Art for the Holidays at Carpenter’s Shelter

by | Mar 27, 2023 | Visual Arts

March 27, 2023: We admit, rather sheepishly, that we’ve gotten a little behind in our online postings. How else could we excuse NOT posting these fabulous art projects that our art teacher (and paper art fanatic) Alison McHugh brought to the Carpenter’s Shelter? Not just once, mind you, but twice! And each time Alison cleverly wove in a holiday theme into the work. To wit:

It’s the new year (well it was…) and what better way to start off a new year than to create your very own word to get you through 2023? Admit it – you’re motivated just by reading what our clients created!

And then it was St. Patrick’s Day! You can’t let that slip by without a tribute, can you? How about a rainbow (get it?) scrapbook with a memory-themed quote on the front cover. Cute, isn’t it? And created by a sentimental 12-year-old. And she wasn’t the only one having fun. Alison told us, “That was the MOST fun I’ve had at the Carpenters Shelter!! [Her mother said], ‘We might not be here next month, but I’ll definitely bring her back for your class.’  She was as sweet as pie! The little boy LOVED trying to ‘drive me crazy’ (his words) and followed me out of the class, joking with me.”

 

 

Making History with Women’s History Month at Casa Chirilagua

by | Mar 13, 2023 | Visual Arts

March 3 and 10, 2023: It’s Women’s History (or Her-Story) Month, and we couldn’t wait to see what our creative visual arts teacher Sharmila Karamchandani would come up with for her Fun Fridays at Casa Chirilagua. And she went her usual waaaaaay above and beyond, as usual. These last two Fridays (she alternates weekly between grades 1-3 and 4-5), she challenged the kids to make stick puppets of women in their lives who had inspired them and they would like to honor. And the assortment they created! Some drew their grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and cousins. Others drew their teachers, two drew Helen Keller, and we even got Columbian singer Karol G. Very Fun Fridays indeed!

 

 

 

 

 

First, second, and third graders proudly showing off their creations.        Helen Keller              Mom and grandma, who is visiting this weekend.

Karol G. and mom                                 Her sister, who really cares for her.      Mom, who cares for and plays with him, and makes amazing papusas.

President for a Day

by | Feb 20, 2023 | Visual Arts

February 17, 2023: If you could be the president for a day, what would you do? What one-time executive order would you declare? Our teaching artist Sharmila Karamchandani asked our Casa Chirilagua kids that question, while ingeniously encouraging them to create a 3D log cabin, just like the one President Lincoln grew up in, out of index cards (how in the world does she come up with these amazing ideas)? Sharmila also discussed with them how President Lincoln’s parents were poor and he borrowed books to educate himself and with determination and hard work he became a United States president. Lesson? No matter your circumstances, you can do and become anything you want to!

That executive order? Here’s what these kids would do:
1) “The first thing I will do is kick out all the boys out from US”
2) “I will end poverty”
3) “I will end homelessness”
4) “I will remove all the rules”
5) “I will make everything free”
6) “I will build more playgrounds”
7) “I will make education free”
Some really good ideas here. Maybe they need sharing with our political leaders.

Inmates Explore Creativity through Writing Contest Organized by Heard

by | Feb 1, 2023 | Creative Writing, Detention Center Writing Contests, Media Coverage, News

September 8, 2022: Our thanks to the City of Alexandria Sheriff’s Department for this coverage of our writing contest with the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center. So many people worked so hard to make this contest a success, and we extend a special shoutout to our judges: Mary Wadland, publisher of The Zebra, historian, genealogist and author Char McCargo Bah, and Zeina Azzam, Alexandria’s poet laureate.

And an even bigger shoutout to Sheriff Sean Casey and the detention center team! We are so grateful for their support and the hours of logistics that a virtual awards ceremony takes. That said, let’s hope that next year our awards ceremony can be in person again! You can read the entire article here.

Gratitude, Gratitude Everywhere!

by | Jan 8, 2023 | Visual Arts

November and December, 2022: Sharmila had gratitude on her mind and she finished up the year with her Fun Fridays assignment with the Casa Chirilagua kids. In the first three pictures, she asked the kids to create what they are grateful for in two drawings – one picture of what they are grateful for that can buy and one picture of what they are grateful for that they cannot buy.

Now take a looks – it sure seems to us that the kids were much more focused on emphasizing what they cannot buy – family, friends, faith, pets! There’s never a bad time to feel grateful, right?

And the last photo of that little fella proudly showing us his green creation? That was from Sharmila’s November 11 class, where she asked the kids to say “thank you” to veterans. Kinda makes your heart melt, doesn’t it?

 

You’re Hired!

by | Jan 4, 2023 | Etiquette

December 20, 2022, Friends of Guest House – Nothing sounds sweeter to a job applicant than “You’re hired!” And today we helped our Friends of Guest House residents get that much closer to hearing those magic words. Our Heard etiquette instructor, Fannie Allen of the Allen Protocol & Leadership Institute, spent weeks teaching them the tips and tricks to land that job. I was asked to serve as a volunteer interviewer that day and evaluate these strong, determined women on their interview skills – their greeting, presence, dress, confidence, etc. As always, I was completely blown away by their unique combination of grit and engaging personality. I would have hired every one of them, and I hope potential employers do as well!

So Much Fun at Fun Fridays this Fall!

by | Nov 16, 2022 | Visual Arts

November 16, 2022: Just because you haven’t heard from us in awhile doesn’t mean we aren’t hard at work! And we’ll bet no one has worked harder these last few months than our Heard artist teacher Sharmila Karamchandani! Our partner Casa Chirilagua specifically asked for her when their after school program, Fun Fridays, started up again late last August. It was challenging, we told her – she would have two half-hour periods with up to 19 kids each (yes, each. For a total of 38 in a hour!). Could she do it?

Why of course she could! And when it was time to bring in a new art program (we usually switch out every month or two), the kids weren’t having it! They wanted Miss Sharmila, and she’s with her kids til Christmas break. And maybe after that? Who knows?

What we do know is that these kids love her! And we have proof – when a scheduling conflict caused a few kids to miss her class, one little guy had a meltdown at his desk. And why wouldn’t he? Each week Sharmila figures out how to get them to create something fun and interesting in just 25 minutes, using things most of us toss out – paper plates, toilet paper holders, paper bags, and straws. Add some paint, markers, and glue, and voila! Magic!

We’ve compiled a short “best of” here. Can you match the photo to the project?

A. Divers-city: creating inclusive buildings. This is a superman school where kids learn how to become superheroes.
B. Flying saucers from paper plates. This is a party saucer. No reports of abductions.
C. An owl from a toilet paper roll. (We’re all saving our TP rolls now in case she needs more).
D. Straw painting.
E. Abecederians (I had to look that word up).
F. Another Diver-sity building from a boy who always includes a bird in his drawings. Always.