Baty ES students see their artwork featured on CapMetro bus for Art on the Bus

Eight Baty ES fourth grade students attended the unveiling of the CapMetro bus featuring their work on Monday as part of a collaborative effort to raise awareness about preserving the environment.

They saw their art pieces prominently displayed outside one of the transportation authorities' electric buses, which will carry thousands of community members through the streets of Austin and Del Valle.

“It’s amazing, especially since CapMetro is always driving along Riverside. I’m really hoping we get to see it on the road,” said BES art teacher Elaine Carney. “They were excited when they found out. I don't think they quite understood it would be on the outside of the bus, so now, seeing it in person, they understood.”

The event culminated a lesson on public transit and sustainability, with the theme “Future World.” Artists with Creative Action worked with all fourth-grade BES art students over a month, learning about the environment, public transportation, and art and how the three can come together. Students then created artwork depicting where they see themselves or their community in 10 years, using sustainable materials and natural dyes to bring their visions to life.

“This is so great for our students to participate in because they get to show their creativity. It’s such a great opportunity for them, and it gives them the confidence to know they are making a difference,” said DVISD Board President Shaira Ramzanali.

“DVISD is a champion of the fine arts, and Baty Elementary is representing the district and community well today. We’re proud of them,” Fine Arts Coordinator Joe Rush said.

Students also got to talk a bit about the inspiration for their pieces, whether their own future or what they see happening in the world or hope to see in the next decade.

“I was thinking about the ocean because there's a lot of pollution. I wasn't thinking about nature or the forest, but the ocean because of what’s happening to it,” said student Marcela Crispin.

The selected student artists include Xayla Angel-Garcia, Tahiz Contreras-Mora, Luis Almendaris-Urbina, Alexandra Soliz Erazo, Khyra Turner, Shazia Mohammadullah, Marcela Crispin, and Braelynn Vash.

“I think DVISD does a really great job prioritizing the fine arts, and so I’m just really proud of my students and how hard they worked on this art project for CapMetro,” said BES Principal Joel Deborah. “I think it's great to see them in these big circumstances where they might not normally get to see all this and understand how public transportation works, and to see their art on a huge bus going down the street is really going to be exciting for them.”

Keep an eye out for CapMetro bus 2121 on the road! It reads, “Clean air for tomorrow, imagined by student artists from Baty Elementary,” so you can’t miss it.