Fourth graders at Boise-Eliot/Humbold School had a unique field trip to the watershed that focused on water and art. The Portland Water Bureau guides hundreds of students through the Bull Run each year to study water science and engineering. The Boise-Eliot/Humboldt field trips added a special mission: visit Bull Run and bring the experience back to Portland through art.

The special tour was designed for these students to experience the watershed through their five senses – even taste. Students took a silent walk through the forest; recorded sound from inside a dam; practiced photo yoga; and tasted an oxalis plant. Upon returning to school, they created the artwork on display in February 2016 in the City Hall atrium.

Aidan Burger

Lonely Cloud
Like cotton candy
I see the clouds racing
Lonely Cloud

Asiyah Muhammad

Spiderweb
Spiderweb like art
Spiderwebs like wheels
Spiderwebs like echo markings
Spiderweb

Aunna Brown

The Greenest Plants
Like a tree in the ground
with roots will go round and round sun comes up
stars go down the leaves will grow small
in town
The Greenest Plants

Edwin Ascencio

Elijah Sarinana

Leaf
Railroad track
Snake
Leaf

Jeremiah Fuentes

Light and Trees
I see trees like mushrooms and muddy legs
and lights that remind me of gerbil cages
the light reminds me of waterfalls, too.

Joshua (Malcolm) Bunyoli

The Wall
The wall is black as a cat,
the wall is dark as a park at night, in sight, the wall has moss
Moss as Ross
The Wall

Kysen Tremell Lambert

Grass
Looks like hashbrowns
Looks like carrots
Grass

Mahogany Chandler-Roberts

Mia Rhodes

Three Leaves
The three leaves are shining brighter than a star and it’s cooler than Mars.
It’s pure like the sky.
It makes me say, “Oh, My.”
The dew drops are like lights coming from the sky.
Three Leaves

Nickara Colbert

Nylina Brown

Plant from Above
I see the shape of Mickey Mouse.
This reminds me of Pineapple.
As a Ross boss as a cat as a tree above.
from the night.
Plant from Above

Sefanet Mulugeta

Ziereay Forks

Leaf
Leaf shall tree
Like a leaf and a string
Green as grass
A shape on a cake cutter
Leaf