PCES makes ‘Arts Alive’
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Observer photo/Mike Lange MODEL STUDENTS — Justice Morel-Frias, left, and Cassidy Rohdin create sculptures during Friday’s Arts Alive class at Piscataquis Community Elementary School. |
By Mike Lange
Staff Writer
GUILFORD — Dick Bell remembers when Arts Alive began at the now-closed Abby Fowler School in Sangerville.
“Margaret Templet started it around 30 years,” said Bell, as he showed youngsters the basics of building birdhouses at Piscataquis Community Elementary School. “I enjoyed it back then and I still do.”
Arts Alive has been part of the PCES June schedule for the past five years as nearly 150 volunteers spend a day teaching the K-6 youngsters a variety of subjects from sculpting to tie-dying t-shirts.
They also make slate signs, do finger-painting, use a sewing machine — even some boys are willing to give it a try — learn to dance in baggy costumes, make masks and create sand art.
The program coordinator is art teacher Diane Stephen.
One of the advantages of the program is the interaction between the youngsters in various grade levels who don’t spend much time with each other during a typical school day.
SAD 4 Board Chair Cindy Hoak has been volunteering at Arts Alive since her son, Jeff, was in kindergarten. “And he’s graduating this year, so it’s been 13 years. I’ve really enjoyed it,” said Hoak. “Some of these kids are really creative.”
Students, staff and volunteers also enjoyed an outdoor picnic-style lunch and the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers from Bar Harbor capped off the day with entertainment in the afternoon.
Observer photo/Mike Lange
ARTISTIC TOUCH — Emma Folsom, left, and Elizabeth Gray show off their finger-painting expertise during Friday’s Arts Alive program at Piscataquis Community Elementary School.
Observer photo/Mike Lange
FOR THE BIRDS — Volunteer Dick Bell, left, teaches Salem Deektrack and Jeremiah Northup how to build birdhouses during Friday’s Arts Alive program at Piscataquis Community Elementary School in Guilford.
Observer photo/Mike Lange
WEARABLE ART — JadaLynn Wyman, left, and Kylee Downing learned how to tie-dye t-shirts during Friday’s Arts Alive class at Piscataquis Community Elementary School.
Merlin ID 1528468