WIN

Franklin’s classes have participated in the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition for the past six years. Up until last year, Armstrong Junior High School was one of two junior high schools competing against high schools and private schools who had more programs that Armstrong did.

Makayla Weaver was one of

Franklin’s students who won a silver award for the competition’s drawing and illustration category. During her time in Franklin’s class, she learned drawing is more than just a casual activity.

“Drawing is not just something that you can just play around with. It’s also a passion that you have to have for it,” Weaver said.

For most of the class, the students went in not knowing much about the fundamentals of drawing other than making doodles in class. Jordan Howard, who also earned a silver award, talked about how much she and her classmates had learned from Franklin’s class last semester.

“A lot of us went in not knowing what we were doing, but Mr. Franklin did a good job of teaching us how to do everything,” Howard said.

During Franklin’s classes, students partake in a lot of sketching and acrylic painting which are things that they practice every day in class.

Looking back on last semester, Franklin expressed how proud he was of the students for doing what was asked of them, taking the assignment, and running with it.

“I hope they learned something while they were in my class, and I think they did. A majority of the students enjoyed the class because I pushed them,” said Franklin. “We worked hard every day all the way from the beginning to the end. They accomplished everything that I asked of them. I told them that I wanted them to win, and that’s exactly what they did.”