Positive Reflection through art at St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church

By:  Kerry Cesspooch
Date: December 26, 2008

News from Ute Country
The program dubbed, Arts Kids/Arts Teens is a pilot program that was founded by Park City resident, Pat Drewry Sanger who originally hails from Virginia.  She is a nurse and psychologist by study; years of working with inner city, African-American kids who survive through violence and poverty and suffer from a loss of childhood she describes walking along the b3each in the east coast she had an idea.

“It struck a cord in me,” so she migrated west to the mountains where she formed an association with Running Strong for Native Youth; Utah Folk Council, Episcopal Diocese of Utah and St. Elizabeth’s Church in Whiterocks. Through grants funds she incorporates local artisans to help create arts and offer a window of positive self-expression.

Over a course of ten weeks, every Wednesday since October the last day was commemorated on December 17th to showcase what the youngsters have accomplished.

Both the young kids and teens began the evening with circle time where each individual was handed a decorated deer antler “talking stick’ and tell about their personal highs and lows followed with an intention statement.

Like most teenagers, it takes some coaxing to make a positive report after faced with troubles at school like being over looked and labeled as a bad student and challenged with peer pressure.

Tenth grader, Sidney Pargeets dais, “When I’m alone in a class, I’m OK.  It’s just when my friends are around I don’t want to do anything.”

Vernal Junior High School students, Corban Pargeets, Odorico Pardes, Sidney Pargeets and Cherokee Angel sat at a table filling out a survey they were told to take serious.

Nearly finished with the survey, they agreed St. Elizabeth’s was somewhere to go, to get away from home where most likely they would be “bored.”

The four still had hopes of their future after being told their life expectancy wasn’t past the age of 21, by the circulating newspaper.

“I like to play video games, maybe I’ll make a video game someday.” said Pardes, “I hope I don’t become a nerd.”

“The program has the potential and capability for expansion beyond this pilot in Whiterocks,” said a hopeful Sanger “it doesn’t have to be in a church setting.  Anything will do to keep kids out of trouble.”

Living on a reservation whose numbers is over three thousand, and compared to the growing Utah population of 2.7 million concerns over prejudices and violence is hard to escape.  But though art, Sanger hopes that young people will find their niche and work toward something that is good.

“We are like a catalyst, something to bring and give. You have to adapt and use as a tool, I thought we need to have more volunteers to make a true difference.  There are many positive leaders here who are artists.  I welcome them to come and teach the children, stated Sanger.

Wayne Gardner, who is the Fatherhood Advocate at Ute Indian Tribe Head Start, is also a local flutist who in his spare time constructs Native American handmade flutes.  He had been apart of the Arts Kids/Arts Teens teaching traditional stories and introductory songs like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Start to teenagers and little ones alike. “I just told them what do and they did it,”  Gardner said.

Pat Sanger said there was so much the Ute culture could offer to the program and it was just a matter of getting people interested.  To come away from violence and “make the children feel special again. If people shut down their feelings, we begin to stop caring about other people.”z

Now that the program has come to an end, Sanger has hopes that the facilitators will be able to take the outline and run with it, kicking if off with local Ute or non native artists who, for them would be easily integrated into the program.

“We are always looking, spread the work and attract more volunteers to have and we welcome everyone, It’s not just for church.  This belongs to everyone here to make a positive impact on your young people:” said Sanger