Peringer said Sewuk-Thomas reached out to her about brainstorming ideas for students who have been so isolated during the pandemic shutdown and remote learning.

“We wanted to do something, to not only to bring them together, but we were thinking they need to express themselves in a positive way,” Peringer said. “And feel like they’re doing something positive for the community in the middle of this COVID stuff.”

The foundation philosophy of the project was inspired by the “Choose Love Movement,” which was established by Scarlett Lewis and her path for forgiveness after her 6 year-old son, Jesse, was killed in a school shooting.

“Stephanie had a thought when she saw a random chain link fence with images on it,” Peringer shared. “It wasn’t really appealing but she thought that maybe we could exhibit outside.”

The two began talking and began connecting with the “Choose Love” program, whose theme for this year was “Brave New World.”

“‘Choose Love’ is really the movement that our whole school district has embraced,” Peringer continued. “Before COVID, the thing that was always scaring us was school shootings. And just in general, school shootings and the thought of all the social, emotional, well-being that we worry about with kids – even before COVID. And now with COVID, it’s just been exacerbated.”

The three art teachers collaborated to create a website, where they could house their research and resources to provide the students in all three schools with a similar learning experience (sites.google.com/nsd42.net/bravenewworld/home).

“We wanted students to think in more positive ways about what we’re going through,” Peringer said. “I had all these supplies- we can do this. And I said, ‘If we’re going to do this, let’s invite the other high school,so I contacted Rod.”

The teachers began working on the concept, measuring out paint for kids, and preparing boards for them to create their art.

“I had just insulated my attic, which means they made me take out all this plywood that I had up there,” Peringer said. “So I took my eight sheets of plywood and I cut them up into one-foot squares for the kids, so we were just really resourceful.”

The 80 students embraced the meaning behind the art project and were excited to share their work with the public.

“We showed them a lot of street artists and talked about all the positive parts of it,” Peringer said. “We incorporated all of that into our website. And each student designed their squares and we do what we do when we teach: we taught them how to paint, we taught them about color theory, and taught them about design concepts and communication.”

As they made their work, it was shared through programs like Google Slides and Padlet.

“We’re not in person anymore, you need to have a way for the kids to show you what they’re working on,” Peringer noted. “The kids got them done and delivered them to the high school to me and left them outside our door.”

Socially distanced, the three art teachers laid them out in Peringer’s classroom and clear coated all of them so the art could withstand the weather. Peringer then reached out to Paul Osterman who does wood working and construction at the high school, who set her up with the drill press to drill holes in the wood so they could be attached to the chain link fence at Amherst Elementary.

“Even my own principal came in and helped me drill holes,” Peringer said. “We were initially struggling with where to exhibit. We were told we could exhibit on the chain link fences at Nashua North and South. But with schools closed, nobody would see this. So, then I sent out a survey to the kids and they voted on Amherst Elementary school.”

A question was raised as to whether or not any student art would be considered as “political.”

“I understand that,” Peringer said. “But you can’t censor kids’ art. They have their right of expression. As far as I’m concerned, they all make a statement. These days, everything is political.”

Program director of the “Choose Love Movement” for the state of New Hampshire Shannon Desilets said, “In a time when we need connection more than ever, these students shine their light. I have tremendous gratitude for them.”