Dear Tradewinds,
February 16th and 17th of the St. John Arts Festival included a childrens arts component that I coordinated and directed called North Meets South. The St. John Tradewinds ran a wonderful article about this.
I want to share my thanks to Frank Langley and the St. John Arts Festival for taking me under their wings and allowing my events to be part of their activities.
I would like to thank St. John for the openhearted welcome and support of the community in this my first endeavor of creating an arts event of this size. Thank you for welcoming both the festival and the arts educators who came from the U.S.
I want to thank the storytellers Mrs. Fredericks and Mrs. Jacobs for sharing their talents and understanding the vision I was bringing with me for this part of the festival of bringing the children of the island together through the arts.
I would like to thank Mr. Frances, Dr. Bowers and Beth Knight, the administrators and the homeschooling families who helped make it all possible. I want to gratefully acknowledge the teachers for their enthusiasm and participation, and especially thank Mr. Horne, the art teacher for the use of his art rooms.
Thanks are due to Eddie Bruce, Laurie Odenbach and Ronnie Ford for being there in so many ways whenever needed all through the events.
And thanks to Guy Benjamin and Steve Simon each of who inspired me in their own way. I also need to thank the children who are a constant inspiration and joyfully participated.
Next years childrens arts program is already taking shape with ideas from teachers, the festival educators, friends both North and South and my own ideas.
There is a saying from Africa It takes a village to raise a child. I feel it took an island and arts teachers to raise a festival. Thank you with all my heart!
Jill Olesker
director and storyteller Editors Note:
The kite making picture in St. John Tradewinds Feb. 20-26 article incorrectly named teacher Archie Stewart.
