SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — An outside pool, dog park, rentable bikes and a veterinarian’s office were some of the suggestions the Greater Schuylkill Haven Area Business Association received from students in the borough.
The students were invited to submit artwork or an essay for “A Student’s View of Schuylkill Haven” contest held by the GSHABA. Students in kindergarten through fourth grade could submit artwork. Students in higher grades could either submit artwork or an essay. This is the seventh year the contest for students in grades K through 12 was held. In previous years, the art was displayed outside businesses but this year, the children were given prizes and able to submit essays, Reba Llewellyn, a member of the GSHABA, said. Winners received a $20 gift card to Wal-Mart and a coupon for a free Rita’s Water Ice. Honorable mentions received a $5 gift card to Rita’s. All participants received a small gift. Submissions were judged by a five-member committee comprised of GSHABA members. Students had from early January to March 1 to submit their entries.
Students and parents were invited to the Main Street Hall, 13 E. Main St., in the borough Tuesday to view artwork and essays. Submissions that received honorable mentions were displayed for all to see and five essays were available to read. The contest had artwork submitted by 430 elementary students Schuylkill Haven Area Elementary Center and 44 from St. Ambrose School. There was a total of 31 essays and 11 drawings combined from the middle school and high school.
Artwork from the students featured such ideas as a bridge across the water at Bubeck Park, a kindergarten student wanting to turn the school into an airplane, a car, a boat and a puppy, and a veterinarian, dog salon and dog training school in the borough.
Julia Arsenault, a first-grade student at Schuylkill Haven Area Elementary Center, drew three students sitting outside at their desks in the sunshine doing art. She was inspired because she likes to be outside and enjoys art. She was one of two first-place winners in her grade. Gracelyn Line was the other winner. Julia’s father, John Arsenault, said the idea to showcase the art was a positive one for the children.
“I think it’s great. It honors the kids and the work they do,” he said.
Kali Muthersbaugh, a sophomore at Schuylkill Haven Area High School, won for her artwork. It depicts a dog running around in the grass along Parkway, which has been converted into a dog park. A veterinarian’s office is also along Parkway with a dog chasing a tennis ball. She was inspired to create her vision of the borough because, other than Bubeck Park, she does not think there are a lot of place for people to have fun with their dogs.
Olivia Long, a middle-school student who was one of two winners from the school for an essay, would like to improve upon Bubeck Park by adding an outdoor pool, a “nice fenced in area, which would be a dog park,” and a concession stand.
“I hope Bubeck Park will look like this in the future. It would be nice to have children’s ideas put to work because this is where we will be rasing our families someday,” she wrote.
Jennifer Rowland, the other winner from the middle school for her essay, said she would like improvements to The Island. She said better seating would be nice included a heated area for the colder months, more trees and the parking lot would improve attendance.
Heidi O’Boyle, a high school student, won for her essay. She said there should be more vibrant colors in Bubeck Park and in the schools. She suggested painting some of the benches, adding more trash cans and painting them, putting murals in the bathrooms and at the little stage at the park, among other places.