R-H Newsletter Feb 2026 - Flipbook - Page 1
COMMUNITY
Newsletter
WINTER 2026
‘Sketching Up’ With Ali the Artist
her ability to create the hand-drawn
snapshots impresses those she meets.
She is working hard to become
ambidextrous, too.
Alissa Sisommout sits at the edge of
the cafeteria table, her pencil moving
as if it has a mind of its own. Within
minutes, she has captured a moment
in time depicting one of her favorite
Roth Junior High School employees.
Whenever she hands someone a
drawing she has created, the recipient
is flattered, as if just seeing the
simplest form of themselves for the
first time.
This talented artist, who goes by Ali,
is only 12 years old. A Roth seventhgrader, she first began drawing while
she was in kindergarten and became
more serious about the pursuit in
fourth grade. She started tracing the
faces of family members until the
lines felt familiar. Then, the young
artist branched out and began
sketching others she knew. As she
continues to refine her limitless skills,
her artwork has evolved into what she
describes as “Ali Doodles.” No matter
where she is, and at any given time,
We first became acquainted with Ali
when members of the Rush-Henrietta
Board of Education visited her school
this year. She proudly presented
them with a comic book filled with
sketches of board members and
district administrators. “She views
our district leaders and the Board
of Education as celebrities,” says
Principal Omar Hussain. “The highest
regard.”
Ali revealed that she studies the
features of district leaders while
viewing Board of Education meetings
online. “I watched meetings in sixth
grade and was like, ‘What if I made
a comic book about the board and
gave it to them in person one day?’”
she recalls.
Ali is mostly self-taught. Through
observation, she is able to take
the world’s smallest gestures and
transform them into images that will
become permanent on her paper.
Her sketchbooks are filled with staff,
students, administrators, and board
members. Each of her subjects are
drawn in numerous ways spanning
from the serious to the silly.
For now, art is how Ali is most
comfortable communicating with
others. When her spoken words don’t
always come easily, the drawings
speak volumes. She knows they can
– and will – make the world a kinder,
happier place. In fact, her artwork
already is doing just that here at R-H.
A glimpse of Alissa Sisommout’s sketch pad shows images of Superintendent Dr. Barbara
Mullen, as well as Board of Education members, Mai Abdullah and Suzanne Bennett.
Rush-Henrietta Central School District | www.rhnet.org
