Gabrielle Reimann of Crest Hill Elementary has been invited to a congressional
reception on Capitol Hill through the ArtLink Cultural Exchange Program sponsored
by VSA arts.

Casper, May 10, 2007 - VSA arts of Wyoming is pleased to announce that Gabrielle Reimann
of Crest Hill Elementary has been invited to a congressional reception on Capitol Hill,
Washington D.C. on June 6, 2007. Gabrielle and her parents will be attending as guests of
VSAarts. Gabrielle is one of thirteen participating students representing the ArtLink Exhibition.
Her art piece will be part of a display of artwork from children around the world as part of the
VSA arts Start with the Arts Family Festival in Washington D.C.

Gabrielle Reimann is a second grader at Crest Hill Elementary School. The second graders
along with their art teacher Paulette Parente, participated in the ArtLink Cultural Exchange
Program. The students were paired with students from Kenya. The Crest Hill class was one
of 96 domestic and international classrooms creating and exchanging artwork on the theme
"CultureScope: Focus in on My Life." Of the fifty pieces selected to be exhibited at Union
Station June 5 - 30,2007, Gabrielle's was one of thirteen selected to go to Capitol Hill.

Please see the accompanying release from VSAarts Washington D.C.

VSA arts Highlights Children's Artwork. in International Exhibition at Union Station

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2007 - VSA arts' will display the visual artwork of children from around
the world as part of its annual Start with the Arts Family Festival at Union Station in Washington
from June 5 to 24.

ArtLink, an international cultural exchange program in its sixth year, paired 51 U.S. classrooms
with their global cotmterparts IastNovember. Students aged 7-14 created visual arts projects
that were exchanged with an international partner classroom. One piece of artwork: by a
student in each classroom was selected to join the exhibition at the festival.

"What is great about ArtLink is that children reflect on their own culture, and then learn about
how students in other countries live," said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. "In a world
that is increasingly global this program broadens children's views at an age when they are
forming impressions."

The ArtLink program emphasizes diversity and provides an opportunity for students to
appreciate other cultures. Art becomes the bridge to allow students to share their personal
experiences and create new friendships. "Culture Scope: Focusing in on My Life" is this
year's theme.

Thirteen participating U.S. students with disabilities representing the ArtLink: Exibition will
come to Washington for a congressional reception on Capitol Hill on June 6: Seng Keng Moua
from Anchorage, Alaska; Robert Bema! from Sacramento, Calif.; Queen Hudgins from the
District of Colmnbia; Catie Updyke from Santa Rosa Beach, PIa.; Kim Squires from Kansas City,
Kan.; Curtis Schaefer from Clio, Mich.; Alexis Baham from Puckett, Miss.; Dylan Gray from
Aberdeen, N. J.; Luke Montemarano from Westerville, Ohio; Erin White from Pawtucket, R.I.;
Jose Antonio Prado from Salt Lake City, Utah; Matthew Cartner from Brattleboro, Vt; and
Gabrielle Reimann from Casper, Wyo.

VSA arts' affiliates facilitated the recroitment of participating schools and coordinated teaching
artists to work directly with the classrooms. Teachers received information about partner
classrooms and guidelines for incorporating ArtLink into their lesson plans. The program
integrates arts in education through a standard educational curriculum and can be used by
educators who teach a variety of subjects. A teacher's guide provides ways to create and
maintain an inclusive classroom for students with diverse learning needs and cultural
backgrounds.

VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean
Kennedv Smith to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in,
and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the
tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the
accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts/or people
with disabilities. Each year millions o.fpeople participate in VSA arts programs through a
nationwide network of affiliates and in more than 60 countries around the world. VSA arts is an
affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information visit
www.vsarts.org.