Woodland Middle School introduces new arts and crafts clubs

WOODLAND — Woodland Middle School introduced two new after-school clubs — Art Club and Craft Club — in November to provide ways for students to engage in lessons or activities they might not have the opportunity to take part in during the school day.

The Art Club — run by Clarissa Rinehart, the art teacher at Woodland Middle School — lets students self-direct their projects using a wide variety of media, including colored pencils, markers, clay, watercolor paints and acrylic paints. Club members can choose to create projects that Rinehart suggests or pursue their own interests.

The Craft Club, run by paraeducators Tammy Hall and Megan Orr, provides more directed sessions, with Hall and Orr developing specific projects for club members. In addition to projects involving traditional types of art like painting or drawing, the Craft Club expands the types of projects to include holiday cookie decorating, tie-dyeing T-shirts, creating covers for journals, making scrapbooks and many more pursuits.

Despite the clubs being introduced just in the past few weeks, student response has been overwhelmingly positive, with both clubs at full enrollment.

Research shows that extracurricular activities like athletics or clubs can dramatically improve students’ performance by offering motivation to attend school.

Hall and Orr started Craft Club so students could take time to find inspiration.

“I wanted to offer students a place to fuel their imagination, be innovative and creative, to improve their talents, skills and self-identity without worrying about grades,” said Orr. “After-school programs like these can offer just that kind of outlet.”

Hall strives to offer students a place to build relationships. “Students get to meet peers who share the same interests they do,” she said. “Since COVID, we weren’t able to provide group activities; it is so nice seeing all these kids wanting to be involved in something after school.”