see MCSHIN

PHHS students host week-long art camp for children

Photos and information courtesy of Hanover County Public Schools

IB Diploma students at Patrick Henry High School (PHHS) hosted a week-long art camp last month. Students Jenna, Abby and Sunny, along with PHHS teacher Jill Palumbo, organized and put on this fun, creative and hands-on learning experience for young artists ages 9 through 12. Campers were introduced to the darkroom to see their images come to life, made cyanotypes, photographs, painted with light, took pinhole camera photographs and even turned a room into a camera obscura. The camp culminated in a gallery showcase that featured the impressive artwork made by the students.

Ashland Branch Library hosts Hurricane Engineering Challenge

Photos and information courtesy of Awnali Mills

The Pamunkey Regional Ashland Branch Library hosted a Hurricane Engineering Challenge Aug. 2 from 11 a.m. to noon, inviting children ages 7 through 12 to try building hurricane shelters with provided materials. Each child received a small stack of cardboard, newspaper, straws, limited masking tape and scissors and made a structure to withstand hurricane force winds. The library tested their structures with three fans, and most of them survived. They discussed the different shapes and why they were effective against the wind, why weight was important and why some of the shapes may have had diffi culty against the wind. ‘It’s important that kids realize that they can think like engineers and that having something break doesn’t mean you’ve failed, but it does show you what doesn’t work, enabling you to try something different,’ said Awnali Mills, Ashland Branch’s youth services librarian.

Continued from pg. 1 er, so [Recovery Month] is really to celebrate those humans that get into recovery and get lives that they never dreamed of… and to reduce that negative outlook on addiction that we can survive addiction and also be better citizens.”

Founded in 2004 by John Shinholser and Carol McDaid, The McShin Foundation is Virginia’s leading nonprofit, full-service recovery community organization (RCO) for individuals and families with SUDs.

The foundation offers a 28-day recovery program, sober living in recovery houses and partners with leading physicians for drug and alcohol detox. While offering recovery tools to individuals suffering from SUDs, the foundation additionally aims to educate families, communities, and governments on SUDs and reduce the stigma attached to them, according to the foundation’s website.

Today, the foundation has grown into a 15,000-squarefoot recovery center and includes over 100 recovery residence beds in Richmond and surrounding areas.

Liller said the entirety of the foundation’s staff is in recovery themselves.

“We’re all recovery coaches, or certified recovery specialists with the state of Virginia, which is really crucial to have peers to help the individuals that come through our program,” Liller said.

Liller first came to the McShin Foundation at 26 years old while battling with a longtime heroin addiction.

“Life is amazing because of recovery,” Liller said. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for McShin taking me in because I didn’t have anything.”

Liller said her fight with drug addiction began when she was 12 years old. With the foundation’s support and recov-

see McSHIN pg. 5