By Emily Hill
It’s been a couple of years since My Edmonds News checked in with Kathleen Huston, program director of Driftwood’s Take a Kid to The Theatre program for homeless children.
The program service area has grown over the past three years to include Everett, Lynnwood and the surrounding Edmonds area. With over 400 Edmonds School District students living unsheltered, concern for how to manage the summers of these children is ongoing.
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| Photo courtesy My Edmonds News |
My Edmonds News received a progress report from Huston this week – and the generosity of the Driftwood Players organization toward our community’s children is laudable.
According to Huston, “The program goal is to expand to include interactive creative workshops on site at local shelters.
“Exposure to the arts is an important part of a well-rounded education. Most sheltered(ed) kids have never see a live play. The TKTT program helps fill the gap that parents might not be able to provide.”
So how is the program doing?
“The program has really taken off this year,” Huston revealed in a phone interview, admitting that the increased need actually reflects the growing homeless population and need for activities for children at shelters.
“Our workshops are in such demand at three shelter locations (two in Lynnwood and one in Everett), that our educator, Jenny Price is constantly on the go.
“Our original workshop plan was to offer quarterly creative workshops for kids at the shelter locations. Then, we were asked by Pathways in Lynnwood to do an icebreaker exercise for their monthly mom meetings.”
Soon the Everett shelter served by the TKTT program asked if they could have mom creative workshops too. Driftwood Players answered the call.
Now the program is doing weekly workshops throughout the summer and trying to fill all the requests for mother and kid workshops.
Huston observed, “This program has a life of its own. We keep adding to it and massaging it to fit the needs of our target audience.”
On Tuesday, Huston heard from Everett’s Interfaith Association of Northwest Washington’s children’s advocate, Desmond Pullen:
“Thank you very much for taking the time to do the theatre workshops this summer. The children and adults had a great time learning theatre techniques. You certainly have great talent for what you do. We thank you for sharing your time and gift with us.”
Huston says, “At the end of the day, the delight and smiles we get make it all worthwhile!”
Providing programs for underprivileged kids requires ongoing funding. Driftwood Players invites the community to participate in the Take a Kid to The Theatre program at their online giving location.
Driftwood Players perform at the Wade James Theatre, 950 Main St., Edmonds.
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