Dumpsters on Parade!

Mrs. McNitt's & Mrs. DePlaunty’s classroom have come together to participate in a Traverse City community project right in the heart of Downtown TC! For the second time, we are helping to beautify the alleys behind the storefronts by adding a splash of color. With a combination of students and professional artists, we are using American Waste’s commercial dumpsters as public art “canvases” to create theme based images based around what Traverse City is special for. We have been given eight separate dumpsters that are in the alley between Union and Park Street. Both classroom teachers, students and artists will be involved each step of the way to help coordinate the eventual application to the dumpsters.

1.  Introduce

Both classrooms were introduced to the idea by hearing about the first experience with Dumpsters on Parade that Westwoods initiated and participated in four years ago. It was a success and those dumpsters can be seen in the alley of Downtown TC between Cass and Union Street.

2.  Assign Theme, Research & Sketching

Students were ready to dive in! They were broken into eight separate groups where they chose their theme (after whole group brainstorming), then immediately starting researching ideas with one another. Sketching has already began based around their dumpster theme. Over the next few weeks students will continue to meet and add to their sketches until they are complete.

Here are the chosen themes:

Downtown Shops (Cherry Republic, Haystacks, Lilies of the Alley, etc.
Restaraunts in Downtown TC (Amical, Pangeas, Grand Traverse Pie Company, etc.)

Festivals (Cherry Festival, Film Festival, etc.)

Seasons (what to do in TC fall, winter, spring & summer)

Beaches, lakes, & rivers

Holidays in TC

Bijou & State Theater

Marina, Open Space & Splash Pad Area

*Ask your child which theme is theirs. Feel free to help your child up with ideas at home. Sketching can always be done individually to bring back to their group!

3.  Artists Take Over…

All sketches will be delivered to the artists to arrange and apply to the dumpsters.

4.  Painting Dumpsters

When the artists are done, students will go in and fill their applied sketches with paint.

5.  Unveiling the Dumpsters

On another occasion, all dumpsters will be delivered to their assigned spots in the alleys of Downtown Traverse City. (There will be an unveiling, and will let you know when that date is assigned.)  

Dates for the dumpster painting and unveiling have not yet been chosen. The day students will be painting the dumpsters will be a Saturday morning in May. That day students will be bussed back and forth that day from Westwoods to American Waste.

We are really looking forward to participating once again with American Waste and Downtown Traverse City for Dumpsters on Parade!

Please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns.