North Haven, Vinalhaven students enjoy arts festival

Olivia Chilles of Vinalhaven (left) and Abby Campbell of North Haven prepare chocolate-dipped strawberries and cherries to serve for dessert. Joan Davisson

North Haven's normal fifth through twelfth grade school population of 39 students tripled when their counterparts from Vinalhaven joined them for the May 29 Fox Islands Arts Festival.

Fencing on the ball field, choral music at the church, transformations (3-D art from trash) at the Legion Hall, granite-cutting behind Waterman's Community Center were four of the 12 offerings at the festival, held on North Haven.

Perfect weather was supplied for the ferry riders, approximately 120 staff and students who came through Leadbetter's Narrows to get from island to island on the hour-long chartered ferry ride.

Sponsored by Vinalhaven School, Vinalhaven's Partners in Island Education, the North Haven Community School, North Haven Arts & Enrichment, with grant from the Island Institute and assistance from the Maine Community Foundation, all fifth through twelfth graders from both island schools were invited to take part in the morning workshops.

Culinary arts included "Cooking for A Crowd" and dessert-making, which provided soups, cornbread, salads, and chocolate-covered strawberries and cherries for students, staff and chaperones, a total of approximately 180 people.

Other workshops offered were architecture, stand-up Shakespeare, storytelling through movement, improvisational blues, Origami (1,000 Paper Cranes), and Renga poetry.

After lunch, performance-based workshops took to the stage at Waterman's Community Center, and exhibits of student work were displayed at Calderwood Hall and the center's Community Room.