KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFPN) -- Art is the key that unlocked the thoughts, fears and memories of some Keesler preschoolers after Hurricane Katrina.
The hallways of the child development center and some doorways at the Keesler Medical Center now serve as galleries for storm-inspired artwork by 3- to 5-year-olds.
The scribbles, scrawls, figures and images tell Katrina’s story through children’s eyes. The pictures show the hurricane’s fury, demolished homes, evacuation and family losses.
“Children often express their emotions through behavior and play,” said Maj. (Dr.) Sher-alyn Wood, a pediatrician here. “The drawings offer them a way to express themselves.”
The youngest of Major Wood’s three children, 3-year-old Ashley, is cared for at the base child development center, or CDC. Her husband, Maj. (Dr.) David Wood, is a neuroradiologist. He transferred to Wilford Hall Medical Center, Texas, shortly after Katrina.
“Seeing these pictures makes you stop and think -- how must all of this seem to a child?” she said. “While many of our children were evacuated from this area during the storm, they still saw picture after picture on TV and quietly watched their parents’ responses.”
“Talking to the children about their drawings helped our staff to understand and help them more,” said Rosina Lewis, a program development technician. “We hear much of what we know about the family’s situation from the kids, because their parents are usually in a big hurry to get to work in the mornings and to get home in the afternoons.”
Major Woods said “I was impressed with the CDC staff’s response to this disaster. They put the children first and addressed their emotions from the very beginning.”
The CDC had relatively little damage from Katrina, and director Maria Ochoa and her staff returned to work Sept. 7 to clean and paint. The center reopened Sept. 14 with four children. The demand for child care increased as return orders were issued for Keesler families.
“Once again, we’re filled to capacity, with about 240 children enrolled and 100 on the waiting list,” Mrs. Ochoa said.