2019 marks the fifth year that the Robbins Hunter Museum has hosted Scarecrows on the Lawn!
This exhibit, a collaboration between Robbins Hunter Museum and the Welsh Hills School, is much anticipated for all parties involved. “The kids really enjoy the whole project, beginning to end!” Shelli Drumm, Assistant Head of School said. Shelli and Michelle Lerner, Head of School, would know. They are with the students every step of the way, even escorting the scarecrows down the street to the museum and assisting in the installment on the lawn. So just what IS the process from idea to completion? Shelli says the project is “interest-driven, and that is a natural motivator for students.”
It begins with the theme, this year being “Pioneers and Trailblazers”. “When choosing themes for our scarecrow project every year, we try to stay true to our mission statement: Welsh Hills School provides a dynamic, global education that focuses on the whole child. The theme of pioneers and trailblazers lends itself perfectly to the study of a diverse group of dynamic individuals from around the globe who have had an impact on our world today. Because the project includes so many different aspects of work and study, our individual students each get a chance to shine in their own way - through writing, drawing, sewing, building, and speaking. The project is a collaboration of art and language arts. This project began with each upper elementary student (fourth through sixth grade) choosing the pioneer or trailblazer who they are most interested in learning about.”
And then the work begins. According to Shelli, students “spent several weeks gathering information through research so they could become ‘experts’ on the person they've chosen. The information also included details about appearance, so students could begin to gather the appropriate clothing and accessories needed to build accurate representations of their subjects. Students then sewed the features onto the scarecrow faces by hand. To produce final, published copies of their biographical research papers, students worked through all the stages of the writing process and created colorful covers to showcase their work. It took a few days and lots of helping hands to physically build the scarecrows on wooden frames. Students worked with a partner to help dress and stuff their scarecrows”.
The buildup of excitement explodes the day the scarecrows are installed! “The culmination of the project, and most exciting for the students, was the Friday evening reception at the Robbins Hunter Museum. They were thrilled to stand proudly next to their pioneers and trailblazers and tell the stories of the inspirational people they got to know so well.” Families, friends, and neighbors gathered throughout gardens to appreciate the children’s accomplishments and learn more about historical figures. “The cookies were a big hit, too!” said Shelli, referring to refreshments enjoyed by all! “This is a project we look forward to every year. After five fantastic years, it has become one of the highlights of our WHS upper elementary program!”
Us too, Shelli! It is a highlight for us too!