There’s not much Molly Pyne can’t do. As the Behavior Interventionist at Hephzibah Home she is quick on her feet when it comes to running her programs. This is helpful when you work in child welfare where unexpected twists and turns are the norm. For over 10 years, Molly has managed two summer programs at Hephzibah Home for the children who live there. One Book, One Hephzibah and Reading Academy are treasured summertime activities for the children, and Molly puts her whole heart into each.
Molly says you never know what each day at Hephzibah will bring. Children in our care are undergoing a complex healing process, and can be easily deregulated. Fun activities and routines are incredibly therapeutic for them, which Molly understands. She knows just what these children need when they aren’t in school and has tailored her programs to give the children something to be excited about during the summer months.
One Book, One Hephzibah occurs for the first four weeks of summer. Each summer there is a new program theme, with this summer being Expression Through Art. Initially, the program incorporated reading and interpreting selected books. Since then, the program has grown to incorporate more interactive, creative and artistic projects. Recently, Molly joined forces with long-time volunteer Kathy Ambrosino who led a STEM-based activity all about Rapunzel. The children were given access to all the art supplies in the home and asked to create a tower and engineer an escape route for Rapunzel, if she couldn’t use her hair to descend. The results were wonderful – with each child building their own unique interpretation of the task. The towers are displayed proudly where family can see them when they come to visit, giving the children something to be proud of and to show loved ones.
Reading Academy takes place later in the summer, and is another cherished activity. Molly arranges for local teachers to help with reading lessons, alternating instruction with circus-themed activities. Yes, you read that right! CircEsteem, which unites youth through circus arts, joins Reading Academy each summer to help the children learn. Molly knows that rotating lessons with physical activity is beneficial for children recovering from trauma who struggle to learn in traditional ways. They become more engaged in their learning, and almost all of the children show growth at the end of the summer.
Children at Hephzibah Home have a great reason to love summer — and Molly Pyne is a big reason for that. Molly says for most of these children, Hephzibah is the first happy place they have been. One Book, One Hephzibah and Reading Academy allow kids to learn, flourish and thrive.