Art in the Park Week 2: Embroidering Heart Strings at Fairlawn Veterans Memorial Park
Art in the Park Week 2: Embroidering Heart Strings
“I learned today that our feelings are all together,” said a young student at last Wednesday’s Art in the Park session. During The Empowerment Factory’s Art in the Park workshop on July 2, students and families were guided through a read aloud of Boyton Hughes’ Heart Strings and embroidered their own “heart string” embroidery hoops.
Art in the Park is The Empowerment Factory’s art-making and reading program that runs weekly from June 25 to August 27. During each session, The Empowerment Factory leads a one-hour workshop that includes a read-aloud illustrated story time, a guided discussion of social-emotional learning lessons, and a related craft project. They take place at public parks from 6-7pm at Providence, Central Falls and Pawtucket.
Last week’s Art in the Park family workshop took place at Pawtucket’s Fairlawn Veterans Memorial Park, making it The Empowerment Factory’s first session there of the summer. A total of 11 families and 19 children participated, filling the tents and tarps.
Like at almost every one of The Empowerment Factory’s programs, Lead Teacher Mr. Leon Ibacache kicked off last week’s session with a “mindful moment.” Mr. Leon led students and families through breathing exercises to encourage the calmness and presence of mind that facilitates learning.
The guided read-aloud and discussion of Hughes’ Heart Strings was led by The Empowerment Factory Founder and Executive Director, Gail Ahlers. Heart Strings describes how an invisible string connects every person’s heart to one another. As part of the day’s social emotional learning goals, Gail emphasized in discussions with students that across time and distance, our emotions speak to one another.
Each Art in the Parks session this summer season has welcomed several new students and families. One parent who had taken their initially reluctant child to last week’s session remarked: I think he [their child] learned to be a little more open. He's not giving it 100% but I know he likes it.”
Ms. Gail, Mr. Leon and the rest of the Empowerment Factory Team look forward to seeing more families coming to Art in Park throughout the summer. These small family events are held at least once weekly on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and/or Thursdays in Central Falls, Pawtucket, or Providence. Visit the programs calendar to see the full schedule and registration.