Ceramics and Self-Care
As part of her Field Work Term at the Bennington Free Library, Michelle Freeman '20 led community programs focused on mental health, learning, and self-esteem.
Her youth-focused event, a clay-making workshop held on Saturday, Feb. 2 at the library, taught children ages 6 and up how to make clay animals — from penguins to foxes.
Her "self-care" event on Feb. 7 was geared to all ages, offering a DIY stress relief coloring book station and self-affirmation valentine workshop.
Bennington Free Library has collaborated with a Bennington College Field Work Term student every year for the past ten years, in a long, successful history, Linda Donigan, youth services librarian, said.
"It's really fun to work with college students, and it brings a certain kind of energy," she said. "They certainly have their finger on the pulse in a different way than we do."
A lot of people think you have to go buy a bath bomb or go spend money on chocolate, when really, self-care could be taking a walk down the street, or taking five minutes out of your day to remember to meditate.
Michelle Freeman '20