Fair Crystal students present stop-motion animations and garden plaques to Robbinsdale board

Students and staff from Fair Crystal Elementary showcased media arts animation projects and garden plaques at the Robbinsdale Area School Board meeting on May 19.

Principal Zorba Ross introduced the team and said the projects grew from a grant for an outdoor classroom. Art and media teacher Chris Murnane guided students through storyboarding, photography and editing for stop‑motion animation. Murnane explained the classroom process: students “started by planning our animations. We made a storyboard … and then we used our whiteboard and an iPad, and we made our animations.” Students described taking hundreds of still photos, editing and adding sound and voiceovers.

The second project produced about 80 engraved garden plaques to be placed on the school grounds next to plants in the outdoor classroom. Students designed two plaque types in Adobe Illustrator — a plant information plaque and a nature-exploration plaque — and district facilities engraved the designs. Student Shira described her nature-exploration plaque and Sofia explained an artist statement: “Dragon is symbolized by strength, leadership, confidence, and pride to treat everyone equally.”

Principal Ross credited staff and district partners for the project, thanking Jennifer Holt, Scott Carlson, Beth Meezing and John Michaels by name for help with the grant and production. Director Holmes confirmed the plaques and groundbreaking for the outdoor classroom were related and noted the projects were grant-funded.

Board members applauded the students for public presentation skills and thanked staff for the hands-on learning. Director Bassett and others asked to see the physical plaques; staff said the district’s engraver produced the signs on request and that the school had already placed the plaques on the grounds.

The presentation ended with a group photo and applause; the board then proceeded to other agenda items.