The Willow Fork Drainage District’s Central Green opened in 2012 with a commitment to providing the public with the best free programs and entertainment. Yvonne Arceneaux, the park’s director, has spent the last seven years listening to the needs and wants of park visitors so that the park can enrich the lives of Katy residents.

One thing Arceneaux heard repeatedly: parents of homeschooled children were struggling to teach their children art.

“Teaching art to their kids was something they personally were not capable of doing,” Arceneaux said.

Seeing a need in the community, Arceneaux reached out to Joanna Quinterro from Abrakadoodle art school to discuss the possibility of teaching children art technique at Central Green.

The program was a success, and Central Green’s model for teaching art to homeschooled children has now reached national acclaim. Each class draws between 65 and 85 children, Arceneaux reported.

Once a month, Abrakadoodle Art School comes out to Central Green. They teach the children about a specific artist, and then they show the children some techniques to emulate the art.

“For example, they teach the kids about van Gogh, and then they'll paint Starry Night,” said Arceneaux. “We will feature a different artist each time, and they make it very easy for them to recreate or do their best rendition of that art project.”

The program follows the Katy ISD academic calendar, and art lessons are always on the last Friday of each month. All ages from 3-years-old to grade 6 are welcome to attend. The children are divided into age-appropriate groups.

Teachers work one-on-one with the students, and even parents are encouraged to participate. Not only is the program free- Abrakadoodle provides all the supplies for the classes.

Arceneaux reported that in addition to teaching children the value of art, it also gives them the opportunity to make friends with other homeschooled kids. “It's a great social outlet to the kids,” she said. “They’ve made friendships. I've seen some of these kids that have come for the past six years, and I've seen them grow up together and develop friendships. We'll see them now leave in groups and go to lunch or go shop at LaCenterra after class.”

Arceneaux understands the need for art programs for homeschooled children on a personal level. “I homeschooled my youngest son because he had a lot of health issues,” she said. “My personal experience is that you have to work to make sure that the students are introduced to other students that are in their age group, because social interaction is difficult. It's key to join groups or have your children involved in activities outside of the home so that they can meet people and get that social interaction.”

The class is free and open to all children- not just homeschooled children- although the classes take place during the day. Registration is not required, but Arceneaux recommends that students register so that Abrakadoodle knows how many supplies to bring.

For more information or to register, visit centralgreenpark.com.