Posters created by students at Patricia "Kay" Beaver Elementary School are now on display on the second floor of the Ceres Community Center, unveiled Thursday evening at the city and members of its news Arts Committee.

The city of Ceres Parks & Recreation Department decided to create an Arts Committee with the goal of adding art to not only the Ceres Community Center and parks but to the community as well. Last month the city unveiled a large wall mural painted by artist Tyler Abshier. Earlier this year the city added art to the back of advertising billboards at Ceres River Bluff Regional Park.

The city next wants to create a mural in the fitness room.

Cambria Pollinger, a Recreation Supervisor with the city of Ceres, said eventually the city would like to find a way to add art to unsightly areas of Ceres "like dumpsters and electrical boxes similar to communities like Lodi and Manteca are painting."

The artwork incorporates the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" which guides the program at Beaver Elementary School. The school is the Ceres Unified School District's first leadership and character development magnet program. The program stresses to students the values in Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." They include: be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand then to be understood, synergize and "sharpen the saw." Covey has a student version of his book, "The Leader in Me," whose principles guide the education of students. As a magnet school, Beaver Elementary draws from the attendance boundaries of all existing schools, not necessarily its geographical region.

Students whose artwork is featured on the wall were drawn by first-graders Blake Betran, Adriella Carrasco and Bryana Trevizo; second-graders Aaliyah Smith, Braden Tolleson, Iiyana Vidal and Nicolas DeLeon; third-graders Emilia Barragan and Laney Brush, fifth-graders Michelle Soto and Yuliana Rodriguez; as well as student Emily Grey.

The Persephone Guild donated $1,500 to the city to purchased interchangeable frames in which the art is framed.

"Our goal is to either have once a month or every quarter have a new school come and submit their art," said Pollinger.

Whitmore Charter School will debut its arts on May 18.

Pollinger said artwork made by kids in the summer recreation programs will likely be featured when schools are out of session.

The Persephone Guild was formed in 1938 and has 32 members. Members include Laveta Rhoy, Linda Aycock, Mildred Lucas, Betty Baker and Colleen Bergamaschi. They meet once a month and carry out community service projects, such as scholarships and Thanksgiving baskets.

"It's supposed to be like the daughters of Ceres, that's who Persephone was," said Aycock. "The ladies seem to stay in it until you move or die."

The city is still looking for members for its Arts Committee. Pollinger is in charge of the committee. Others on the committee are Don Cool, Jennifer Rangel of the Ceres Partnership, Whitmore Charter Elementary School teacher Amelia Zschaber and freelance artist Michelle Park.

The committee meets at 4:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Those interested in serving on the committee may call Cambria at 538-5782.