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Amenia Free Library hires youth programming assistant

Amenia Free Library hires youth programming assistant

Michelle Boynton, who began last month as Youth Programming Assistant at the Amenia Free Library, plans to incorporate her puppetry talents into Story Hour and other upcoming children’s programs.

Photo by Leila Hawken

AMENIA — Settling into her duties at the Amenia Free Library, Michelle Boynton — who was hired last month — is already planning imaginative children’s programs in her role as Youth Programming Assistant.

“I am passionate about puppetry for everyone,” Boynton said during an interview last week. She is so passionate, in fact, that Boynton plans to add a tabletop puppet show to enliven the library’s popular story hour for kids.

“I make all of the puppets and adapt the stories to incorporate them,” Boynton explained, showing a collection of her bunny puppets that soon would be making their debut.

Appropriate for all ages, Boynton has planned a community puppet show to be held the first Saturday of each month. The first installment will be Saturday, April 4, at 10:30 a.m., with a second performance at 12:30 p.m.

“It is expected to grow from there,” Boynton said, envisioning a crafting group where she could offer instruction in needle-felting to create a variety of puppets.

“I believe that a library is a service-oriented community center, the heart of a community,” Boynton said. “I’m excited about that.”

Looking to the future, Boynton said she is gathering ideas to attract tweens into the library to experience and participate in the community space.

Boynton resides in Goshen, Conn., having moved there from New Paltz, New York. She has 18 years of experience as a Waldorf School handcrafts specialist within an arts-oriented curriculum. She has earned a Master of Education degree from San Diego State University in Education and Curriculum with an emphasis in instruction.

Leila Hawken
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