HeARTS!!

One of my friends started the HeARTS group early this year, it's the healing arts program. The first semester we did training workshops here at ISK where Ms. Elleby, Ms. Blanchard and Ms. Mackay were helping us and teaching us several things: how to talk to kids, what to do in certain situations, how do healing arts work... we also made sock puppets and many different other things. During christmas we went to Gertrudes Hospital for a christmas party and that was amazing. We had lots of kids come in, some were sick and some weren't, but either way they were all great they had so much energy and they were so happy to have us there. I was doing face painting the whole time while others were making bracelets, singing, drawing etc... It was really nice going there and playing with these kids, knowing that we were making them happy. The whole group was very happy and we were very excited to go back again. 

The second semester in my opinion was much better than the first because unlike the first where we mostly did workshops at school, the second semester we did a lot more, we went to Gertrudes again and we had the Saru kids come to ISK twice. The second time at Gertrudes was also awesome because we got to do lots of things with the kids and this time they were all sick kids (some were in beds). We were drawing self portraits with them, reading stories, and making small hearts with cardboard. We were there on a Wednesday after school for almost 2hours and then we went back to ISK and discussed what was good and what wasnt and we made suggestions for improvements for next time. 

The following wednesday we had kids from Saru come to ISK but I wasnt able to be there because I had the fringe festival rehearsal. The next wednesday the same kids from Saru came back and it was so much fun because we made little sock puppets with them and then we had a small show type thing and later each heARTS student and one kid did it one at a time ( the show). Some of them were very shy and others were very happy and excited to present their sock puppets to us. 

I am really glad I joined HeARTS because I think it is one of the most meaningful things and service groups here at ISK. Instead of just having meetings and planning fundraisers like most groups, we actually do something and help the kids directly. It is so nice to know that we're making these kids happy and maybe helping some of them heal. It was scary at first because as Ms. Blanchard was talking to us from a psychologist point of view, I started thinking what if I do something wrong? is it my responsibility if I dont make the child happy? But as time went by I realized that that is not a problem at all and it is really easy to talk and play with these kids. I hope we start making our own money in this group to have our own supplies and continue visiting hospitals. I hope that even after we leave that this group will be as successful as it is now and continues growing.