KINGSTON — Gordon Elementary added splashes of color to its school year this week as the school’s students participated in “Art Days.” The two-day event drew Options and Gordon students together to prepare decorations for the annual Spring Fling auction, while giving everyone a groovy T-shirt.

“It was a fun way to bring everyone together,” said Gordon Principal Claudia Peetz.

For two days, younger students marched to the gym to work on spring-themed art projects, taking up paintbrushes and decorating sheets of construction paper with everything from frogs to butterflies.

“We’ve had some beautiful art done,” reported volunteer Lisa Clark. “The kids have been so into it that they want to stay past their time.”

Outside, students from the Options program and Gordon Elementary worked together to create tie-dyed T-shirts.

Sixth grader Kalen Edwards liked Art Days for several reasons.

“You get to help kids and you get to mess around with colors,” he said.

Seventh grade Options student Blythe Peterson agreed.

“One kid did a shirt, then said, ‘It was the funnest shirt I’ve ever made,’” she said. “It was cute.”

The students disagreed on the best technique for a tie-dyed shirt; some favored a careful, technical method.

Then there’s the other way.

“You’ve got the crazy approach,” said Edwards. “You just put the shirt down and squirt colors on it.”

“It’s kind of like making a pie,” said seventh grader Jasper Stenstrom.

The Options students have made tie-dyed shirts as an art project for years, Peetz said. This year, as a way to bring the school together, every student got to make one, with those who couldn’t afford the $3 shirt cost being covered by the school.

Peetz even made a shirt herself. (“I’m wearing it right now,” she reported Thursday.)

The pictures by younger students will be used as decorations during the Spring Fling auction in April. The T-shirts will serve another purpose. Later, when all the students have completed shirts (there are still a few left to be done), the students, staff and teachers will gather for a colorful group picture.