Chantelle

Chantelle’s struggles with dyslexia and expressive and receptive language made learning slow and labored, but with the deep individualization and understanding through the use of Winston’s Continuous Feedback Process, she was able to fully tap into her strengths and gifts as an artist and problem solver to begin to build a foundation for success. It was identified early on in her first year that Chantelle needed to build confidence. To do so, her Focus Teacher guided her in the process of taking her artwork to the next level by helping Chantelle launch her very own Etsy page, providing her the opportunity to explore the world of an entrepreneur. Quickly, the self-design and production of her very own business cards followed, and the day they arrived in the mail was unforgettable. Chantelle’s internship experience over her two years at Transitions at Shalom International, an importer, and distributor of women’s, children’s, infant’s fashion jewelry and hair accessories, and general merchandise gave her the insight into not only the production and distribution side but also the design of such products. She engaged in many projects while she was there, but most notably, she designed an original gift bag for Transitions graduations (generously donated by Shalom) as well as a gift bag that hit the shelves of Burlington in 2019. Chantelle went through a rigorous editing process, having to go back to the “drawing board” numerous times, leading her to develop a new understanding of the importance of feedback and what to do with it. The resilience that she demonstrated was impressive, and her willingness to look at her own work through a critical lens is a skill that she now has that is imperative to her life and success as an artist both personally and professionally. Chantelle’s deep connection with the community at Transitions developed through her desire to share her creativity and to help others connect to the creative process by taking on a leadership role in the development of the program’s first Art Show. She drafted a proposal, managed a budget, designed a theme, and enrolled a team of students and teachers to support her vision. It was an event to remember! The culmination of her experience was her acceptance to Pratt Institute’s Illustration Program where she is continuing to thrive and grow.