Please Sign up to our free Hero Art program today by emailing us at [email protected]
Our next in person group class is Saturday 26th April at Glendale Main library.Any time between 10am to 5pm. Small Meeting room. 5959 W. Brown Street.
Our next online group class is Sunday 27th April. Alternatively we can schedule a one to one class in person or zoom anytime between now and May 1st. Deadline to Sign up is 30th April 2025. Our last class for this Hero Program is May 1st 2025. We would love to have more students!
This program includes an in person graduation event with special hero experiences and gifts!
We will need to know the following information:
- Name of Student:
- Age of Student:
- Name of Parent/legal guardian:
- Email of Parent/ Legal guardian:
- Contact number for Parent/legal guardian:
- City of residence:
Focus comics will be hosting a free Hero art program throughout April for children of local heroes (Active military/veterans, first responder families) plus neurodivergent (Eg: autistic / ADHD) and or special needs kids (6-21). We will separately host classes for autistic and special needs students who are above 21 in the first two weeks of April. We will have separate classes for kids and adults). This program takes place during autism acceptance month, promoting a culture of diversity and honoring the work of local heroes. Students will learn how to draw and/or color Focus the autistic super hero, plus super hero vehicles. Students may choose between in person or online classes (In-Person Classes will be held in Avondale, Surprise, Sun City, Phoenix, Litchfield Park and Glendale). Students can attend one class or a full range of classes. Group classes take place on weekends whilst one to one classes take place by appointment throughout the month. Our students will have the option of graduating at our in person Hero Awards Ceremony at Rural Metro Fire station. Students will see their art exhibited along side portraits of local heroes by award winning artist and Focus comic creator Yvonne Wan. Our students will get to meet their local heroes, explore hero vehicles technology and equipment and receive generous gifts. All students will receive a custom certificate of achievement that resembles a Focus comic cover at graduation. We will have a professional photographer at the event who will capture our Class of 2025 photo of our graduates and local heroes.
What we will draw and/or Color:
- Local Fire Trucks. Students have a choice of learning how to draw Focus the autistic super hero and a local fire truck step by step. Alternatively, students may apply water color paints to coloring sheets featuring fire truck art by Yvonne Wan. [See art work above] Students will learn about different color application techniques, explore color theory and learn about the color wheel.
- Military and first responder vehicles / transportation – students will have the choice of learning how to draw or color military and first responder vehicles / transportation. Students may learn how to design their own super hero vehicle and pony with the help of our Focus comic creator Yvonne Wan. Vehicles include the F35 fighter Jet, US Navy LARC-V vehicle(Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, 5 (V) ton),and a MCSO Pony.
Levels: Classes are available for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.
Pencilling techniques: Students opting for the drawing classes will learn how to draw vehicles step by step using various technical drawing techniques. Students may choose to draw based on measurements, proportions and angles or they may choose to learn how to draw using the grid system.
Inking techniques: Students will learn about professional inking techniques for those opting to learn about inking.
Coloring techniques: Students will learn about color theory, color wheel, different water color application techniques.
Art supplies: Art supplies will be provided complimentary for in person classes. Students participating online, will need plain paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, marker, water color paints (otherwise any other coloring medium will be ok such as markers, coloring pencils and or crayons).
Some of the coloring sheets that we have prepared for our students:
FREE HERO ART CLASSES THROUGHOUT APRIL 2025:
Who: Children of local heroes (Active military/veterans, first responder families) plus neurodivergent (Eg: autistic / ADHD) and or special needs kids and adults.
Where: Students can choose between in person classes (Avondale, Surprise, Phoenix, and Glendale) or online zoom classes. There will be an in person graduation event at Rural Metro Fire Station in Litchfield Park at the end of the program.
When:
All classes are optional. Students need to complete one assignment to be eligible for graduation.
- Classes take place throughout April. Please see the program schedule below.
- In person Graduation event: May 3RD 2025. 10AM. Rural Metro Fire Station 837: 6120 N. Litchfield Road. Litchfield Park. Arizona AZ 85340
Teaching schedule:
Classes are approximately 40minutes to an hour in duration, depending on the students pace of work. All classes are optional. Students need to successfully complete one or more drawing to graduate on the program.
Group Classes Online: Group classes take place online on zoom 12noon or 2pm, Sunday 6th, 13th, 27th April. There is no class on Easter Sunday. The group class for that week will be Thursday 17th at 6pm.
Group in person classes:
- SURPRISE: Rise. Monday 31st March 2025. 8.45am -5pm.
- LITCHFIELD PARK: Litchfield Elementary School. Friday 4th April. 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Additional dates TBC.
- GLENDALE: Brighton Charter school School. Friday 4th April. 3pm-7pm. Additional dates TBC.
- SUN CITY: Inspire academies for schools. Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 April.1.30 to 3.30pm
- PHOENIX: Seeds for autism. Wednesday 16th April. 9am to 3pm.
