Project Jericho youth and families spent a lot of time tapping into their creative skills during the month of February. Their charge: To create a permanent mural in the LOBBY at the Department of Job and Family Services! The theme is FAMILIES AROUND THE WORLD. Eight families met every Wednesday and Thursday night of February. Each night, artist Kristi Limes introduced a new continent to the families. Participants were given a flag for a country, and their assignment was to to create paper cutouts of people dressed in traditional outfits.

Each paper person was decorated beautifully with paper, fabric, yarn, ribbon and feathers. The families made a total of over 100 different people to represent cultures from all around the world. A second group met on Saturdays and Sundays during February and worked with artist Sherry Ringler to paint the wall for the mural. This group consisted of six teenagers who began their part of the project by priming and painting the walls of the lobby of DJFS a beautiful blue. Once the base coat was up, the participants chose a hot air balloon which they then painted onto the walls. Each hot air balloon features a different design and different colors. The balloons are attached by yellow “ribbons” of paint. The paper people were then attached onto these yellow ribbons to form a chain of people all around the room. Project Jericho staff and DJFS staff created the paper people who are inside of the hot air balloon baskets.

The Department of Job and Family Services hosted an open house and foster care / adoption event which included the mural opening on April 3rd. It was very exciting to have so many people come out to support the mural. Stuart Secttor, the Executive Director of The Clark State Performing Arts Center was in attendance, as well as the Director of DJFS, Robert Suver, and even the Mayor of Springfield, Warren Copeland. What a treat to have the turnout that we did, and what a pleasure to have the presence of so many community members! This mural was an effort by many, and it is BEAUTIFUL – make sure you stop by DJFS to check it out!

Interested in writing? Come on Mondays and Wednesdays in March from 4:30-6:30 PM at the Springfield Museum of Art. The final Poetry Slam is on March 31. Space is limited – sign up now!

Audition for Project Jericho’s Professional Hip Hop Dance Troupe on February 20 and 22 from 5:30- 6:30 pm in the Community Rooms. Ages 12-18+. Call 328-7951 for more details.

As part of a weeklong residency at the Clark State Performing Arts Center, professional modern dance company Thodos Dance Chicago offered two dance classes for Project Jericho youth. Wednesday, January 30, nineteen youth ages 8 and up attended a beginning modern dance class with two dancers from Thodos. For two hours, youth warmed up and learned dance moves that completed a whole routine by the end of the class. On Thursday, January 31, participants in Project Jericho’s Exodus Hip Hop Troupe and other experienced youth dancers attended a master class with two dancers from Thodos. After an intense professional dance warm-up session, youth learned complicated moves and practiced a routine. All participants were given the chance to attend the Thodos Dance Company performance in the Kuss Auditorium on Saturday, Feb 2, with Project Jericho Complimentary Tickets.

Like to Dance? Sign up now for Hip Hop/Jazz class beginning Feburary 16th. The program meets on Saturday at Gary Geis Dance Studios, located at 14 E. Main Street. Ages 8 - 12 attend classes from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. and ages 13 - 17 attend classes from 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. For more information, or to reserve a space, call 328-3869 or 328-8044.