IMAGINATIVE: Paintings on the migrant children's school's walls, Beijing (SHI GANG)

On a morning this past July, the opening ceremony for the Dandelion Middle School Art Exhibit was held at Beijing's Today Art Museum. Entitled "From Environment to Spirit," the project was organized by Chinese-American artist Lily Yeh at the school located in Daxing District, the Chinese capital's first accredited middle school for the children of migrant workers.

Zheng Hong, Dandelion's principal, affectionately hugged Yeh at the ceremony. "All of us will bear in mind Yeh's words: 'To find beauty in the place of despair, and to find vitality in the barren'," Zheng said emotionally to the guests present.

Painted passages

Currently, nearly 600 students at the school are children of low-income migrant workers from various areas outside Beijing. In 2005 when the school was first established, most students did poorly. But by 2009, 98 percent of these students taking high-school entrance exams passed.

"It is a great achievement for us. Efforts were made not only by teachers and students, but also by a number of volunteers. They come here to teach every week," said Wang Yadong, a full-time school staff member who previously volunteered.

Built on the grounds of an old factory, the school was started with the support of various philanthropic organizations and individuals, and currently continues to receive donations. Yeh is one prominent volunteer among many.

Under Yeh's guidance, teachers and students created artwork during and after class. Walls are now covered in paintings, giving the school an artistic touch.

"It's a lot of fun painting with my schoolmates," said Wang Yue, a student who participated in the wall painting project. "I like the discussion part best, because [although] we have different ideas, we feel free to speak what we think."

Apart from beautifying the campus, Yeh's efforts have exerted profound influence on the children's education, according to Zheng.

Every year now, students take part in Yeh's "life journey drawing" course. On a blank map of China, each student is asked to draw the journey from their hometown to Dandelion, depicting natural scenery and stories of their loved ones.

When students first submitted their maps, the teachers were shocked by the strong colors and the powerful expressions of pain and sorrow from the children.

According to Yeh, drawing their own stories can help students reflect upon their life experiences. "One of the best ways to build a harmonious society is to listen to [its] voices," she said.