A week of fun and learning, culminated with three of the Department of Youth and Culture’s annual Youth E.S.C.A.P.E. Programme exhibitions on Friday 28th July 2017. The three Digital Creative workshops (Film Production, Music Production and Apps Development), the Sewing and the Drumming workshops were all held for one week, but despite their brevity, the children learnt and created abundantly, as evidenced by the exhibitions.
The Digital Creative workshops were led by Akio Lloyd assisted by co-facilitators Jibri Lewis, Keanu Belle, Kelvin Hodge and Heather Merill and the Sewing Workshop was facilitated by Charlina Laville. In the Music Production Workshop, participants learnt how to make beats, record in a studio environment and improve their poetry/song writing skills. By the end of the workshop they had produced professional quality music.
Children in the Film Production Workshop were so excited to get started that they arrived at the workshop with scripts and tons of fresh ideas. They created a short “zombie movie”, music videos, and other videos. This experience aided in improving their acting skills as well as expanding their creative minds. Some student-made videos were uploaded to YouTube in hopes of birthing a successful and profitable YouTube channels for several students. Participants of the Apps Development Workshop learnt to code and make real, interactive apps that they hope to develop in coming summers and launch as apps that can be downloaded and used by the public.
Students of the Sewing Workshop, learnt various stitches, how to use a sewing machine and much more. They were able to make their own short pants and accessories including bags and choker necklaces.
The Digital Creative and Sewing Workshops joint exhibition was held at the ALHCS in the I.T. Lab 2 from 3:00 – 4:15 pm on Friday 28 July 2017. Later that evening from 6:00 – 8:00 pm, the Drumming Workshop exhibition was held at the JC Recreational Centre in South Hill and each child got a chance to demonstrate their drumming skills. Nearing the end of the exhibition drum facilitator, Jaiden Fleming allowed students to answer drum and music-related questions for a chance to win either a drum practice pad or a drum set. The practice pad was won by Shelquan Richardson and the drum set by Malachi Richardson, both of whom were extremely excited by their good fortune.
At the end of the exhibitions participants got certificates of completion, but more importantly during the course of the week they received knowledge and skills that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. The Department of Youth and Culture wishes to thank all who assisted in any way in making these invaluable experiences possible for the youth of Anguilla.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
