Program delivery at St. David for school ages was a memorable experience. The children were consistently creative and never failed to surprise me with their ideas and approaches to the activities brought to them. This year, we were focused on the five senses such as feeling and smelling.

During the first week focused on feeling, a child saw their zine as an opportunity to showcase their storytelling skills. A deeply thoughtful story involving some seasoned fish and her cousin’s babies. She put great effort into ensuring that her words and drawings were accurate to that day. Children are creative and attentive authors. They value sharing a moment so that others may experience it as if it is their memory as well. They see storytelling as consideration.

The children also enjoyed the last activity dedicated to imagining. Using acrylic markers, they drew what they would like to see on printed photos of the school. This activity prioritized their desires for the community around them and allowed them to use their imagination freely. One child decided to create a garden on top of a storage area behind the building. As I was taking a photo of her work, I asked if she thought it would be a good idea to add a ladder for the gardener to water the flowers. She agreed with excitement and told me to not take a picture until the addition of the ladder was completed. Asking questions when they are creating is a form of encouragement. They may feel seen and heard, which is why we do this work. To pay attention to their creations rather than simply observing them is a great priority.

It was a privilege to offer the children new materials they had never used before and to witness their immense creativity. I give thanks to all the staff I interacted with throughout the five weeks. I appreciate their assistance and collaboration.