Looking for something to do after school is usually a hassle. People never know what to do in Malden, but right across the street from Malden High, there is a variety of activities available to students.
Patrick Brennan has been working with the Malden Public Library for years to provide fun and relaxing craft spaces for grades five to twelve, including the biannual soapmaking in the program room.
The night before the activity, the Friends of Friends at the Malden Public Library, a nonprofit organization that raises money through book sales and more to fund the library, provided Brennan with funding to carry out soapmaking on November 5th.
Brennan began the activity by burning soap mixtures while students picked out their scents, molds, coloring, and flower inserts. Scents ranged from niche smells like maple syrup and candy corn to flowers and even fruit scents. When asked about her inspiration, Malden High senior Feyza Kaya shared, “I based it off of my favorite colors: red and purple, and just went with whatever felt right.”
Students then chose between a clear or opaque soap base. Once their cup was full, they had around one minute to mix in their scents and colors as well as pour their soap into a mold before it began to harden. “I was just working quickly,” said freshman Nesmeralda Olivier, trying not to let the soap dry.
Brennan’s job consists of a lot of setting up and cleaning up, which can be tedious; however, he shared that when he started making soap, it was his favorite program “because it was very easy to clean up. It’s soap, so you just wash it away.”
At the end of the activity, students felt that it was “peaceful and calming,” commented Olivier. “I thought it was really nice,” added Kaya. Although not many people signed up for the activity, students still enjoyed their time.
“I think it’s a fun time for teens when they get to have more responsibility, and can do more fun things at the library,” said Brennan. “It’s a very open-ended craft program” where students “can really use their own personality, their own creativity, to make something,” he concluded.
Activities, like this one, happen weekly at the library. Students can connect and use their time to participate in relaxing and fun crafts. To keep up with the Malden Public Library’s future programs, head over to its website and register today!
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