SANDPOINT — The Pend Oreille Arts Council won a $11,000 grant from 101 Women Sandpoint for its Kaleidoscope Visual Arts and the Ovations Performing Arts Educational Outreach programs last week. 

POAC partners with the Lake Pend Oreille School District and other local organizations for its outreach programs, which focus on bringing art to students. POAC said the volunteer-run program serves around 3,700 students per year across Bonner County. 

Claire Christy, arts coordinator at POAC, helped present the organization’s pitch at the 101 Women’s fall meeting. Christy has been involved at nearly every step of the Kaleidoscope program beginning with her time as an elementary schooler in the classes to now overseeing it in her role with POAC. 

"I was thrilled; it was a big full circle moment for me,” Christy said. “To be awarded the grant afterwards was very validating, it was a big celebratory night for us.” 

The grant money will be split between the two programs with grant money going toward new and higher-quality art supplies for Kaleidoscope program and venue rentals for Ovations, according to Christy.  

The Kaleidoscope arts program brings art classes directly to students, hosting art classes at five LPOSD schools for third through sixth grade students. Around 60 volunteers head into the classrooms for one to two hours a month to help students build a foundation in the visual arts, such as principals of design and basic elements of art. 

"We provide all the supplies for our lessons that we’ve designed to fit with Idaho course standards,” Christy said. “There’s absolutely no cost barrier for teachers, students and schools ... we try to elevate the materials a little bit so they can have a successful lesson.” 

POAC’s Ovations program focuses on the performing arts, hosting workshops and classes for youth to get their first look at the world of acting and music. The organization partners with local schools and the Panida Theater to bring performances centered on exposing students to cultures and celebrating diversity.  

"Every performer that we book has to have an outreach aspect,” Christy said. “They’ve been exposed to different cultures, dance... it always varies what we end up booking, but when we do book these outreach programs are at the top of mind.” 

In order to hand out the grant, 101 Women conduct multiple rounds of discussion and interviewing with candidates. This year, Vicki Reich, board president of 101 Women, said the grant committee narrowed down the candidates from 16 to three. 

Those three organizations — POAC, Kaniksu Land Trust and Selkirk Conservation Alliance — presented to attending members at the fall meeting of 101 Women. Every member got a vote in deciding which organization should win the grant, and Reich said great pitches from all three made it difficult. 

"The most overheard thing amongst our members ‘Wow, this is a really hard decision,’” Reich said. “We do encourage our members to support the two applicants who do not receive the grant in any way that they can.” 

Reich said POAC’s presentation stood out to her personally because of Christy’s personal testimony and the thought of kids not having a proper art education. 

"Here she is now running the program and how much of an influence that program has on her, that was quite moving,” Reich said of Christy’s presentation. “Those two things really stuck with me.” 

More information on POAC’s programs can be found on their website artinsandpoint.org.