Fine Arts student starts art program for Middle Way kids

Senior Emily Bornstein is as laid-back as they come — which is surprising, considering graduate school deadlines are quickly approaching, scholarship announcements are looming and the last semester of her undergraduate career is in full swing. 

Instead, Bornstein, a calm woman dressed in a simple black shirt, gives a discreet smile as she retells just what led her to be a finalist for the Big Ten Network’s Live Big scholarship — a financial reward for students involved with community service.

Having started the first art program for children at Middle Way House — a Bloomington safe haven for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault — Bornstein, a studio art major, is no stranger to the word “initiative.”

It began the summer after her sophomore year, when she started volunteering four days a week with adults who had developmental disorders. Watching them complete projects, she soon realized art therapy had incredible benefits.

“I was so excited I was there,” Bornstein said. “Even when I was tired in the morning and I didn’t want to go, I would always leave feeling so great. Art was a way for them to express themselves, and it was different than what they had growing up.”

As the summer concluded, Bornstein decided she wanted to start working with children in a similar way, either by joining an existing art program or by doing something a little more daunting.

“I was going to start one,” Bornstein said.

After joining Middle Way House, Bornstein began raising money on her own for art supplies. She reached out to family and friends, specifically through an Amazon Wish List. 

Though the supplies were limited at first, Bornstein said she saw immediate changes with the participants, many of whom had behavioral disorders.

“The ones who usually weren’t listening will listen during art time,” she said. “Or those who don’t talk, that are more reserved, they will talk and be engaged during art time.”

Bornstein said one of the greatest challenges of her involvement in the program is setting boundaries with the kids. After all, she wanted them to work around their challenges, not be punished for them.

She said some days are particularly brutal.

“Once in a while, you have a day with just you and 30 kids, and you’re like, ‘What am I thinking? Why am I here?’” she said. “Then you have the good days and you’re like,
‘That’s why.’”

The Live Big Scholarship rewards efforts to improve a student’s community. After picking five finalists from each Big Ten school, online voting began in which people could choose their favorite volunteer. The results will be announced at tonight’s IU men’s basketball game.

However, Bornstein isn’t worried about who won — after all, she’s preoccupied with hopes of being accepted to the social work program at Washington University in St. Louis.
 
A genuine sense of indifference and an eyes-on-the-prize mentality echoes in her every word.

“I don’t think I won,” she said with a shrug. “It’s fine. I think it was kind of a ‘who-knows-the-most-people-contest.’ My goal was more to let everyone in the University know about the art program. And people did end up emailing me, expressing interest.”