With school starting up again, getting organized right away is incredibly important. That’s just what local artist Kristi Limes helped Project Jericho families do! Families were given large bulletin boards and guided through artistic decretive ways to organize their lives. This bulletin board helped kids answer the everyday questions they have when they leave for school in the morning: Who’s picking me up from school? Am I bringing lunch or buying it? What days do I have gym class? Most families chose to use their school’s colors to make the boards more festive and original. There was fun for everyone as this creative way to organize brought families together in this unique craft project.

Project Jericho extended the Life Book program for the first time this July, to Layer the Life Books of previous participants. Artist Kristi Limes developed layers to the traditional Life Book pages such as the Mask page and the I Am page, so that youth who have existing Life Books can update their progress and revisit their lives through watercolor and creative writing. New pages included a Reflection Page, a Family Tree, and a Music Page. Nine foster children attended the five-day camp at the Clark State PAC, meeting from 9:00am to 10:00 pm from July 26th-Aug 1, 2007  the camp culminated in an extremely well-attended final presentation where each youth spoke about the process of Layering a Life Book. Project Jericho will also hold a traditional Life Book camp for foster children in spring 2008.

On Friday, September 7th, 2007, eight youth gathered at the Clark State Performing Arts Center to learn about the art of silent film. They were preparing for the following evening, when the Lillian Gish Film Festival would culminate at the PAC, with the showing of The Wind in the Kuss Auditorium with a live score performed by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Youth learned about Lillian Gish, the first female “Hollywood Star,” who was originally from Clark County!! Participants watched selections from a Gish silent film, discussing techniques to convey meanings without words. They were then led by two professional mime/living statue artists from the Amazing Portable Circus in ninety-minute workshop on improvisational and silent acting. The following evening, youth returned and, dressed in black and white (to fit the movie theme) and in mime makeup, entertaining the crowd arriving for the event in the Davidson Grand Lobby of the PAC. The new performers alternated between living statue stations, acting out silent scenes, and improv in pairs. With only two hours of practice time, they persuaded some audience members to believe they were professionals! project Jericho information was available on the lobby tables to patrons, who were impressed by the feats of these eight creative youth!

KEEP YOUR CALENDERS OPEN IN EARLY DECEMBER FOR OUR YEARLY HOLIDAY PARTY!!!! Music, Food, and FUN will be provided and EVERYONE in Project Jericho is encouraged to come!!

December 11th and 12th we will be creating masterpiece cards in this 2 day workshop, cards will be filled with poetry and delivered during a holiday party with the elderly patients of Mercy St. John’s Center! Come join us for this great project opportunity!!!