Closing Oct. 14 @Rayko Photo Center: Victoria Heilweil: No Child Left Behind

Victoria Heilweil has been devoted to a project that is very personal for her. Turning her camera away from her home, she has put her energy into a documentary series that is important not just for her, but for many. For the past 20 years Heilweil has been an educator and she currently has a child in a San Francisco public school.  The artist had become angry, frustrated and incredulous at how teachers are portrayed in the media; and that they are blamed and vilified for our mounting issues in education.  To quote Heilweil, “My first hand experience of being excessively micro managed when I was an instructor at a certain college, and shock at how little funds my daughter’s classroom was given for yearly supplies, motivated me to start photographing. “San Francisco is facing a substantial teacher shortage.  A few months ago the Sunday Chronicle featured a cover story about how teachers are being priced out of the Bay Area, and that in nearly all other districts are paid more than in our city.  Yet despite this, all the educators Heilweil met were sincere and incredibly committed to their jobs. They really embody the idea of “No Child Left Behind”(not just the name of President Bush’s legislative act, but also the title of Heilweil’s long term project). The teachers were unwilling to let kids slip through the cracks and fought for them to succeed. They love their jobs and are inspiring and inspired.Victoria Mara Heilweil believes strongly in the importance and power of education.  “No Child Left Behind”celebrates K-12 educators, showing them with compassion and grace in order to pay respect to the selfless people that do such an important and overlooked job. Her project is a love letter to teachers: her heroes.This work will be on view at Rayko Photo Center from September 14th – October 14th with an opening reception on September 14th, from 6-8pm, shortly after school begins this fall. A perfect time to celebrate these educators!There will also be a screening of “Oyler,” a documentary film by Amy Scott about a Cincinnati public school fighting poverty in its Urban Appalachian neighborhood, on October 13th at 7pm at RayKo. Not to be missed!