WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A young college student is helping kids put emphasis on the arts.
Inside the West Seneca Community Center, Tuesday nights are a popular one for a free art class, led by 18 year-old Aoife Clune.
“I think the arts are so important,” Clune said as she wound pink yarn around a balloon, demonstrating how to make a yarn Easter egg.
Kids in kindergarten through fifth grade join together for a new project each week, exploring their creativity.
“I feel really lucky I get to do this,” Clune says.
Clune, the West Seneca West grad who started this program believes there needs to be more options for kids after school other than sports.
“I’ve noticed there’s a lot of pressure put on athletics and stuff for young kids, but not as much put on the arts. So I wanted to make a safe place where kids could come and do that.”
She says she searches so many projects online for the kids make, Pinterest thinks she’s an art teacher.
“That’s so funny. I get little notations for art education stuff,” she said laughing.
In a way-she is. Clune says she started the program this year, and it’s grown each week.
The program is free to all who join. Clune accepts donations to keep her art supplies replenished.
“I do collect some donations from the kids who come, so anything I need after the first couple sessions has been purchased through the donations.”
The group meets every Tuesday at the West Seneca Community Center from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. The program runs through May 31.
