Freshman Creativity

This year’s freshman class is very creatively gifted. In Dale Shenk’s Old Testament class, they were given an assignment to create either a poem, song, drawing, or sculpture based on personal interaction with nature. Shenk states, “While most teenagers enjoy nature, they do not typically spend a lot of time thinking about or interacting with it.” The purpose of this project was to prompt students to interact with the natural world in some way and convey their experience through their creative project. There were quite a few poetry submissions. Several of them are highlighted below, along with some pictures of a few sculptures. 

 

Untitled by Caleb Shenk

Nature is where I can let go of

Struggles, stresses, worries. I can do what I love.

I walk in the snow, wandering without a purpose

This is where I go when I get nervous.

I need my me time, time with me myself and I.

The glistening, sparkling snow- I never want to say goodbye

Walking around in the snow, feeling your

Steps cave in like there isn’t a floor.

Seeing the snow on the bare trees.

I love the feeling of being almost ready to freeze.

I can’t wait for sledding down the hills

And getting my favorite chills.

Tromping through the snow

Nature is where I let go.


Dusk by Micah Shenk

The air is stagnant as I stroll through the grass.

Not one leaf moves.

Not one flower in the garden.

The sky is blue with streaks of red.

As the sun slowly dips its weary head below the horizon.

Dusk.

The most peaceful hour,

Where the crickets chirp their nightly song,

And all the creatures of the night

Come out to frolic in the darkness.


Forest by Christian Yoder

I am walking down a pine needle path

The tall, green giants we call trees

Floating over my head

Around me, sounds of birds and reptiles

And animals not yet discovered

They fill my head with amazement

I come to a creek

It is swarming with fish, bugs, flying things

And general animal chaos all around

I sit at the bank

And wait

And think

And enjoy my surroundings

A strange noise stirs me from my torpor

It is the rustling of leaves

And the breaking of sticks

Something is lurking through the growth

Something that fills my heart with fear

The noise slowly gets quieter

I calm down

And continue on my journey

The stomped plant path that I am traveling on

Gets n a r r o w e r

n a rrow e r

narrower

And ends

I continue on my quest to explore

Creating my own new path

As I trudge through the greenery

I see a long stick

Whittled by nature

Perfectly balanced for me to use

I pick up the stick

And use it to walk

I begin to use the stick more and more

It helps me get through the tough terrain

And the big branches

Without the stick, I would fall

I would fall

And lose the path forever

I begin to grow weary of my journey

I sit to rest a while

At the top of a tall rock

And there I sleep

I rest for a long time

When I awake from my deep slumber

I am still weary

I see a figure in the distance

It is dressed all in black

It is coming closer

Closer

Closer

The figure comes up to my rock

And holds out a hand

The figure, cloaked all in black

Offers me to come with him

I descend off the rock

Descend with the figure

Descend


Untitled by Nathan Oostland

Trees keep me rooted to Christ,

the limbs are like arms that embrace.

Leaves show that there is life,

they show that God is there.

The Lord is my rock,

he protects me all of my life.

He is like the pebbles in the creek,

they sooth and cleanse my feet.

The soft grass is the bed God has provided me,

it allows me to rest and meditate on the Lord.

It gives me a place to worship,

I could spend hours on its green blanket.

I give praise like the oceans,

waving and dancing in his glory.

I sing to the Lord,

like the clap of the waves on the sandy beach.

I am a witness to of the Lord,

I share the good news like the songs of the birds in the sky.

We gather in fellowship together,

like flocks of geese who stay with one another.

And the Lord is the Earth,

He takes care of us and loves us no matter what.

He gave his son to die for us,

like the Earth gives us it resources so we can live.


Untitled by Emma Thomas

Green Leaves and long grass touching my feet

Blue skies and tall trees is all I can see

No worries only laughter

I sit down in the meadow

Time stops no tomorrows just now

No past just now

Present,I am in the present

Children playing, and climbing in the trees

Tall trees,big tree,alive trees

Secrets have been told under trees

Kisses have happened under trees

Death have happened under trees

Crying and worries have happened under trees

But smiles and laughter has happened in trees

People climb trees to feel free

Children try the hardest to get the highest

up and up and up

To feel the joy of seeing everything below you

Its new

A new way in seeing everything

I  feel like my eyes have been open

I feel strong,free,happy

Beauty is all I can see when

I look at what God has made

Day by day he made somethings new

Day by day he made the earth

Each day adding something beautiful

Each day giving life to nature

To the world

Beauty is all I can see when

I think what he has done

And what he had made for me


Jacob SC

Sculpture by Jacob Woolace

Kelby SC

Sculptures by Kelby Youngberg