From Classroom to Gallery: PCF Grant Brings Professional Art Display to Pomerado Elementary

The Poway Community Foundation proudly awarded Pomerado Elementary School Foundation (PAWs) a grant of $8,575 for the Classroom to Gallery, Pomerado Art Initiative. The funding purchased a movable art display system to showcase artwork from all 330 TK through 5th grade students at Pomerado, a small Title I school where every student receives weekly art instruction.

The new display system transformed Pomerado's annual Spring Art Show, an event that draws more than 300 community members. Makeshift PVC displays were replaced with professional, movable gallery panels, expanding exhibition capacity so that for the first time, 100% of student artwork could be shown.

The impact was immediate. A post-show survey of students and parents was overwhelmingly positive, pointing to greater personal pride, stronger school spirit, and real gains in artistic confidence. Families reported feeling more connected to the school community, and staff and volunteers noted significantly reduced setup time compared to the old system.

Beyond the Spring Art Show, the display system will support Multicultural Night, Career Day, Fall Festival, and other school events for years to come, reaching thousands of community members.

Thanks to the generous support of the Poway Community Foundation, Pomerado Elementary now has a lasting space where creativity shines and every student can see themselves celebrated as an artist, sharing their stories, cultures, and imagination through art.