Deep Run Elementary School PreK classes had a special visitor before their winter break, it wasn’t Santa but close…. it was Creative Capes™. Each December the individual behind Creative Capes, Holly Hagen, searches for a local group of well deserving children who would be thrilled to have their own cape.
Students enrolled in Deep Run’s PreK are off to a great start this year. For most of the students this is their first school experience and many are learning English. They come to school each day ready to learn and to gain skills to be ready for kindergarten. Who more deserving of a personalized cape to transform them into their superhero selves?
Holly Hagen partnered with the PreK team leader, Nicole Epstein, to create a day of empowerment for the students. Books were carefully selected for circle time which reinforced we are all different but that is where our strength lies.
The students drew pictures of their superhero selves and were asked to identify the superhero power they would want to have….kindness, super fast speed, invisibility, healer?
The smiles reached ear to ear as the kids slipped on their capes and masks. The kids transformed one by one and the class room was filled with vivid colors and kids bursting with feelings of pride, joy, self esteem, happiness and self confidence. It was a magical transformation in Deep Run’s PreK classes today thanks to the generosity of Creative Capes.
"The looks of surprise and Awe on their faces when they put that mask over their eyes it is absolutely amazing. The children were truly transformed into their own superhero and I loved hearing them tell me about their superpowers with such confidence. The children couldn’t believe that they could keep them, they kept saying “we get to take them home?” And the conversation that I heard from my children when we took out the capes how they recognized each other‘s initials and were pointing at them saying “that’s your cape, that’s your cape” it was just absolutely amazing. My children were excited, engaged and empowered. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to make them feel special, unique and significant."
- Nicole, Deep Run PreK Teacher
About the artist: Holly Hagen, a local Howard County resident, started sewing personalized superhero capes and accessories to empower children of all ages. She began in 2010 working late every the night after coming home from her 9 to 5 job at a strategic graphic design firm. As her cottage craft business took off she took the leap of faith and turned Creative Capes into her sole work, putting all her time and energy into it. Eight years later, Holly now makes thousands of satin capes a year spending most waking moments at her sewing machine. She and her husband travel up and down the East coast selling their handmade capes at 25 juried craft festivals annually in addition to online presence at creativecapes.com.
Holly has devoted her life to help children find their inner hero strengths encouraging them to be proud of who they are and what makes them stand apart as an individual. Be a hero and help Holly in her ongoing efforts to empower students at Title 1 schools by donating to Heroes Unite.