An art teacher at Lisbon High School, Elaine Cyr, brought to the attention of this Advocate reporter that one of her former students, Chris Metzger, teaches an art class at St. Paul’s School in Baltimore. Recently one of Metzger’s students, a seventh grader, Jazzmine Alston, was nationally recognized for her art work. Alston attended an art class called Protest Art Class during a summer/after school program offered at the school. As a class assignment, Alston painted a portrait of Barak Obama. However, this portrait became much more than just an assignment.

A week before the Inauguration, Metzger was asked by Rob Paymer, director of the Bridges Art Program, if he would be interested in designing shirts for the Obama Inauguration. Metzger accepted the assignment and thought of Alston’s portrait of Obama, which he thought would look good on a shirt. During the Inauguration, people saw Metzger and Paymer wearing the Obama shirts and they, too, wanted one.

The first three days, about 400 pink shirts were sold. Pink is the favorite color of the designer, Alston. One dollar from every

t-shirt sold will go toward Alston’s college fund. An additional dollar will go to the non-profit organization, Bridges Program, offered at St. Paul’s Schools.

If you would like to know more about the Bridges Program and the t-shirts, visit www.google.com and type in Chris Metzger Baltimore News, click on the link 7thGrader Cashes in With Obama Art – wjz.com. If you are interested in purchasing an Obama t-shirt for $12 each, click on the link under the title, Purchase an Obama Shirt. All of the information you need to get an official Barack Obama pink t-shirt is on the Web site.