(Bayonne, NJ. October 13, 2017) — 11th & 12th graders from Mrs. Ashe’s Contemporary Literature class visited the Bergen Point section of Bayonne for a day of local art and culture. The day began at The Bridge Art Gallery, where owner Cheryl Mack led a short lecture about art in the community and introduced the current exhibit “Diwali.” Students learned about the paintings – abstract, landscape, and portraits, which were bright and vibrant. Their assignment was to write ekphrastic poetry, poems inspired by and about art. Afterwards, Ms. Mack gave a guided tour of the recently completed fireboxes and electrical boxes which have been painted by local artists. Each one had a special story behind it and a unique style. One of the artists, Tiffany Patrice, even met the group to discuss her work. The day continued with a visit to the Little BoHo Bookshop where owner Sandra Dear spoke with the students about contemporary authors and the students’ interests in current fiction. Ms. Dear donated copies of current fiction coming out in the Spring of 2018 and also raffled off current books such as Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur and Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. The winners were ecstatic to receive new books. The class was joined by chaperones Ms. Ulivella, Ms. Gherardi, and Ms. Scibetta. All ended the trip with a pizza lunch at Mona Lisa’s Pizzeria and smoothies at Bake-n-Brew Homestyle Cafe.
