SPRING 2019 AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES

JANUARY - JUNE 2019

spa science

Wednesdays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Ages 8-14 | January - June 2019

The magic and chemistry of making potions, lotions, medicines and more. With Heylan Tsumagari and Zebi Williams.

In Spa Science we transformed our classroom into a weekly spa and apothecary, learning to take care of ourselves and each other by creating our own lotions, sprays, face masks, soaps and remedies.

We went on plant walks at the River City Garden and Won Dharma Center, learning to identify plants and their healing properties through smell, taste, touch and memory. We also connected with herbalists and medicine makers, like Beatrice Anderson from New York City, who taught us to transform the plants around us into powerful and delicious medicines. We learned to make natural dyes out of avocado skins, dandelions, and turmeric, and learned to identify our own skin types - making facial masks for oily, dry, and combination skin. We created our own goat milk soaps with lavender and oatmeal, and glycerin soaps which we dyed and carved into gemstones. We dove into some of the science of herbalism: learning the distinctions of nervines, sedatives, and adaptogens in our medicine-making, and learning the ancient art of making compresses and poultice.

We also created our own rituals of self care and collective care, like making a self-love jar to share pick-me-up messages, and giving each other gifts of flowers. We celebrated the Spring Equinox together, and uncovered some of the hidden symbology of herbs in fairy tales -- learning the code language of plants by making potions that required the Tale of a Horse and the Eye of a Newt. We hosted our own spa days too: doing steam baths with plant allies like eucalyptus, cedar and lavender. Students were happy to share their creations with others, stepping into the role of healers with their families and friends.

Of course we had our share of DIY fails! Bath bombs that turned into bubbling blobs, medicinal chocolates that were too bitter to eat, flax seed hair gel that got stuck to the inside of our cheese cloths. Failure was just as fun as success as we worked and learned together!

MUSICAL THEATER CLUB

Mondays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Ages 8 - 14 | January - June 2019

Do songs ever just burst out of you? With Sharece Johnson and Pamela Badila.

In our weekly after school musical theater club we played hilarious improv games, and sang some of our favorite songs and show tunes. Inspired by one of our favorite books and authors, we built our own puppets from natural materials we found during an outdoor scavenger hunt. With our puppets as our muses, we developed full characters and storylines, and then combined all of our characters into one big story. The result was The Puppet Series You Never Knew You Needed, which we turned into a movie!

The Puppet Series You Never Knew You Needed:

WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS CLUB

Tuesdays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Ages 8 - 14 | January - March 2019

A creative space for writing and illustration for doodlers, drawers, poets and storytellers. With Chloe Caldwell and Alex Guerrero.

Our Writers & Illustrators Club was a space for exploring expression through various mediums, including: spoken word, poetry, haiku, spontaneous performance, self-portraiture, sharpie-marker drawings, and writing/illustrating on uncveontional materials. We began each class with a café-style environment, warming up by writing, drawing, and doodling on table-cloths while enjoying a community snack. Our club was a generous and generative space for exploration and expression, and for sharing our work and ideas with each other.

HAIR ART STUDIO

Tuesdays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Ages 8 - 14 | April - June 2019

Learning how to make beautiful hair styles for you and your friends. With Ngonda Badila.

Braided, beaded, frizzy, gleaming, chopped or painted hair: all hair types are celebrated in our after school Hair Art Studio! This semester we expressed ourselves and our styles through the art of DIY wig-making. We learned to create our own wigs with whatever materials are available, practiced laying tracks and color patterning, and spent time crocheting, wefting, playing and listening to music, and laughing together.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Thursdays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Ages 8 - 14 | April - June 2019

Exploring the rivers, woods, and wild spaces around us. With Zebi Williams, Emily Carpenter, and Heylan Tsumagari.

In Hudson we’re surrounded by nature, but a lot of us spend our time only in the city. This weekly after school space was about adventure as we grabbed our walkie-talkies and water bottles and explored some of the natural and wild spaces around us. We traveled to the Columbia Land Conservancy in Greenport, to High Falls, to the waterfronts in Hudson and Germantown, and to the grounds of Art Omi. We went spelunking in rivers, uncovered fossils and skeletons, climbed trees and boulders, and observed the first signs of spring. We also developed our outdoor skills: we learned to set up a campsite, to hang a hammock sleeping back, and to pack survival bags. We learned to pack for a multi-day camping trip, and practiced identifying different edible and poisonous plants. Sometimes we walked quietly through the woods, allowing our senses to peak with curiosity and observation - other times we sang at the top of our lungs as we tromped outside. 

PAPER ARTS

Thursdays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Ages 8 - 14 | January - March 2019

Constructing paper sculptures, costumes, crafts and more. With Pamela Badila.

Did you know you can turn paper into... almost anything? Working with artist and storyteller Pamela Badila, this semester we experimented with the creative possibilities of paper. We learned the art of decoupage, working with colored paper cutouts and mason jars. We created our own beautiful mosaics; learned to build small paper-boxes; and created hanging mobiles of origami paper cranes. We even made our own story scrolls: illustrated stories told on long scrolls of paper, to be shown in our paper theater. 

SPACE 2.0

Fridays, 4:00pm - 7:00pm | Ages 13+  | January - June 2019

A weekly space by and for Hudson teenagers. With Sharece Johnson.

This spring we transformed our classroom into a weekly spa and apothecary, learning to take care of ourselves and each other by creating our own lotions, sprays, face masks, soaps and remedies. We went on after school plant walks as we practiced identifying plants and their healing properties. We connected with herbalists and medicine makers, who taught us to transform plants into powerful and delicious medicines. Over the semester we made natural dyes, face masks, soaps, compresses, poultices, and more. We also created our own rituals of self care and collective care, like making self-love jars with pick-me-up messages, hosting our own steam bath spa days, and celebrating the Spring Equinox together. Of course we had our share of DIY fails, too: bath bombs that turned into bubbling blobs, medicinal chocolates that were too bitter to eat, flax seed hair gel that got stuck to the inside of our cheese cloths. Failure was just as fun as success as we worked and learned together!

Listen to our podcast discussion on reproductive rights, and see some of the GIFs we made:

ROOTS & REBELS GARDEN CLUB

Fridays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm | All ages  | April - June 2018

Getting our hands dirty in the River City Garden. With Kristen Jones and Kaya Weidman, with help from Briggin and the Space 2.0 teens.

Dozens of kids joined us every Friday for the Roots and Rebels Garden Club. As we transitioned into Spring at the garden, kids and teens worked together to help fill and plant 9 brand new raised garden beds! We planted seeds and potted up seedlings, cleaned up the flower and herb garden, and helped install garden beds for the community. We painted signs for the garden, ma our own homemade chia pets, and created germination necklaces. We also enjoyed spending time together in the garden: flying kites, playing bocce, preparing food together and sharing weekly outdoor meals.

See photos from our Spring 2019 Expo, here!