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Puppet party at the Poland library
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Neighbors | Amanda Tonoli.Guest Todd Ahrens (left) and librarian Annette Ahrens taught students about the art of making puppets at Puppet Camp: Wacky World of Puppets at the Poland library on July 13.
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Neighbors | Amanda Tonoli.Max Hemmis came back for the second year of Puppet Camp: Wacky World of Puppets at the Poland library.
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Neighbors | Amanda Tonoli.Friends Vince Sainato (left) and Jacob Wolf came to the Poland library on July 13 to make puppets for Puppet Camp: Wacky World of Puppets.
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Neighbors | Amanda Tonoli.The Poland library hosted Puppet Camp: Wacky World of Puppets the week of July 13-17. Pictured are Sophia Sainato (left) and Kate Kadilak (right).
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Neighbors | Amanda TonoliLibrarian Annette Ahrens helped students craft marionette-styled puppets, one of the many puppets they were going to make, during Puppet Camp: Wacky World of Puppets on July 11 at the Poland library.
By amanda tonoli
The Poland library kicked off Puppet Camp: Wacky World of Puppets on July 13. This week-long camp was led by librarian Annette Ahrens who partnered with her husband, Todd Ahrens, a professor at Youngstown State University.
During Puppet Camp students got to create four different puppets, learning skills from the experts — the Ahrens are members of The National Puppeteers of America.
On Friday, the children got to put on a final show, making up scenarios to go along with their puppet creations.
Annette Ahrens said she was glad to see Puppet Camp come back for the second year, bringing students from the last year with it.
“We have some new students, but four students came back — so they must’ve enjoyed it,” Ahrens said.
One of the return students from the previous year was Sophia Sainato. Sainato said she liked the creative aspect of Puppet Camp.
“There are a lot of fun designs,” Sainato said. “It’s cool because you get to make your own and at the end of the week everyone gets to see them.”
Sainato said she already had scenarios and puppets ideas figured out, some of them involving a Swedish chef and the Spongebob character Patrick Starr.
“I love puppets and sharing the puppets with the kids,” Ahrens said. “It’s nice to see how excited they get about it. They’ve already got some great ideas.”
Ahrens said her interest in puppets was inspired by The Muppets.