Creativity soared at The Watson Institute last week as the annual art show took place at the facility.

This year's theme was "Art Takes Flight" and featured various types of birds -- from penguins to flamingos to peacocks -- made by students working with a variety of materials.

Sherryl McCoy, art educator at the school, said the 127 students in the program took a vote in January to decide on a theme. Once the focus was chosen, they began working on their projects while studying pictures and learning all about the characteristics of the creatures, including feathers, how they lay eggs and more.

"Everyone participated to the best of their ability," said Shari Bruce, communications specialist at The Watson Institute.

Throughout the project, which took more than three months to complete as students receive art instruction for only 30 minutes per week, they learned the importance of working together.

"They see how we, as people, work together, how our talents compliment one another." McCoy said.

Students got to make all of the decisions about their bird. They chose their positions, if they wanted them to fly or stand and, generally, how they looked.

"It was very much directed by them," McCoy said.

"So much of what you do in school, you're told to do, but when you decide, it's completely different," Bruce added.

McCoy has been the art educator at The Watson Institute for more than 20 years. Each year she looks for themes for that art show that are common to the children. Last year's theme was dedicated to gardens.

More student artwork was showcased in the gymnasium and hallway during the show, which ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. last Thursday and again in the evening from 6:30 to 8:30.

"I'm really proud of my students. It's more important that they did the task than what it looked like in the end," McCoy said.

Some of the students have verbal language difficulties, McCoy said, so having the skills to be able to express themselves through imagery is an extremely valuable resource.

"Art is," she explained, "the first language."