Global Communities Project

Workshop 3 with the Summer Youth Leadership Academy (SYLA) 2025

at Warwick Valley Community Center

July 30, 2025 | 10:30am - 12:00pm

SYLA - the Summer Youth Leadership Academy - a much anticipated Student Program at the Warwick Valley Community Center is back! SYLA is an incredible opportunity for young people to develop leadership skills, connect with peers and make a lasting impact in our community. Graduates of the Academy are invited to join the Youth Advisory Board, where they'll continue to lead, inspire and create real change year-round!

For the third year in a row, AGRISCULPTURE Amy is leading SYLA 2025 in creating their very own permanent public art project on the grounds of the Community Center. Focusing on wood as the main material this year (metal was the 2023 material and stone was the 2024 material), Students will be making a "Global Communities Sign" similar to a "destinations sign" out of recycled pallet wood, a steel post and a solar light cap.

Each of Amy's Public Art Projects with SYLA begin with a presentation on the works and story behind Amy's design practice - AGRISCULPTURE - called DO YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO? - designed to inspire Students to think BIG and from their HEART! Connecting this lecture about Amy's passion for travel and creating around the world to the Students' personal experiences, the Students each get to pick their favorite place on Earth (anywhere that's not imaginary) and paint each of the 30 wooden signs. Cut into arrow shapes, the pallet wood pieces will display a destination and its mileage from the WVCC.  There will also be two sets of signs saying: "YOU ARE HERE - Warwick Valley - Community Center" in the center of the multifaceted sided post.

Today's 3rd and final Workshop was all about learning to assemble the painted wooden signs to the steel pole using bolts, washers, nuts and wrenches - hand tools that most of the Students had never used before. There was also the learned element of teamwork in carrying the Sign outside, and collaborating with the amazing team from Sleek Scapes to set it into the landscape. Shane - the Owner of Sleek Scapes - had generously led a raised bed and pollinator planting workshop with SYLA earlier in the Summer for the Community Center, and together we designed the placement of the Global Communities Project sign to stand tall in the center of the North flower bed.

Stop by the Warwick Valley Community Center sometime, and experience their brand new Public Art Project - powered by SYLA 2025, Sleek Scapes and AGRISCULPTURE.