9/30/2009 6:00:00 PM Mars returns to Philadelphia
as elementary school teacher
By LEAH TOLBERT Staff Reporter
More than 750 students at Philadelphia Elementary School are learning to draw more independently under the guidance of a new art teacher this year who is no stranger to the community.
Mary Lea Mars' goal is to leave creative impressions upon the youth of PES, helping each of them create art they can appreciate throughout their lives.
Not only did Mars, 23, have the same art professors at the University of Mississippi as her mother, now she is teaching in the same room her mother occupied as an art teacher at PES from 1990-93.
PES Principal Lee Ann Fulton told Mars that she might, on occasion, find a piece of pottery in the home of a former student that was created in her mother's classroom.
Mars is the daughter of Ginny Mars, formerly of Philadelphia and now of Tuscaloosa, and James and Kim Mars of Philadelphia. She is the granddaughter of Dawn
and Mont Mars of Philadelphia, Polly Griffin of Robinsville, N.C. and the late Floyd Griffin. Her brothers are Sam, 21, Abe, 13, and Fent Mars, 13.
Mars hopes she can help her students create things in her art class that they appreciate and want to keep and treasure, which was always among her mother's goals as well.
One of the hardest tasks for the first-time teacher is trying to inspire students to be individually creative rather than copying her model designs.
Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten are the most challenging ages to bring out each student's creative talents, she said.
Mars is learning how to encourage the children to draw more independently each day.
"I have high expectations and want to help the kids improve their work to make more successful pieces of art," she said.
While introducing various mediums, Mars told her students they would be making charcoal outlines of their feet, sparking one curious-minded student to ask if the charcoal was from a grill.
Mars is encouraged and happy that the school district is interested in promoting the art program. She looks forward to the day when all her students know how to create artwork by utilizing many mediums.
After living in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Oxford, Mars is becoming accustomed to a small town, where family and work are about five minutes away with no traffic jams in between. For those reasons, she absolutely loves being here despite an adjustment after living most of her life in larger cities.
Mars believes she has found her dream job, noting that she was impressed that the principal believes it's important for teachers to reinforce respect not only among students but toward the other teachers and administrators as well.
"Every morning, we begin by asking 'how are you?' and in return, the students ask "how are you, Miss Mars?'" she said.
Mars is a 2009 graduate of Ole Miss with a degree in elementary education and an endorsement in English and art.
