WWW.SHAKER.LIFE | SUMMER 2018 23
…And Letting Off Steam
Teen life can be a hectic blur of school assignments, club
activities, sports, friends, and family. While exciting and
fast-paced, these busy lives leave teens little time to just
be themselves. The Library provides the time and space
for teens to learn how to take time for themselves and
foster their growing independence. From quick games of
Uno and Connect Four with friends to creating a beach
scene out of a pudding cup, the Library offers a window
where teens can savor the moment and slow down time,
even if only for an hour or so.
At a January Shaker Heights High School PTO
meeting, Shaker students said that scheduling
downtime actually helped them stay organized. Recent
publications such as When: The Scientific Secrets of
Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink argue that students’
success is greater when they incorporate breaks into
their schedules.
To meet the need for de-stressing breaks, the Library
provides programs like 5-Minute Poetry, Wii Wednesdays,
and pick-up activities of coloring and Lego building.
Here teens can practice their independence while also
learning and exploring which activities can help them
unwind. Keeping physical and mental energy levels up for
the demands of high school life is essential to not only
making it through, but actually enjoying it too.
Shaker Reads: Art Builds Community
Don’t wait for the last minute to finish your summer reading! Sign up for
the preschool, school-age, teen, or adult summer reading programs and join
Shaker’s community of readers.
Thanks to Friends of the Shaker
Library, which underwrites the
reading program, school-age
children can read and earn beads
and brag tags to create their own
unique summer reading necklace.
Teens can experiment with a
wide variety of art supplies
and add their talents to a
Teen Center community
mural while reading to
win weekly gift cards.
One grand prize teen
reader will win a Fire HD
tablet. Children and teen
reading programs continue through
August 11. Again this summer,
OverDrive has pledged to
donate $1 for every book
an adult reports reading.
The adult reading
program continues
through Labor Day.
Process-Focused Arts and
Crafts Programs i n July and August
Woods Branch:
Outdoor Art/Splatter Painting
Thursday, July 5. .4-4:45 pm
Recycled Art
Wednesday, July 11. .3-3:45 pm
Recycled Art
Wednesday, August 15. .3-3:45 pm
Main Library:
Play With Your Food
Monday, July 9. .4:15-5 pm
Fish Prints
Thursday, July 12. .4:15-5 pm
Make Some Masks!
Monday, July 23. .4:15-5 pm
Paint with Dirt
Thursday, August 2. .4:15-5 pm
Who Rocks? Pet Rocks!
Tuesday, August 7. .4:15-5 pm
Make a Marbled Bookmark
Thursday, August 9. .4:15-5 pm
Recycled Art
Monday, August 13 . 4:15-5 pm
Coming in the Fall 2018:
Monday Craft Clubs
4:15-5 pm at Main and 4-4:45 pm at Woods
/WWW.SHAKER.LIFE