HOLYROOD — USD 112 elementary and middle school teacher Jennifer Berg has found a new way to display her student’s artwork. They are all in an online gallery at www.artsonia.com where parents or grandparents who live in faraway places can see their students’ art.

"It’s a nice way to share," said Berg. "Our parents really enjoy it."

Berg learned of the site at a conference, and it has been a hit with parents and students. The student’s work is listed by their first name under the school. All parents have to approve the work being placed on the site, and the work is uploaded up by project and grade level.

Comments can be made, but parents have to approve the comments. Parents can also start a fan club for their child.

Parents can then order such items T-shirts, coffee cups or cards with their students’ artwork. A certain percentage comes back to the school art program.

Berg enjoys teaching art. "Art is one thing that doesn’t have a cut and dried answer. It gives them (students) a chance at critical thinking and problem solving in a different way," she said.

"When MIT send their students to art class, it should tell us something," said Berg.

Berg has four years of teaching experience with two at USD 112 and particularly enjoys her job when the students get excited about art. "When they get excited, I get excited," the art teacher said.

However, she does admit is it time consuming. Bert has been using the site for two years and puts every art piece on the internet. At the end of the year, she estimated that she had put 1200 pieces of art at artsonia.

In her classes, Bergs teaches does a little bit of everything, including teaching the principles of design and warm and cool colors. She incorporates social studies reading and math into the students’ projects.

The teacher is from Great Bend, graduating from GBHS in 2002. She still has family in the area.