As a young artist, St. Clair loves to express her creative side by drawing, painting and taking photographs.
It only took a few minutes to decide what she wanted to share with the children at the DYS Emergency Shelter—two hands holding up a tree with branches of colorful hearts.
“Each of the hearts represents the different children who come to the shelter and the hands are the loving and caring DYS staff members who are here to make sure they are safe and provided for,” said St. Clair.
Shelter and Foster Care Program Coordinator Vivian Sablan agrees.
“Before, there was just a bare, empty wall. Now when I drive up to the shelter and park in the front, the first thing I see is the colorful mural and it makes the shelter feel like a safe and loving home for children who are temporarily here until they go back home,” said Sablan.
“I think what she did was really great…it gives a sense of peace and calm to children who need it most,” she said.
It took St. Clair a week to do the project which she started soon after she returned from competing in the 2008 Miss Teen International Pageant in Chicago.
“We asked some of the children at the shelter what they thought it symbolized. One child said ‘All the children are the hearts,’ while another said the ‘hands were helping them’ and another said ‘the children were in the tree, because climbing trees is fun’,” smiled St. Clair.
“It was a great project to do and I am glad I had the chance to do it. I am looking forward to working with DYS on the other projects we have planned,” she said.
Sablan said that St. Clair will soon start a support group at the shelter that will help children feel more at ease.
As soon as St. Clair settles into her new schedule at Ladera International School, the young queen will busy promoting her platform’s activities.
“This is a wonderful community project that she designed and completed on her own and we are extremely proud of her,” said Stellar Marianas National Director Neda Camacho.
