When I think of elementary school, I envision a colorful world of creativity, boldness, laughter, and learning-specifically emphasizing finding joy and excitement within the learning process. Mr. Bowen's music classroom fulfills each of these expectations and more. Being in Mr. Bowen's class is a quintessential reminder of childhood and evokes familiar memories and feelings. When choosing my project, I sought out to capture a subject that was fun, engaging, and enthusiastic, and Mr. Bowen's class was the perfect choice. I created this project with the ambition of showing the happiness and companionship that is brought forth in elementary school, and reinforcing the idea that school is not just for academic education, but has a greater purpose of nurturing children in every aspect of their lives, including simply letting kids be kids.

I want to give a special appreciation to Mr. Bowen. In his first few months as a teacher, I believe he has already made a monumental impact on anyone who enters his classroom. Mr. Bowen is truly there for his students and encourages all of them as both musicians and young people who are growing up and trying to navigate the world we live in. As a college freshman who moved across the country to North Carolina, Mr. Bowen has made me feel an additional level of comfort and support. From short conversations in his free time between classes and even giving me candy on Halloween, Mr. Bowen has been an amazing person to spend time around. I also want to thank the entire Lakewood community for welcoming our photography class with open arms and letting us experience some of the incredible community you have.