Creative Summer at the Mead School has been encouraging boys and girls to explore the arts for two decades. The program focuses on performing, visual and expressive arts. For four weeks each summer, children ages 6 ½ to 16 explore a theme and work alongside a staff of professional performers, artists and educators. Creative Summer is proud that its students are “children as artists working with artists.”
Creative Summer provides a safe and nurturing environment where students can elect to pursue a an area of the arts about which they are already passionate, or safely explore a field about which they are curious.
The program offers a wide variety of courses that includes musical theatre, painting, drawing, design, video, rock band, animation, cartooning, creative writing, scene study, dance, and more. Each class is offered to a specific age and is designed to have an age-appropriate curriculum. Children choose five classes to study over the course of the four weeks.
At the end of the program, Creative Summer holds two major events. On Video Night, all of the work completed by the video and animation classes is debuted. In addition, the students of the vocal music class perform. The program culminates with Festival Day. On this occasion, the building is turned into a massive gallery displaying all of the visual artwork and writing created by the students. In addition, attendees can enjoy a dance recital, scene study and improve comedy performances, fashion show, rock band concert, two musical theatre performances and other presentations.
Creative Summer is under the guidance of David L. Jackins who founded the program twenty-one years ago. During his tenure at the Mead School, Jackins has been an early learning arts educator, Home Center Director, and Director of the Sundial after school enrichment program, in addition to his position as Director of Creative Summer. He holds a degree in English/Speech-Communication and Theatre Arts from the University of Maine, and is one of the founders of Crystal Theatre in Norwalk.
Each year, Jackins hires a staff of professionals to guide students through their exploration of the arts. He is proud that many staff members have been with him for years. One of those long-term instructors is jewelry designer Farrah Shindler, a Stamford resident and artist who oversees the visual arts program at Creative Summer. The musical theatre department is under the direction of Erin Lee Kelly, an award winning children’s entertainer and recording artist. Art instructor Barbara Mathis of Stamford, is an accomplished portrait artist whose work has been shown throughout the tri-state area. The program’s associate director Margaret Jackins is an accomplished cabaret singer and actor. In addition, the staff regularly includes several certified teachers, and expert filmmakers and musicians.
What becomes of the alumni of Creative Summer? Lots of things! Most go on to pursue the personal pleasure they get from the arts, but others take a more focused approach. Creative Summer alumni have performed on Broadway and in films. Others have become professional dancers, and one a puppeteer. Several have recently enrolled in outstanding performing arts programs and are currently studying musical theatre and opera, while others have opted to pursue conservatory programs in the visual arts. Creative Summer is proud that, after furthering their training, many alumni have returned to be instructors. Among those teaching alumni are artist Colin Oulighan, illustrator Annalisa Schaefer and stand-up comedian Nicholas Schaefer.
This year, Creative Summer will be held from June 28 to July 23. Registration information can be obtained by calling the Mead School at (203) 595-9500 ex. 63 or via e-mail at creativesummermead@yahoo.com.
