Pre-K students
get in touch with their creative side
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — About 60 SAD 1 pre-kindergartners in Enola Boyce’s and Amy Daniels’ classes recently visited the Wintergreen Arts Center where they got to express themselves through story, song and dance.
SINGING AND ACTING out the motions to “Drive My Car” during a recent visit to the Wintergreen Arts Center are, from left: 
Danielle Clark, who teaches at Wintergreen; Wendy Gilman-Zubrick, executive director of the arts center, and SAD 1 pre-kindergartners Addison Hafford, Christopher Sczuroski, Isaac Staples, Ean Roy, Madison Ouellette and Gavin Plant. The fun was made possible through a grant from the Aroostook Partners in the Arts.
“We have a parent, Heather Harvell, who works closely with this program. Her daughter, Jayden, is in Mrs. Boyce’s class, and she has done some projects with us at school,” said Daniels, “and we thought it would be fun if the kids could actually come here and see the Wintergreen Arts Center because a lot of kids never get the opportunity to come.”
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
BUDDING ARTISTS — Addison Hafford and Alex Chasse, SAD 1 pre-kindergartners in Amy Daniels’ class, recently visited the Wintergreen Arts Center in Presque Isle for an hour-long session of story, song and dance. 
Here, the students decorate a t-shirt using permanent markers and rubbing alcohol which creates a “fireworks” design.
After contacting Wintergreen, Boyce wrote a grant to the Aroostook Partners in the Arts, and the children were able to participate in an hour-long session at the arts center. The grant money was used to purchase t-shirts that the children painted.
According to Wendy Gilman-Zubrick, executive director of the arts center, the themed programming was based on the story, “There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.”
“That’s a fun, interactive story, so we went from there,” she said. “We also sang three songs, ‘Bop Till You Drop,’ ‘Drive My Car’ and ‘Rocketship Run,’ which is fun because we can teach the kids some sign language.
“As far as the art project, the kids were able to decorate t-shirts using permanent markers and rubbing alcohol which creates a ‘fireworks’ design. The shirts say, ‘Hands on at Wintergreen Arts Center’ and that’s pretty much the experience we want them to have,” said Gilman-Zubrick. “We want them to get in touch with their creative side. That’s the logic of touching on all the modalities. We’re super excited to share who we are and what we do.”
Daniels said the children had a wonderful time.
“Whether it’s the dancing, the artistic component, the creativity or the exposure to this program … there are so many things the children could grasp from our visit,” she said. “If they take just one thing away from it, it’s a good thing.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
EXPRESSING THEIR CREATIVITY as they decorate a t-shirt at the Wintergreen Arts Center are, from left: 
Ean Roy and Isaac Staples, pre-kindergartners in Amy Daniels’ class. About 60 SAD 1 pre-kindergartners in Enola Boyce’s and Daniels’ classes recently visited the arts center where they got to express themselves through story, song and dance.
“The kids loved it, and so did I,” said Daniels. “We’ll definitely try to do something like this again next year. I’m grateful that the Wintergreen Arts Center is here, and they offer a lot of great programs for kids. It’s wonderful.”
Kayden Lovely and Christopher Sczuroski were among the many children who visited the facility.
“I liked coming here. I liked being able to play and painting the t-shirt,” said Lovely. “The story and dancing was fun, too.”
“I had a lot of fun,” said Sczuroski. “This is the first time I’ve been here, and I’m going to ask Mom and Dad if they’ll bring me back. It was fun painting and dancing, and I even got to play the piano.”
For more information on the Wintergreen Arts Center, which is located at 149 State St. in Presque Isle, call 762-3576 or log onto www.wintergreen arts.org.
