A Year of Make and Take Projects
One demographic hit hard and often overlooked during the height of the pandemic was teenagers. Accustomed to in-person learning where they could develop their intellectual and interpersonal skills, they had to quickly pivot to online learning, isolated from their friends, classmates, and peers. In between classes or after school, they were left with only a few options: either hanging with friends online, which meant more screen time, or finding an activity on their own.
In 2021, Nicole Perrault, Head of Teen Services at the Charlotte & William Bloomberg Public Library, wanted to create a program where teens had access to creative activities that were hands-on, manageable, and engaging. She worked with the Teen Advisory Board, a committee composed of teen volunteers, to come up with a yearlong activity calendar. Once a month, teens could pick up the activity kit from the library and make something new and/or unfamiliar.
away from Zoom
The program quickly gained a lot of interest from teens and grew in popularity. By the end of 2021, Nicole and her board decided to continue the program in 2022.
The idea behind the make and take projects was to create an activity where teens could have a release completely away from Zoom, said Nicole over the phone. Teens need a break from the screen and these monthly activities provide a great mental health benefit.
The Medford Arts Council granted funding for the initiatives’ continued efforts in promoting teen physical and mental wellness. Many of the activities from 2021 were widely popular, so Nicole and team kept those on the agenda, such as tie-dye and marble magnets.
their own spin
The Teen Advisory board brainstormed monthly activities that fit into the project budget. Each activity had to stretch for 35-40 teens and the group was able to come up with their own unique ideas. One idea that emerged was crayon candles where teens could melt candles and create their own rainbows.
Demand was really high at the beginning of the year when the situation was a bit iffy, Nicole noted. As the pandemic numbers decreased, more people started to come in-person to the library and the kits ran out pretty quickly. She added that the most popular kits run out immediately, like the bug painting activity.
Nicole emphasized that all her programming is about creativity and having teens add their own spin. The Head of Teen Services is a pioneer in this space.
In 2020, she was one of the first Massachusetts librarians to roll out virtual programs for teens (including take and make projects) and instructed other library professionals nationwide on how to create meaningful at-home programming for teens during the global pandemic. Nicole said she would like to add more theatrical opportunities for Medford teens. That would be a fun way to get teens engaged with their bodies! I want teens to have that openness, to make mistakes and learn from them.