"Promoting artistic endeavors in Middletown is what the Middletown Committee for the Arts is all about," described event co-chair Diana Skaggs at the first ever Club Respect Student Art Exhibit which recently opened at the Middletown Public Library.

In partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Newport, the Committee worked with students who attend the Club Respect program at Oxbow Farms to provide some hands-on paint-to-canvas experiences.  Co-chaired by Committee members Diana Skaggs and Sharon Morgera, the project took a total of 6 months with the student's work being exhibited at the Celebration of the Arts event in August and again at the Middletown Public Library for the month of February.

Library Director, Theresa Coish was happy to welcome the students and guests to the exhibit's opening and shared that she hoped that this would be the first of many more exhibits and events like this to come. 

Middletown Police Chief Anthony Pesare announced at the event the importance of programs like this one to keep kids and families positively and actively involved in their commuity and added that in cooperation with the management at Oxbows Farms there would again be a MPD office located on site to provide a positive polkice presence in the neighborhood.

The students were delighted to show off their new discovered artistic skills and looked forward to many more opportunities like this one in the future.