A strange thing happens when you are a NYSSSA student, where time seems to be both suspended indefinitely and moving at the speed of light simultaneously. It is really in the second week that this new temporal displacement occurs. And what a second week we had.
Starting just with our Independence weekend festivities, the kids attended a Batiking workshop with our Resident Life visiting artist, Danielle Garfinkel, played "We Know More than You" Trivia, watched fireworks, and enjoyed an ice cream social courtesy of the Res. Life Staff. The following morning we all loaded ourselves onto buses and had a beach day at Point Gratoit, complete with swimming, sunscreen and sandcastle contests. The winners took home some very fine trophies in our own formal award ceremony. And then we departed, back to campus and the kids readied themselves for a second week of classes.
During that second week, the students were able to attend their first real visiting artist lecture, with Brooklyn-based artist Kenya Robinson. Her mixed media work was intriguing and unusual, and the students were able to direct all of their questions to her when she came and visited them in their morning classes. They finished out the week with a Friday visit to the Albright-Knox gallery in Buffalo, where the students were taken on an educational tour, and were given time to explore the debuting exhibition, "Bad Habits" which included many well-known contemporary artists.
Later that night, back on campus, we decked out the lounge with string lights and sound equipment and had our very own, low-key, high-talent open mic nite. Many of our students overcame their shyness and got up to perform their musical, poetic, and story-telling abilities. Open mic nite also saw the debut of the counselor band, including two ukuleles, a kazoo, a violin, and a Casio keyboard, doing a cover of Katy Perry's "Hot n' Cold". There were delicious baked goods and snacks and an excellent time was had by all.
Not deterred by the rainiest day EVER on Saturday, in which all of the students returned soaked to the bone only from making the five minute walk from Rockefeller Art Center to the dorm, the weekend came to a close with Sunday activities, including more "We Know More Than You" trivia, tye-dye, and bubbles.
Hard to believe this was all in one week. The next one will continue to be exiciting with awesome events like the much anticipated Talent Show and Costume ball, where all the students will without a doubt strut their creativity outside the classroom for all to see. Keep on reading!
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