Correspondent photos / Nancilynn Gatta Gabby Lorraine, 4, of Warren, who is in preschool at Fairhaven School in Niles, looks at the snowman and tree paper that she colored during Hubbard Art Day at the school Tuesday.

NILES — Hubbard High School students experienced what it was like to make a difference in children’s lives with the creative endeavors they helped them create Tuesday at Fairhaven School.

For the past 12 years, students in the Future Educators of America Club — under the guidance of Hubbard High School art teacher and club adviser Josh MacMillan — have visited the Niles location to do art projects with the children in the preschool and workshop rooms. On Tuesday, 35 teens took part in this outreach project.

“We call it Hubbard Art Day,” said Michelle Ocilka-Yeckle, principal of Fairhaven School. “They come twice a year. We try to plan dates around a holiday so the artwork can have a holiday theme.”

At Tuesday’s session, students colored paper winter hats with a pom pom on top, created a Christmas tree by coloring a specially shaped paper, made a paper cup snowman with twisted pipe cleaners for a scarf and decorated a paper bag snowman. A coloring packet was left at the classrooms to use at a later date.

Future Educators of America Club is not just for future classroom teachers.

“I know not everyone in this group wants to be a teacher, and that is fine. I just want them to learn that they can be of service when participating in this outreach project,” MacMillan said.

Many of the teens have participated in Hubbard Art Day numerous times.

“This is my third year volunteering twice a year with the club. I just enjoy being around the kids,” said Hubbard High School senior Niko Papini.

But for freshman Larin Vargo, this was her first time as a Hubbard Art Day volunteer. “My older sister, Mara, is a senior. She volunteered for this and I thought it seemed interesting. I will do this again,” Vargo said.

Ocilka-Yeckle hopes that students who participated in the event could imagine their future profession.

“Maybe the students that partake in this day might want to be a teacher or even a special education teacher,” she said.

For junior Emma Gough, her involvement in the art day helped her decide on a career path.

“I figured out that I love being with kids. It is really fun working with them,” she said. “I want to go into a health field so I can care for and help kids,” Gough said.

She initially helped the preschool children with their art projects, and they proudly offered to show their completed work to the adults and teens in the room.

With the happy faces of the preschool and workshop students and their intense concentration as they worked on their art pieces, it was a successful day. The volunteers’ intention of helping the children have fun was achieved.

“I love the interactions with the typical students and our students. They are great role models. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved. I think it teaches acceptance. I like our students interacting more with typical students. It is a great collaboration between typical students and our students,” Ocilka-Yeckle said.

According to Ocika-Yeckle, everyone looks forward to Hubbard Art Day, from the students to the staff. They only have to wait five more months for the next one. MacMillan is already planning their spring program, which will give Hubbard teens more experience in the classrooms similar to a classroom aide.