Liz Kirchner
communitynews@ourvalley.org
Art classes, workshops and special events designed especially for teens develop their skills, help connect them with art, ideas and with each other.
The Radford Public Library holds monthly events built especially for young people.
“They have similar needs to kids, but they like to be independent and self-directed and they like to have a variety of activities,” Catherine Fae, the library’s Youth Services Librarian said.
Every afternoon, 35 to 40 teens stream come down to the library from Radford High and Middle schools on the hill, so every afternoon the library has homework help, crafting and creative activities intended to appeal to people in grades 7 to 12.
“If its game day can see 80 kids,” she said.
People-sized games like Giant Connect Four and Giant Jenga are on offer as well as Giant Chess, and Giant Scrabble, not to mention Giant Kerplunk.
“We have musical Thursdays and art,” Fae said.
Local artist, Beth Spillman, of Mindful Creations in Floyd County works with young people to create jewelry and ornaments out of recycled materials.
Seeing beauty and potential in jettisoned objects getting ready for the art events, Spillman collects bins of fruit netting, plastic cherry tomato boxes, and old and colorful magazines.
On Teen Paper Jewelry Craft Thursday, Jan. 11, she’ll facilitate a Quilling workshop. Quilling is an old art that circles strips of paper into shapes and ornate, often floral, designs, and Spillman ties mindfulness and mediation into each event she holds.
“We’ve been doing this art with Beth since September. Once a month, young people make ornaments and jewelry. In the spring, they’ll make meditation cushions,” Fae said.
The library is also the site of wildly popular after-hours events like movies and games after the library closes.
For more information, www.radfordva.gov/326/Library or call 731-3608.