- GLENDALE: Monday 21 April 9.30 to 10.30. Autism Academy.
- GLENDALE: Saturday April 26th 2025. Any time between 10am to 5pm. Available at Glendale Main library, Small Meeting room. 5959 W. Brown Street.
One to One In person classes: One to one in person classes are available any time (subject to our teachers availability) by appointment in AVONDALE(Address: 2005 N 103rd Ave, Avondale, AZ 85392).
One to one Online classes: One to one online classes on zoom are available any time (subject to our teachers availability) by appointment.
Online students are required to submit their art to the teacher within 24 hours after class. Please use a flat bed scanner so we can convert the art work into a custom certificate of achievement. If you do not have a scanner, you may access one at your local library, office max of fed-ex – or you may physically drop off the art work with our teacher in person in Avondale.
In person Graduation event for our students:
The graduation event takes place May 3rd 2025 at 10am (Heroes are expected to arrive at 9am for a special photoshoot). We will be joined by the highly esteemed Luke Air Force Honor guard. The event will kick start with the national anthem (Luke Air Force Base Airman Gabe Howell will perform on stage) during the presentation of colors. We will present the Living Legends and Hero Awards honoring our local heroes on stage shortly after our opening speeches from our dignitaries. Our Heroes will be presented with their certificates of honor / commendation signed by Arizona Governor Hobbs plus Living Legacy portraits by Yvonne Wan. We will then proceed with the Luke Air force Honor guard Saber arch Ceremony where our heroes will receive their portraits and honors. We will then have a class photo with our local heroes. Students will then graduate by receiving their certificates and gifts on stage. Our students will then be able to explore the hero vehicles and learn about the work that our local heroes perform in the community with fun demonstrations and activities on stage.
Focus Comic Hero Award Winners:
- Hero of the Year Award Winner 2025: USAF Category: Gabe Howell, Airman, Luke Air Force Base
- Hero of the Year Award Winner 2025: Fire Fighter and Paramedic: Jill Voit.
- Hero of the Year Award Winner 2025: Fire Service Public Information Officer: Shawn Gilliland, Rural Metro Fire Service
- Hero of the Year Award Winner 2025: Law Enforcement: Sergeant Amie Duong, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
- Hero of the Year Award Winner 2025: US Army: Mike McDaniel.
- Hero of the Year Awards for other military and first responder categories TBC.
All hero award winners will receive a complimentary portrait from Yvonne Wan, plus a certificate of honor signed by our dignitaries. Living Legends award winners will receive a signed commendation from Governor Hobbs.
Focus Comic Living Legends Award Winners:
| Luke Air Force Base |
| Carlos Hernandez : Engineer |
| Rory Witt: Fire station Chief |
| Corson Scherer : Fire Fighter |
| Brandon Cunningham: Fire fighter and lead fire inspector |
| Aaron E. Duggins: Installation Fire Chief |
| Rebekah Langley: Lead Fire Fighter |
| Rural Metro Fire |
| Houston Greer: Battalion Chief |
| Jason Henry: Captain |
| Tim Soule: Fire Chief |
| Morgan Keith: Fire Fighter |
| George Drum: Captain |
| Lane Klusovsky: Captain |
| Cliff Jacobs: Captain |
| Steve Tremonti: Engineer Paramedic |
| Garrett Holderman: Fire Chief |
| Charles Coleman: Fire Fighter |
| Brett Couture: Fire Fighter |
| Sun City Fire Medical |
| Jacob Willerford : Fire Fighter |
| Tempe Fire |
| Arthur Felix: Fire Fighter |
| Goodyear Fire Dept. |
| Mario Santos: Captain |
| Hugo Bedolla: Captain |
| Kevin Boyd: Captain |
| Meghan Golbach: Captain |
| Patrick Doyle: Captain |
| Oscar Navarro: Captain |
| Simeon Cheatham: Captain |
| Zack Renschler: Captain |
| Michael Gugel: Captain |
| Trevor Colter: Fire Fighter |
| Ryan Birchett: Fire Fighter and engineer |
Agencies Attending:
Maricopa County Sheriffs Office. Rural Metro Fire. Luke Air Force Fire Service. US Army. Others TBC.
Dignitaries Attending: Aaron Duggins, Fire Chief of Luke Air Force Base Fire Department. Tim Soule, Fire Chief of Rural Metro Fire Service. More TBC
Hero Vehicles (Subject to availability):
Rural Metro Fire Truck. MCSO Black SWAT vehicle.
Last years Hero Graduation event:
Photos from last years hero event:
Call for nominations: Feel free to nominate a hero for an award at [email protected]
Please Sign up to our free Hero Art program today by emailing us at [email protected]
We will need to know the following information:
- Name of Student:
- Age of Student:
- Name of Parent/legal guardian:
- Email of Parent/ Legal guardian:
- Contact number for Parent/legal guardian:
- City of residence:
