How Sigma Alpha’s Gift Sparked a New Era of Art at Heartspring

Every child deserves the chance to explore, create, and discover what they’re capable of. Thanks to Sigma Alpha’s generosity, our students can create ceramic art with a professional kiln on our campus!

Julie Noller leads our Therapeutic School’s art program and says the kiln, affectionately named Burnie, is already transforming how our students create, explore, and express themselves. Sigma Alpha’s donation didn’t just fund equipment but helped unlock a new creative process for our students to explore.

Pottery takes a long time, and it’s important to trust the process. The kiln opens the door to multi-step projects that teach patience, process, and pride. From shaping clay to glazing and firing their first pieces, our students have learned to wait for the end result instead of expecting a finished product right away.

“Pottery helps them create something outside of a moment,” Julie said. “If we paint something today, and I bring it back a week or two later after the glaze transforms it in the heat, it’s basically unrecognizable from before it went in, but our students remember their work.”

For many of our students, art offers a powerful new language, giving them another way to express themselves, and communicate through color, texture, and form instead of words.

Now, a kiln is a serious piece of equipment, and safety was the number one priority as our Facilities team worked to make this pledge a reality. They built a ventilated kiln room with a gate and padlock so students can safely watch the process without the danger of hot equipment or fragile items being a safety risk. Shelving was added to keep finished pieces protected, and the kiln’s venting and installation mean the outside stays only warm to the touch.

We’re so excited for the opportunity to make this a reality for our students and look forward to seeing how this project grows with our Student Enrichment program. Through this program, our students get to participate in art, music, adaptive physical education, vocational, and community experiences that help them grow beyond the classroom.

“We believe in empowering students through creativity and hands-on learning and believe the kiln will open new doors for expression, confidence, and growth,” said Stacie Williamson, a Sigma Alpha Sorority member. “It is inspiring to know our gift will have a lasting impact on the lives of the incredible students and staff of Heartspring.”

Often, students with neurodevelopmental disorders leave school unprepared for further education, employment, and independent living in the community, but our generous donors help bridge the gap for children so they can apply what they’ve learned in the real world. Our donors make a tangible difference in the lives of our students and staff and turn possibilities into realities on a daily basis.

Thank you again, Sigma Alpha, for helping us put clay, color, and possibility into the hands of our students. Your gift isn’t just equipment — it’s a community invitation for students to be makers, learners, and proud creators.