Alcoa in Australia: News: News From Australia: Sun, sand, sea, kids and aluminium art!


March 3, 2011 Sun, sand, sea, kids and aluminium art!
Students from Perth and the South-West will spend a day in a ‘classroom’ with arguably the best view in WA, when they attend the Sculpture by the Sea 'Alcoa School Education Program' at Cottesloe Beach over the next three weeks. This year, the ‘Alcoa School Education Program’ will see over 2200 students participate in hands-on workshops with artists who are exhibiting in what is now Perth’s largest outdoor art exhibition. As a major partner of Sculpture by the Sea, Alcoa of Australia invites a number of schools from around its WA operations to take part in the workshops - around 350 primary school children from the regions surrounding Kwinana, Pinjarra, Wagerup and Alcoa’s mining operations are travelling to Perth to participate. Alcoa of Australia Managing Director, Alan Cransberg, said: “It’s a fantastic day out of their usual learning environment. If previous years are anything to go by, the kids have so much fun interacting with the sculptures and creating their own, that they probably forget they’re actually doing a lot of important learning in the process.” Alcoa’s metal, aluminium - in the form of aluminium wire and foil - is one of the materials the children will use to create their mini-masterpieces. Aluminium, described as the ‘miracle metal’ for its versatility and endless recyclability, also features in 10 sculptures this year. “We do a whole bunch of stuff with schools around our operations and our partnership with Sculpture by the Sea is another way we connect with kids - it’s wonderful to give so many kids this unique opportunity and hopefully they’ll learn a thing or two about our miracle metal too,” he said. “Our kids are the heart of our communities, our future, and as a father of four I certainly believe experiences like this enrich young lives.” In addition to the artist workshops, a further 6000 students are expected to learn more about the arts during excursions to Cottesloe, as their teachers utilise the online teaching resources available as part of the wider ‘Alcoa School Education Program’. 2011 marks the seventh year of Alcoa’s partnership with Sculpture by the Sea - the company has been involved since the outdoor exhibition first came to Perth in 2005. - ENDS – Media contact: Sarah Tempest 0404 800 417 Sculpture by the Sea runs from 3 – 22 March 2011. Schools invited by Alcoa and participating in 2011 are: Wednesday 9 March 2011 North Dandalup Primary School Dwellingup Primary School Waroona Primary School Medina Primary School Thursday 10 March 2011 Harvey Primary School Pinjarra Primary School North Parmelia Primary School Friday 11 March 2011 Yarloop Primary School Carcoola Primary School Photos available from 11 March 2011 of school children at the workshops and with sculptures on the beach. For more about Alcoa’s involvement with schools visit: www.alcoa.com.au/schools.