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More than 220 students from Troy Elementary School that missed the International Arts Center’s Junior Warriors program because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will get the opportunity to make up the missed visit to Troy University’s campus.

Carrie Jaxon, IAC director and curator, said Junior Warriors is one of the IAC’s community outreach programs that expose fifth graders at Troy Elementary to what the IAC and Confucius Institute have to offer the community. Jaxon said the pandemic prevented the workshop from being held for a couple of years. Jaxon said the IAC was able to obtain a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts for $2,500 in order to help bring those sixth and seventh graders that missed the experience to campus.

“We want to thank the Alabama State Council on the Arts for awarding us this grant,” Jaxon said. “The grant allowed us to get the students that missed Junior Warriors to campus at no cost to the school. We’re grateful to the Alabama State Council on the Arts for that.”

Jaxon said Junior Warriors was a multi-faceted program to bring the community and Troy University together.

“It’s a program with three missions in mind,” Jaxon said “Firstly, bridging the community to the university and getting most of these children on campus for the first time. Ultimately, creating a good experience for them on campus. Secondly, providing a unique art experience, having them in a museum for the first time, and having college students guide them and lead workshops for them. We work with the Art Education students, who conduct the workshops, which is also a great experience for them leading to their professional careers. Lastly, to give them a multicultural experience through the collaboration with the Confucius Institute and also our Terracotta Warrior exhibition.”

Jaxon said the IAC collaborates with the Confucius Institute to create an experience of going to a museum, taking a tour, participating in an art workshop at the IAC and Confucius Institute. Jaxon said the students also eat lunch in the university’s dining hall, which, she said, is an exciting experience for the students because they get to mingle with college students.

She said the university’s School of Music also has a performance planned for the Junior Warriors.

The fifth and sixth grade classes will be on campus Nov. 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9 from 9 a.m. to noon. She said the seventh graders will attend Junior Warriors in the spring.