More than 400 students and adults from Seymour Dual Language Academy, 108 Shonnard St., will demonstrate their relationships in the Near Westside community by forming a human chain from their school to La Casita Cultural Center, 109 Otisco St., beginning at 1 p.m. June 7.  

The “Hand-in Hand” celebration is the culmination of the annual, yearlong "Seymourofus" program. The students hope their human chain will also attract people to visit an exhibition of their work, "Places of Belonging," in the La Casita Gallery (May 29-June 30). An Opening Reception for the exhibition will be held on May 29 from 5 to 7 p.m.

"Seymourofus" (see-more-of-us) engages students in creativity-centered learning. This is the fifith year the thematic program has been offered. This year, students researched places of belonging - ways that they belong to many different communities. Their studies included:

• 5th graders interviewing more than 50 professionals, from judges to air-traffic controllers;
• 4th graders visiting historic New York sites and working with the Onondaga Historic Association;
• 3rd graders studying world cultures and planning events with La Casita Cultural Center.

On June 7, students will hold hands with each other, and with families and friends. They will also pass hoops from one end of the chain to the other to show how people need each other and  work together to grow strong relationships.

About Seymourofus 
Seymourofus is funded by a grant from J.P. Morgan Chase and matched by resources from the Syracuse Teachers Association, Syracuse Education Foundation, Syracuse University Department of Art Education, Say Yes, and La Casita Cultural Center. The project began as a school reform initiative with Partners for Arts Education. Teaching artists Oscar Garces, Roberto Perez, Rebecca Jackson, Emily Puccia-Colasacco, Diane Schenendoah, and Laura Reeder have worked closely with students during the 2011-12 school year. 

About La Casita
La Casita is a vibrant cultural, artistic, and educational center supported by Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Chancellor.  The Center is committed to promoting and documenting the arts and culture of Central New York’s Latino/Latin American community through collaborative programming in the visual and expressive arts, education, and community activism.