Maintenance Teams Funds received from Public Lands Corps and Youth Conservation Corps awards sponsored two traditional maintenance teams each comprised of 11 youths and a team leader. Maintenance team members worked 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 30 hours total per week. Dressed in their recognizable goldenrod t-shirts they painted fences along Dutton Street, cut weeds, removed brush, washed windows, and mulched sites throughout Lowell National Historical Park. They filled four hundred sand bags, set up and took down countless chairs, tables and signs to assist staff with set up and takedown for the Lowell Folk Festival. The maintenance team members hosted youth from the Groundwork Lawrence Green Team who assisted with painting fences at the visitor center parking lot. They also assisted with a trail management project at Mass Audubon West Meadow Conservation Land. Youth Theater Program Team The SCC Youth Summer Theater Program, funded through the Youth Partnership Program, included ten students who worked 20 hours a week under the guidance of an advisor and a team leader. This year the program was expanded to cover seven days a week to better serve visitors to Lowell National Historical Park and to work more closely with interpretation. The students worked in two teams of five to cover a daily schedule of 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The group performed informal and formal first person presentations throughout Lowell National Historical Park and the city. Participants wore 19th century historic costumes as they roamed the streets stopping by the trolley, the Mill Girls and Immigrants Exhibit, the Boott Cotton Mills Museum and interacted with visitors as first person characters including Kirk Boott, Lucy Larcom and Harriet Hanson Robinson. The students adopted the Moody Street Feeder Gatehouse and welcomed over 800 visitors to the site that would have remained closed if not for their efforts.They also performed regularly at the historic St Anne’s Church for the local downtown lunch crowd. The students spent one day working with campers from the Lowell National Historical Park National Parks Summer Day Camp. This included leading a canal tour and a session on historic costuming. They also presented a special program for the attendees of CTI Day. This included six performances throughout the day for groups of 25 campers. They entertained visitors after the Children's Series program of the Lowell Summer Music Series, and roamed the crowd at the Lowell Folk Festival. The students also attended a historical character performance and educational workshop session on performance art led by Jan Turnquist Director and Founder of InterAct Performances. The Artship Enterprise Team The Artship Enterprise team consisted of three students and one team leader. The fourth team member included Spindle City Corps members from other teams who assisted with projects as needed. Corps members from the maintenance and theater teams that were unable to attend the overnight trips worked on the Artship. This sharing of resources allowed members of the Artship team to participate in all Spindle City Corps events. The Artship worked weekly at several community events providing lunch for areas youths through a USDA healthy lunch program and crafts during the visit.New additions to the schedule this summer included entertaining youths before the Lowell Summer Music Series Children’s’ Programs on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at Lowell National Historical Park and providing the same opportunities for children at Harmony Park, a small park in Lowell’s Acre neighborhood. The Year Round members helped to revitalize this park. Artship members also worked the Lowell Folk Festival providing crafts and other activities for attendees including string dolls and Popsicle stick airplanes. |
Last updated: February 26, 2015