Happy New Year to all!! May 2012 be filled with adventure and
fun mixed with moments of delightful peace and quiet for us all!!
As usual this year, we ended the year with noise and glitter by
marching in Boston's First Night Parade along with the
Hawthorne Youth and Community Center group. HYCC's
"theme" for our presentation this year was "heroes". Local
artist, Lisa Lee, and I co-facilitated the project working with
after school kids and other member of the community on
Saturdays this Fall. Lisa and I enjoy working together and
love seeing a project evolve as we brainstorm and kids and
community take it and add their ideas.
We discussed "heroes" and what "traits" make a hero and
left choices wide open. Each child or adult chose their
"hero", printed out a name/s, printed out a "trait" on shade
cloth strips to be added to our large banner, and 17
individual "puppet" heroes were created.
Choice of heroes was varied - Many children honored
family members.
(including Michelle and Barack Obama, Kip Tiernan (founder
of Boston's Rosie's place), etc. One youth chose himself, another
God, others musical idols. Here is the side of the banner with
all the names. It's quite a list!
(Kip), helpful, awesome, inspiring, nicest, bravery, respect, real,
nicest. "Saved me", powerful, caring, loving...
is adding an extra bit of glitz to the HYCC banner here:
This is the trait side of the banner being carried in the parade.
Last year Lisa and I decided we had to have lights this
year. So blinking star lights lit up the top of the banner..
The individual hero puppets were made of gallon
milk jugs on a dowel with arms of foam pipe insullation.
with added shirts , scarves, hands and beads:
Just before the parade, the hero puppets waited
patiently for their creators to pick them up to march.
Each individual puppet had a 3 LED tap light inside the
head...so the faces could be seen during the parade:
Here are a few in the parade:
"My Mom"
along the route. Everyone started walking very bedecked!
Over 50 people walked with HYCC this year (including one of
our daughters, her husband and two children. Our grandson
had a great time choosing whom he thought needed beads!)
And because it was in the balmy mid-40's the crowds were
bigger than ever to share in the First Night Festivities. Right
after the parade, a fireworks display is set off in the
Boston Commons....a great end to a family event!
Again Happy New Year to everyone!.. onward to 2012!!!
Adventure on! Wendy
What great photos Wendy. Thanks for describing the creative process at HYCC - the little program that could and does! I was felled by a cold so I spent most of New Year's Eve dozing off and on. This post helps me share the love!
ReplyDeleteGlad we were able to share a little of the First Night fun with you! Yes, HYCC can and does! ("The little engine that could" was always one of my favorite children's stories!)
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