Gaffney High digital photography students are merging travel and technology into an art project centered on a schoolwide theme of “Around the World in 180 days.”

Art teacher Dollie Blanton had students pick a favorite travel destination. The students then used computers to insert a photo of themselves traveling in places such as Paris, Hawaii and Australia.

Students researched and then put together fact boxes in their photo illustration containing information on the population, currency, the cost of an airline ticket and possible places to stay.

“I wanted the students to find out how much it would cost and what would really be involved in planning a trip to wherever they wanted to visit. I thought it would be a neat way to work our school’s Around the World theme into a class art project,” Blanton said. “We want to make art a larger part of our classes in school and expand art programs offered by our district.”

Gaffney High School was selected as an Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) site last spring. The ABC Project has been a statewide effort since 1987 to make sure students at all grade levels have access to a quality, comprehensive education in the arts.

Dance, drama, music, visual arts and creative writing are among the areas Gaffney High and the Cherokee County School District plan to emphasize over the next several years.

Music teachers received a grant earlier this year to start an honors choir for elementary and secondary students. Limestone music department chair Dr. Gena Poovey will serve as guest clinician for a secondary honors choir program.

The elementary honors choir will be under the direction of Meredith College Choral Director Dr. Fran Page, who graduated from Limestone College. The elementary honors choir will perform during the district’s art expo March 16.

An honors choir program and artists in residence are among the activities the Cherokee County School District has started this year with a $45,000 state Distinguished Art Grant.

The district will have Jim Creel as an artist in residence for workshops on print-making at Blacksburg and Gaffney High School in late January. Creel, whose artwork includes the billboard near “The Peddler” in Spartanburg, will give students a demonstration of print-making and discuss the different elements involved in creating art.

The district will use the grant so an artist in residence can present programs at several elementary schools on tapestry weaving this spring. Middle school students will spend time learning about the art of basket weaving.

“We want to introduce students to tapestry weaving and other art forms they normally don’t get an opportunity to experience in art class,” Blanton said. “Students will work on a tapestry that we hope to display at the district art expo.”