Back in the fall of 2019, none of us could have imagined all that we would go through in the following two years. Prior to the release of the COVID vaccines, FLOW 2020 was canceled. Students were only attending school in person two days per week, and most of us were feeling pretty isolated. We all hoped the 2021-2022 year would be different and move the needle closer to some sense of normalcy.
Happily, we started off this school year with 100% of the kids 100% of the time, and a commitment from The Chewonki Foundation to make FLOW happen, whatever that might look like. After many discussions about the safest way forward, we decided to go with four day trips, with students making the trip to and from Chewonki with their cohorts in small vans to minimize the possibility of spreading illness. We left school at 8:00 AM each day, and returned in time to catch the buses.
The trips were wonderful. The kids were so happy to be outside, adventuring with each other, laughing, sharing meals and learning to work together as a group. We had nearly 100% participation in the trips, which was a first. We were able to organize for Jackie Johnson's plein air art classes again, and the work that the students created beautifully captured the spirit of the coast from different perspectives. Ms. Johnson mounted the finished works and she and I put them on display in the Patten Free Library.
In case you couldn't make it to the library, here are photos of the pieces. Let's hope next fall is even closer to normal than this year, and that we can camp out once again as part of the FLOW experience.
