By David Stahler, Jr.

Who doesn’t love a good valentine, especially when that valentine is a beautifully decorated jelly jar filled with sweets?

Thanks to the efforts of the student members of Lyndon Institute’s National Art Honor Society (NAHS), local first responders will be on the receiving end of these treats during this year’s Valentine’s Day holiday, an affectionate thank-you for those who have served the community, putting themselves on the line during an especially challenging time.

Each year, LI’s NAHS chapter undertakes several projects, with at least one serving the local community and another serving the community beyond. Two years ago, NAHS members participated in a national endeavor called The Memory Project, working from photographs of Afghani children to paint portraits that found their way back to their young subjects in Afghanistan, a bright spot for children, including many orphans, who had grown up knowing nothing but war and violence. On the local level, members had the opportunity to work with a visiting artist sponsored by the Burklyn Arts Council to create paper lanterns for a project that culminated in a community parade.

For this year’s local project, NAHS members wanted to do something special to show their appreciation for those who serve on the local fire and police departments. They originally considered a project around Christmas but, between the end of the semester and the busyness of the holiday season, decided Valentine’s Day was a better option.

Each member received a box filled with all the materials they needed: jelly jars, ribbon and lace, decorative paper, bags of chocolate and candy. What emerged was a collection of deluxe valentines--decorative works of art filled to the brim with sweet stuff, each students’ jars unique in their design, some hand-painted, some wrapped in ribbon or twine, highlighted with bright colors and notes of thanks and appreciation.

In a normal year, students would gather together after school to construct and decorate their valentines. This year, the members worked independently or in pairs in the spirit of social distancing.

The Lyndon Institute chapter of the National Art Honor Society was formed seven years ago by art teacher Cindy Camber. While LI has long-maintained a dedicated visual arts program located in the Norris Arts Center on lower campus with a wide range of courses from Studio Art to Water-based Painting to Ceramics to Analogue Photography, there wasn’t a good opportunity for students across the curriculum to interact. “At the time, there was no art club in the school,” Camber said. “After considering different options, joining a national organization seemed like the best route. NAHS offers several benefits to student members, including scholarships to schools like the Maryland Institute College of Art and publishing opportunities in their semi-annual journal.”

To be eligible, students must be enrolled in at least one visual arts program and maintain an average of 80 or higher.

According to NAHS member Lunamay Waterman, a junior who joined her sophomore year, the chapter has been an important part of her LI experience: “It’s a fun way to interact with other students who are interested in the arts, kids you might know who love to be creative but aren’t necessarily in your art classes or in your grade. You get to connect through sharing something you’re passionate about. We also work with organizations like the Burklyn Arts Council, so we get to connect with arts people outside of school.”

“We also get to connect with people who aren’t necessarily involved in the arts directly themselves,” added junior Tori Young, a fellow NAHS member. “The projects we do allow us to share our skills with all kinds of people in the community.”

NAHS members gather monthly to plan and undertake projects, as well as learn how to develop budgets and plan fundraising events--from hosting the annual winter Snow Ball dance to organizing dress-down days at school--to help pay for these projects. Members are currently exploring the possibility of holding a virtual “paint and sip” event (with non-alcoholic beverages, of course!) over Zoom to raise money for their next projects.

In the meantime, local first responders will receive their tokens of appreciation from the hearts of LI’s artists for the heart they show every day in keeping our community safe.

Caption: Lyndon Institute National Art Honor Society (NAHS) members and current juniors Lunamay Waterman (left) and Tori Young (right) stand before several Valentine boxes of treats prepared and decorated by them and other fellow NAHS members. These gift boxes were created for members of the local fire and police departments in appreciation for those who serve their community.

Caption: Several Valentine jars were decorated and filled with treats by students in Lyndon Institute’s National Art Honor Society (NAHS) as part of several gift boxes that were delivered to local fire and police departments in appreciation for those who serve their community.

Caption: Several Valentine jars were decorated and filled with treats by students in Lyndon Institute’s National Art Honor Society (NAHS) as part of several gift boxes that were delivered to local fire and police departments in appreciation for those who serve their community.