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Grantee: Mary Carpenter and Mary Pat Kanaley

Project Title: "Ponies in the Park"
Year awarded: 2021, Round 1

Ponies in the Park is a fully illustrated, four-color, hardback picture book, which incorporates Spokane’s Riverfront Park into local art and history education. The picture book is written and illustrated by local artist, author and former educator, Mary Pat Kanaley and children’s author, Mary Carpenter. The creative story will pique a child’s interest in learning about the sculptures and the history of Riverfront Park. The book will also contain supportive materials including photographs, educational facts, and an interactive scavenger hunt revolving around the sculptures in the park. A website will be created where lesson plans and virtual presentations will be available for teachers and parents to use.

The pandemic event drove schooling to an online platform during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years. Teachers and parents are searching for interactive educational materials with activities to successfully engage their children. SAGA is supporting the creation of this project providing a multi-sensory approach to art and history, both in and out of the traditional classroom setting.