pages of a dictionary to give new life to old items.

Art teacher Emily Miller explained this was the first year she taught the course, and the students were in agreement to spread their creative wings. Plus, it yielded additional benefits.

“I encouraged students to create art from found objects and items that would typically end up in a landfill and make something new from it,” Miller said, noting this helps to reduce waste. “It’s upcycling art to find a new purpose. They get insight instead of throwing things away and instead of seeing it as broken, it is unique and they find a purpose for new things.”

A larger project was revitalizing the hood of a demolition derby car, owned by driver Joey Wood, a Big Red graduate who was driving his car in the derby at the Jefferson County Fair.

Pupils completed sketches of Steubenville’s local scenery and architecture during Maymester mini-block sessions. Then, they created portraits.

Miller said these classes give youth new ways to express themselves and build their imagination.

“I like the idea of upcycling,” she continued. “They may not have access to paper, but they have a vision and have the ability to make things with what they have. I’ve been teaching for 20 years, and believe it is important for students to see the beauty around them. During Maymester, the students created a lot of unique things out of found or donated objects.”