HARDWICK — Hardwick Elementary School (HES) will host its ninth River of Light on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Hardwick Elementary art teacher Beth LeCours talked about what the event is and why it is important to the community. LeCours explained, “The HES River of Light is a celebration of art and community.”
courtesy photo
The school has been doing a River of Light since 2015, except for 2020 and 2021 because of health restrictions due to Covid-19.
This event came to be as LeCours explains, “I attended a Vermont art educator fall conference where artist Gowri Savoor and art educator M.K. Monley taught how to create willow lanterns and presented about the event they started in Waterbury after Hurricane Irene. Then I walked in the Waterbury River of Light with my lantern and was hooked.”
LeCours believes this event is important to the community because, “It is a magical and beautiful way for families to be together and celebrate the holidays in a really peaceful way.”
All the lanterns are student-made, with preschool to second grade using milk cartons to make their lanterns and the third to sixth grade using stick structures in a pyramid shape and paper mache to create a willow lantern. This process takes the students about two weeks to complete the lanterns in their art classes.
The students will have their winter concert at 6 p.m., and will gather for the walk in front of the school at about 6:45 p.m. Students with their families follow the S.D. Ireland holiday cement truck in a loop from the school and through town.
LeCours says “This year we will try a new route to not disrupt traffic on Main Street and keep everyone safe. The route will loop from the school down to Cherry Street, Elm Street and Spring Street back to South Main.”
Olivia Saras is an intern in her senior year at People’s Academy in Morrisville.
