Ashley Rowley stands in the front and middle of Kim Lowe's fourth grade classroom. Holding a ball of gray dough, she asked the students if they had played with clay before.

In the 31 classes, only a few raised their hands.

“I have never touched clay before, only plasticine,” said Katie Miranda, a 9-year-old student. "I always wanted to make something like this with my hands, so this is new to me and I like it."

On Thursday, November 18, 2021, 10-year-old student David Diaz raises his kneading pot at a seminar at Pantera Elementary School in Diamond Bar. (Photo: Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Ashley Raleigh (left) of the American Museum of Ceramic Art, 10-year-old student Ramsey Reid (middle) and 9-year-old Kylia Grant at a seminar organized by the AMOCA Mobile Museum and Virtual Visit Program Work with Clay at Pantera Elementary School at Diamond Bar on Thursday, November 18, 2021. (Photo: Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

On Thursday, November 18, 2021, 10-year-old fourth grade student Deion Ainsworth made a piece of clay while making a kneading pot at a seminar at Pantera Elementary School in Diamond Bar. (Photo: Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

On Thursday, November 18, 2021, 9-year-old fourth-grader Amanda Guzman makes mud-face sculptures at Pantera Elementary School in Diamond Bar. (Photo: Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

On Thursday, November 18, 2021, Ashley Rowley of the American Museum of Ceramic Art gave instructions to students when they made kneading pots at a seminar held at Pantera Elementary School in Diamond Bar. (Photo courtesy of Watchara Phomicinda, News Enterprise/SCNG)

On Thursday, November 18, 2021, 9-year-old Kylia Grant made her mud face sculpture at Pantera Elementary School in Diamond Bar. (Photo: Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

On Thursday, November 18, 2021, 9-year-old fourth grader Tayma Mahmoud made her pottery clay sculpture at Pantera Elementary School in Diamond Bar. (Photo: Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

On Thursday, November 18, 2021, the fourth-grade students are making their kneading pot clay sculptures at the seminar organized by the American Ceramic Art Museum Mobile Museum and Virtual Tour Program at Pantera Elementary School, Diamond Bar. (Photo: Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Officials at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) are trying to capitalize on this curiosity and excitement by launching new "pop-up" mobile museums and virtual visit programs.

The program cooperates with Pomona Unified School District and Los Angeles Unified School District to provide ceramics-focused educational art courses for students at the resource-poor K-12 school within a 60-mile radius of Pomona. The project serves schools in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange counties.​​

The initiative seeks to solve the difficulties encountered by educators, parents and students when visiting local museums. Raleigh, education manager and lecturer at AMOCA, said that whether it is transportation, permits, affordability, or the current coronavirus pandemic, access to museums has always been a problem for families in the area.

"We found a series of obstacles that people encounter, and these obstacles are exacerbated by the pandemic. So our goal is to bring what we do in museums to students," Raleigh said.

"Ultimately, we will eliminate barriers to admission as much as possible and open up new possibilities for young learners," she continued.

Most website visits are led by museum lecturers (such as Rowley), including reading and introducing AMOCA's artwork. This was followed by a discussion on visual thinking strategies and a 60-minute hands-on clay activity.

With funding from the California Bureau of Natural Resources and the support of AMOCA founders Julianne and David Armstrong, the travel plan was launched in October and will receive 100% funding for the first 36 visits in the 2021-22 school year, and can participate in the school for free And educators.

The students were greeted by a colorful blue van named Mudmobile. The car was named after a series of community votes and was decorated by the famous local artist AngelOnce, who was commissioned to create a vibrant artwork that symbolizes the creativity of students and educators.

At the same time, the simultaneous virtual tour includes a live tour of AMOCA located in the center of Pomona, which lasts from 45 minutes to two hours. The maximum number of participants for each visit is 40 students, and each student has access to gallery guides, independent learning materials and tailored hands-on video presentations.

AMOCA executive director Beth Ann Gerstein (Beth Ann Gerstein) said that the mobile museum was inspired by the Philadelphia Clay Studio's Claymobile project.

“Museums exist at the intersection of art, community, and education, and mobile museums and virtual visit programs take the museum experience out of the walls of our facilities and into the community,” Gerstein said in a press release.

She added that the plan is the first in California.

Richard Martinez, head of Pomona Joint School, said that access to such interactive projects is not only important for students' creativity but also for their mental health. The school district has also introduced other interactive courses, such as the reading competition at Garey High School and the Children's Conga Project.

"During the pandemic, this couldn't be better, especially in terms of providing social and emotional support and services to children," Martinez said during AMOCA's recent visit to Pantera Elementary School in Diamond Bar. "Sometimes it is better than treatment because they can be treated without the presence of a therapist."

In her Pantera classroom, Lowe's students are tasked with making their own kneading clay figures and adding any features they like. Rowley said this is intended to allow students to use their unique work to guide the course.

This semester, Lowe's class participated in an interactive art activity, allowing students to paint by themselves with watercolors and markers. Lowe said that from these courses, students are "eager to use their creativity."

Martinez and other PUSD officials talked with students about their hobbies, books and clay creations. Martinez added noses and bright smiles to these soft numbers, and shared some laughter with the students when they got their hands dirty.

Martinez said: "All these different programs can free children from the stressors they are dealing with, whether at home or in the community, and everything that the pandemic brings."

When separated by plexiglass, the masked students smiled and showed off their mud faces to their neighbors.

"I'm adding my glasses," student David Diaz said as he lifted his clay masterpiece into the air. "I can't wait to go home and show it to my parents."

The field trip coincided with the special day of this 10-year-old kid.

"Today is my lucky day, because today is my birthday," he exclaimed. "It's really cool."

David's neighbor, 10-year-old Deion Ainsworth, gave an agreeing smile. He said that his favorite part of playing with clay is starting to use his hands.

"You will become creative, and you will become dirty," he said, raising his muddy palm. "I want to do it again, hopefully soon."

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