BC News

BCHS student photography to benefit African counterparts
Release Date: Dec. 16, 2008

Approximately 150 photos taken by Bethlehem Central High School photography students will be on sale in the school's lobby this Tuesday, Dec. 16, to benefit an organization started by a BC alumnus that teaches photography to African youth to brighten their economic prospects.

After graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology, BCHS Class of 1996 graduate Carrie Brown took her degree in fine art to Woe, Ghana where she became a documentary photographer in the western African nation. Upon her return to the United States, Brown founded Kekeli, a nonprofit school that teaches photo skills to Ghanaian youth so that they can make a career out of documenting weddings, funerals and other ceremonies.

All proceeds of the photography sale will benefit Kekeli. All photographs will sell for $5 at the sale, which runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the 16th in the BCHS main lobby. Members of the public are invited to visit the photo display, which will also feature work by Brown and some of her Ghanaian students.

BCHS students in Joleen Roe's photography classes have gotten to know Brown over the past few years as she has occasionally substituted taught at BCHS. In addition, Roe presents the her work and the Kekeli project to students as they cover photo journalism in class.

"They have become very interested in the possibility of helping locally, as well as the potential for some day volunteering in the program in Ghana," Roe said.

Roe credited BCHS student Maddy Magin, a senior in her Portfolio Class, Art Supervisor Melanie Painter, and the Bethlehem Parents as Art Partners Group for making the event possible.

The photo sale is also running during student lunch periods at the high school form December 17-23.

 

 

 

 

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