ROCKPORT — The Adaptive Art Class at Camden Hills Regional High School performed a puppet show at Camden Rockport Elementary School for more than 100 Kindergarten and first graders students June 11. The high school students have been working hard under the direction of art teacher Russell Kahn and Anastasia Alley. The students began preparation for their two puppet shows last February.

Students worked with Camden Hills staff and student volunteers to create puppets, props, sets, script, and then performed The Little Red Hen, Goldilocks and The Three Bears.

The group even adapted the script for the young audience.

In the script, Little Red Hen goes down to Reny's on Elm Street in Camden to get "wicked good wheat."

Ed techs told jokes between shows while the performers changed the sets.

"Knock Knock. Who is there? Justin. Justin Who? Justin time for the second show."

The CRES students liked that one!

At least three students from the adaptive arts class had families come to the performance.

"They were really tickled to see their kids on stage," said Kahn.

At the end, the students all stood up on the stage and bowed in front of the audience.

"I don't know how many times they've done that in their lives,” he said. “It definitely boosted their self-esteem."

Students had an ice cream party in Mrs Alley's room after their performance.

The students and teachers involved in the adaptive arts class made the puppets out of clay, glazed them, and decorated the puppets by gluing on fabric, googily eyes, etc. The puppets were then attached to a long stick so students could stand from the side and hold the puppet in front of the back drop. The backdrop was made out of a tri-fold poster board with things like tissue paper glued on to create elaborate sets with different textures and colors.

The Three Bears’ house looks like an open doll house, three chairs, bowls made of clay, three beds.

There was a lot more work done with the set for The Little Red Hen.

One of the women who helped with the project was a substitute teacher, who had lived in the Midwest and was familiar with combines so they were able to make a miniature combine to cut the wheat. They made another set with the river, the ocean, river rocks and the mill. Kahn says it was "visually really capturing for the kids."

The puppets are set up on display for a few days at CRES.

Since February, the class has been making puppets, props, backdrops, and going over the script. They even videotaped the performance and had the students look at it and then did a final video tape on Monday before their performance.

Students who helped make the sets and were a part of the performance included Alex Jurek, Wyatt Timchak, Garrett Robbins, Katie Kunn, and Sammy Campbell.

Students who volunteered to help out with the project and do some narration were Sam Clark, Katia Kordek, and Katherine Snyder.

Kahn began the Adaptive Art Class four years ago.

Some of the students are mainstreamed but he found there was a need for kids to come in and do art together. Since they began they've created many projects that have been on display in the community.

"In the past we've done collaged murals on paper and one year we hung a display at the Camden Snow Bowl with snowmen coming down the side of the Snow Bowl," he said.

They did one for the Bus Barn, as well. The biggest hit was the ceramic name plates that they created for all the teachers that hang outside their classroom door through the high school. Adaptive Art students create them by pushing the letters into the clay and glazing it.

Last summer, Kahn did a workshop at the Pine Tree Camp, a camp that offers programs specifically for kids with disabilities.

Peaks Island Puppets and art educators worked with students to create puppet shows and when they presented their projects at the end of the camp Kahn thought "Hey, I could do that with our kids."

He wanted it to be a puppet show at their level. He wanted the kids to take ownership, even though the shape was a cat, they are able to glue something on. He was pleased with the outcome, stating "they pulled it through and it was a success."

CRES provided sound and lights and classroom to help make it a possibility. Next year, Kahn hopes to do it again with more plays.