Toys made from trash and compelling self-portraits filled the hallways of the John W. Decas Elementary School at the school's first annual art show.

Students and parents meandered the hallways on Wednesday, checking out art, and sharing in the spaghetti supper while jazz music played over the school's announcement system.

"I try to focus on the fundamentals, like learning how to draw," said art teacher Ellen Osborn. "It's important for kids to be able to express themselves. …It's important that they get their ideas out before they're adults and no longer have that perspective."

Some of the kids took on a project that Osborn was inspired to challenge them with after she accompanied a group of high school students to Cape Verde. Osborn said that while she was in Cape Verde, she noticed that many toys were made from objects kids might consider garbage, and she challenged her students to recycle their trash into toys.

Students came up with a bunch of creative ways to put their garbage to good use — making cell phones from duct tape, a plane from soda cans, and a guitar from cardboard and a cereal box.

"Mine's a houseboat," said second grader Dylan Turner. "I used almost all Cheez-It boxes." He pointed out that he also had straws in the back acting as rudders.

Second-grader Indiana Troupe got a little political with his idea, which he was inspired by a friend to do.

"One of my friends made a voting booth for presidents," he explained. "I did vice presidents."

Osborn said she was also impressed by what her students did with their self-portraits.

"Self-portraits are really hard ," said Osborn, "They have to look in the mirror and draw from observation."

Some of the portraits had a more angular vision of the human form, using sharp geometric shapes to form the different facial features. Others had almost cartoonishly exaggerated features, and most all of them were unexpectedly emotive.

"It's really fascinating the way everyone sees things differently," Osborn observed.