Confluence ProjectConfluence Project in the Schools
This section of the website funded by MJ Murdock Charitable Trust.
Confluence Project in the Schools is a classroom-based arts-education program that links K–12 students, teachers, professional artists and their communities to the Confluence Project. Students undertake the same assignment given to Maya Lin, namely to look at each Confluence Project site from both a Euro-American and Native American perspective and to create artwork that explores these views of the land and Lewis and Clark's impact upon it. Through the artistic process, students will discover the complexity of American history and the multiple narratives that have shaped American culture and the Pacific Northwest.
Participating Schools
Bush School, Seattle, Washington
Students researched Native American conservation efforts and explored the vital relationship between public art and its environment through Seattle-based public artworks. Students and teachers constructed and landscaped a garden space using small and large stones, benches and a bridge to symbolize "confluence."
Camas High School, Camas, Washington
History and horticulture students from the high school replanted the indigenous camas lily at three sites in Camas. By working at historically significant Corps of Discovery sites, students gained appreciation for the significant changes to their local environment since Lewis and Clark's expedition.
Catlin Gabel School, Portland, Oregon
Students from the school completed painting 6 x 6-inch terra cotta tiles that have been wall-mounted together to create a single mural. The artwork has been surrounded by native plant landscaping.
Chinook Elementary School, Vancouver, Washington
Students partnered with their families to create the "River of Choices," an outdoor public art sculpture made of unique, kiln-fired tiles imprinted with images representing the past, present and future. The setting invites visitors to consider how their choices today will influence a shared future.
Clarkston High School, Clarkston, Washington
Students from the high school created a sculpture garden using etched columnar basalt columns. The artwork reflects the shared determination of the indigenous Nez Perce tribe to retain their rich culture and the Corps of Discovery to endure, survive and reach the Pacific Ocean.
Clear Creek Middle School, Gresham, Oregon
Students created a mural at the school's entrance depicting the Lewis and Clark Trail across the United States, including information about the Native American tribes they encountered along the way. A new interpretive pathway weaves through revitalized wetlands on the school grounds.
Fort Vancouver High School, Vancouver, Washington
Students collaborated to create an obelisk covered in ceramic tiles commemorating Lewis and Clark. Each panel depicts 25 years of history beginning before 1750 and continuing through 2050. Students also developed companion materials, including a Website, to make the project more widely accessible.
Frontier Middle School, Vancouver, Washington
Students have created a quilt featuring imagery inspired by indigenous plant and animal species and Lewis and Clark's journals. An accompanying memory book contains poetry, journal entries, fiction, photos and drawings reflecting Lewis and Clark's journey and the environmental challenges faced by Native Americans influenced by their expedition.
Grace Academy, Portland, Oregon
Faculty and students reflected local history in a collection of artwork that includes a permanent 12 x 16-foot public mural, a series of 22 black-and-white woodcuts, 21 two-color prints, a 127-page anthology of student art and creative writing, and a documentary.
Grantham Elementary School, Clarkston, Washington
More than 200 students and teachers from Grantham painted ceramic tiles using Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark themes. Collectively, the tiles make up a seven-foot-tall, three-sided Legacy Tower, which was erected in a new community park and represents the past, present and future.
Harvey Scott Elementary School, Portland, Oregon
Students from the school created the Columbia River Storybook, a bound collection of student drawings, writings, songs and activities encouraging stewardship of the natural and cultural history of the Columbia River region. Content was enriched by cultural insights from Mandan-Hidatsa and Warm Springs tribe members and diverse environmental experts.
Heights Elementary and Lincoln Middle schools, Clarkston, Washington
Students from the two schools joined together to create a sculptural timeline featuring 20 images painted on 17-inch square stone blocks, depicting the history and culture of their neighbors, the local Niimiipuu (or Nez Perce) tribe. Interpretive bronze plaques and seating under a garden trellis encourage contemplation.
» Heights Elementary Photo Gallery
» Lincoln Middle Photo Gallery
Heritage High School, Vancouver, Washington
Students created a colorful mural made from handmade tiles, personalized by students, teachers and community members. The mural portrays the story of the Vancouver-Orchards area and is accompanied by a wave-shaped wall representing the Pacific Ocean, a wind sculpture and stepping stones.
Hilltop School, Long Beach, Washington
Students created a permanent exhibit to show vital changes in environment and culture during three historical periods: the Native American era, present day and the future. The artwork is made out of distinct materials, such as cedar, copper, Plexiglas, vinyl and chrome, to reflect each era.
Ilwaco Junior/Senior High schools, Ilwaco, Washington
Junior and senior high students created a mural called Porcelain Ocean. The 30 x 3-foot, three-panel ceramic artwork illustrates the vibrant sea life important to both the modern commercial fishing industry of the peninsula and the historic culture of the indigenous Chinook Indians.
Legacy High School, Vancouver, Washington
Confluence Reflections, a mixed-media artwork that represents the Columbia River, was created by students at the high school. Featured in a special exhibition at the Clark County Historical Museum, the work includes clay, copper and glass elements, imagery of native flora and fauna, and Columbia Plateau and Northwest Coast Native American art images.
Marysville Elementary School, Portland, Oregon
A diverse group of fourth- and fifth-grade students are drawing from their own distinct cultural backgrounds to create the Marysville Pictograph project. The project centers on a natural mound that houses large pieces of basalt with painted and/or etched images depicting the "Tongue" story, drawn from the "Clackamas Chinook Texts."
Pasco School District, Pasco, Washington
Four schools in the district participated in creating a series of art projects in partnership with the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau:
- Ruth Livingston Elementary School students created a 26-tile mural titled The ABCs of the Corps of Discovery, which depicts various aspects of Lewis and Clark's journey.
- Rowena Chess Elementary School students wrote and performed a play based on Lewis and Clark's expedition. They also helped create props and the set design.
- Isaac Stevens Middle School students created mini murals based on aspects of the Corps of Discovery's journey. Four were selected for permanent display in the school's main hallway.
- McLoughlin Middle School students painted a mural illustrating a compass rose with four elements critical to the changing face of the mid-Columbia region: a free-flowing Columbia River; a regional dam; fish, farmland and the open horizon; and the silhouettes of Lewis and Clark.
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Pasco High School students teamed up and submitted proposals for a permanent artwork installation. Judges selected a design that uses various metals to create shapes representing the river, fish and other symbols.
Pioneer Elementary School, Vancouver, Washington
Students and teachers created individual tiles to illustrate their family heritages and cultures. They formed the tiles into a 32-foot-long, river-shaped mural with copper fish swimming above it, titled Flowing to the Future.
Reynolds School District, Fairview, Oregon
Students and teachers in the Reynolds School District researched Native American culture, the environment, and Lewis and Clark to create artworks located at six sites in Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village. At Reynolds High School, students etched designs into natural Columbia River basalt stones and set them into cement footpaths.
Roosevelt High School, Seattle, Washington
Working with local glass artist Richard Weiss, students created an arched, leaded-glass window weaving together pictures recalling Lewis and Clark's journey along the Columbia River and included imagery specific to the Seattle area. The "Corps of Discovery Quilt" hangs nearby.
Sacajawea Elementary School, Vancouver, Washington
Using traditional basketweaving techniques of Columbia River Basin Native Americans, three fourth-grade classes from the school worked together to create two large woven baskets. Each basket contains students' writings describing their personal visions of a future where cultural and natural resources are honored and preserved.
Shahala Middle School, Vancouver, Washington
Students here studied trade practices throughout the Columbia River Basin and made necklaces to exchange with other students. To document their learning, students also created a board featuring a map with information about present-day trade and two supporting posts representing the past and hopes for the future.
The Dalles Middle School, The Dalles, Oregon
Sixth-grade students created two murals: a broken-tile mosaic featuring images of the Northwest, the Bridge of the Gods, Tsagaglalal ("She Who Watches") and Celilo Falls, and a handmade tile mosaic depicting the Columbia River teeming with salmon.
The Dalles Wahtonka High School, The Dalles, Oregon
Students designed artwork to celebrate the Columbia River and the salmon that live in it. The permanent installation on the Salmon Parkway will complement a community trail and feature places to contemplate the past, present and future of the river and surrounding environment.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Vancouver, Washington
Students explored the theme of "confluence" by creating a river of fused-glass masks that wind down the walls of the foyer at their school. The mask-making process helped students understand their connections to the world and to each other.
Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Vancouver, Washington
Students learned about the public art world by participating in a formal call for entries for the Confluence Project in the Schools. A jury of local community members selected artwork that will be created for a future display.
Maya Lin thanks the schools (Quicktime video)
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