November 26, 2012…Parcells Middle School is taking food donation to an artistic level by hosting their very own CANstruction Jr., competition. Cans have been quietly collected, teams have been formed, discussions had, and the final project will unfold during the annual Parcells Holiday Bazaar, on December 1, 2012, from 9am-4pm.

What exactly is CANstruction? The art form by which groups of people, in this case middle school students, construct murals or statues out of cans, and after the art form is judged and displayed all of the cans are dismantled and donated to a food bank of their choosing--in this case it is Gleaners. Each structure is to be no less than 1,000 cans, and must adhere to the chosen theme. For their premier competition Parcells NJHS has chosen "Proud to be an AmeriCAN" as their school's theme.

Some of the kids had heard about, or seen a finished product displayed at a museum or ballpark before, but had no idea how the project CANstruction came to be. Under the guidance of the Parcells NJHS Faculty Advisor, Deborah Peck and parent Sheri Kam, the NJHS officers visited Wayne State's Science and Engineering Department on October 27, 2012, where 6 teams were feverishly working on their final structures for the Southeast Michigan Regional CANstruction competition. Ashley Carroll, Mora Downs, Lindsey Hoshaw, Clarissa Kam, and Olivia Randazzo have been marshalling the teams toward a professional and strong finish for their middle school as a result of their brief visit to Wayne State.

Within 2 weeks of their visit, the officers presented the theme, organized a can acquisition plan, and formed teams, from here the student body took this germ of an idea and nurtured it to the full fledged competition it will be on Saturday, December 1, 2012.

The art work will be on display during the 37th Parcells Holiday Art and Craft Bazaar. Shoppers and volunteers who attend the Bazaar will be in for a real treat on the second floor. Of course they will visit the full lunch service Café upstairs, but they will be able to view the competition as the structures are being built and judged in the afternoon. Dr. Cathryn Armstrong, Parcells Middle School's principal will be on-hand along with 4 other judges to award the hard-working artists with their beautiful crystal trophies.

The Parcells Holiday Art and Craft Bazaar Committee would like to encourage the community to bring cans when they come to the Bazaar. We will have boxes at each entrance to assist the Bazaar goers with their generosity. The food will go to an excellent cause.
The Parcells Holiday Art and Craft Bazaar is the oldest, and second largest hand-crafted show in Southeast Michigan. This year's show is entirely staffed by Michigan Crafters. It is the best place to visit hundreds of local artisans and support local talent in one warm shopping place.

Parcells Holiday Bazaar is a full service holiday craft show, including Valet Car service (Park at North High School, and a fully licensed adult will take you directly from your parking lot to the entrance doors without losing any heat or walking any distance), Green Re-usable Market size shopping bags, full Café service, Ice Cream, and a shopping variety that will stun the most seasoned of shoppers; and as per fire marshal guidelines we must require no strollers on the premises during shopping hours.. Entry fee is $3 per person sold only at the door.

Parcells Middle School has been proudly educating North end Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods' students for 64 years. The Parcells Holiday Art and Craft Bazaar is the annual fundraiser that contributes to the fabulous extra-curricular and enrichment courses offered at Parcells Middle School and overseen by its principal, Dr. Cathryn Armstrong. Parcells has a tightly woven community of administrators, teachers, parents, and patrons who support a strong educational foundation, and full enrichment activities that enhance its students' educational experience.

Canstruction Website:
http://canstruction.org/

Parcells Holiday Bazaar Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/ParcellsBazaar

Parcells Middle School:
http://gpschools.schoolwires.net/Domain/597