Students at Eastern New Mexico Art Space learn about different forms of art.

Students create a painting that will be auctioned to raise money for scholarships.

Students from the community participated in a free Kids to a Higher Power: Youth Entrepreneurship Camp, offered this week by Mesalands Community College.

Through various projects, students learned important aspects of the business field including, leadership and teamwork. They also had the opportunity to take field trips downtown to learn about area businesses.

Students visited Eastern New Mexico Art Space, where they took part in a learning activity to create a painting. They had to plan and make decisions on how they wanted their painting to look and how to follow through with their decisions. Together the students created a piece of artwork that will be on display at the Art Space gallery and will be auctioned. The money collected will be used to assist college students pursuing a career in art.

“The painting came out looking great,” Harrison McClure, 11, said. He says he took the class because he wanted to learn about running his own business. He says he has learned a lot.

“I learned you need to have a lot of patience and you need to get along with other people,” he said. “I also learned opening up a business would probably be good for Tucumcari.”

McClure is one of 10 students that participated in this program. Vicki Watson, entrepreneurship camp instructor, says she was impressed by the studentís hard work.

“This was a most intelligent group of young people and they are so aware of the community around the,” Watson said. “I believe there is huge leadership potential among all of these students. I’ve learned a lot from these students and I am hoping this is the beginning of a series of programs like these.”