Arts & Crafts Programs
Meet Yolande van Heerden, Our Art Director
We are thrilled to introduce Yolande van Heerden, our talented Art Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta. Yolande, a well-known Greenwood art teacher, joined our team on September 1, 2023 bringing a wealth of experience and passion for nurturing creativity in young minds.
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Crafting Memories, One Club at a Time
Yolande has hit the ground running, collaborating with each Club's director and staff to tailor unique Arts & Crafts programs for our members. Recently, she visited the Grenada club, where she engaged club members in a quick and delightful weaving project using donated yarn and fabric scraps. Her goal is to inspire children to enjoy arts and crafts using readily available everyday items.
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The Montessori Touch
A native of South Africa, Yolande brings a Montessori-inspired approach to her teaching. Emphasizing learning through hands-on experiences and having fun in the process, she believes in the power of arts and crafts to stimulate imagination, develop problem-solving skills, and encourage neuro connections.
"To me, arts and crafts are not only fun and exciting. They stimulate our imagination, help to develop problem-solving skills, encourage neuro connections, help students to process their world ...," she said. Arts and crafts, she believes, "help us to connect to people like ourselves and different from us and enrich our lives, and help us to become better and fuller people."
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Unwinding and Connecting
Yolande's vision aligns with ours at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta. Children and teens served by our clubs arrive after a long day at school and need a space to unwind and express themselves. According to our CEO, David Dallas, it's a great situation for families. Arts and crafts provide a fantastic outlet for our members to relax, connect with peers, and develop essential life skills in the process.
Support Our Mission: Make a Difference Today!
Your contribution can make a lasting impact on the lives of the youth we serve at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta. By donating to our organization, you directly support programs like the Arts & Crafts programs, providing opportunities for inclusion, growth, and achievement.