Ridgefield-area students bow after a performance of their take on the children’s book “Henry Hedgehog Makes Spaghetti” during the Ridgefield Arts Experience activity last week, one of many coordinated as part of Ridgefield Youth Arts Month throughout March
It’s been an artistic month in one North Clark County city as community collaboration led to the third annual celebration of Ridgefield Youth Arts Month (RYAM) through March.
RYAM kicked off with a performance called “Art Alive!” featuring a manner of live performances at the start of the month, leading into a collection of activities including block carving, watercolor, hip-hop musical dancing, sculpture, photography and even a student-created performance based off of a local children’s book author’s work.
The month-long event is led by the Ridgefield School District, RYAM planning committee member Barbara Wright explained, though the Ridgefield Art Association, businesses, the city of Ridgefield and other civic and social organizations play a part in getting the month moving.
Wright is on the committee both as a member of the Ridgefield Art Association (RAA) and as a member of the Clark County Arts Commission as a representative for Ridgefield. She explained the goal of the month was to celebrate all forms of art, be it visual media, performance, literary or musical.
“Sometimes people think that art is just pictures on the wall,” Wright said.
Apart from the activities, close to 40 businesses in Ridgefield (and a few in Vancouver) have visual art created by students on display.
Tasked with handling the administrative piece of the program is Ridgefield School District Community Education Coordinator, Terri Cochran. She said that every year the committee looks to add newer activities for students.
“We literally have a program almost every day of the month,” Cochran said, with the program’s website calendar backing up the claim.
Activities are led by volunteers with the majority being a part of the RAA.
A new activity this year is “art steps,” Wright said — an activity where students fill out “passports” by taking part in art and physical activities, with a tablet as the prize. Wright said adding an active component was a way to help integrate the arts into other activities students enjoy.
“We didn’t want to have the idea of a total separation of art and other sports activities that students participate in,” Wright said.
Last week one of the more in-depth events took place at Union Ridge Elementary School, the Ridgefield Arts Experience. Coordinated between Wright, Sean McGill of Ridgefield Community Library and Opus School of Music owner Rob Melton, the event was a blend of musical, literary and visual arts for second through eighth grade students who contrived a performance based off of a children’s book.
This year the book was “Henry Hedgehog Makes Spaghetti” by local author Carol Ann Mason, Wright said. After sharing the story with the students they were tasked with making the scenery, creating the music and dialogue and then acting out the story in a performance “after three and a half hours of chaos and fun” at the end of the evening.
Now in its third year, excitement over RYAM has had a chance to build with anticipation of next year’s events.
“It’s amazing to see the kids come in, they’re excited now, they are looking forward to it. They ask about it, what’s coming up, what classes we are doing this year,” Cochran said.
For the dance activity a part of the program, she noted how some students have taken part all three years, becoming familiar with their instructor over years of the event.
One of the biggest draws for students taking part in the event was that for the large majority of events there wasn’t any cost tied to the activities.
“We keep all of our prices reasonable for all of our programs, but you can’t beat free,” Cochran said.
