b'community in our backyardsIn rural Texas towns, the drive-in was one of, if not the only, source of cinematic entertainment. Members from all types of communitieslocal, near, and just passing throughshared this space, interacted, and found a moment in time to focus on a poorly lit movie and greasy theater food. When the price of admission was by the car, I remember filling our vehicle to max capacityoften involving people sitting on laps or in the trunk. Whatever movie we were watching was secondary to all the great moments of laughing, chatting, and having a great time with one another. It was heaven. Although drive-ins still exist today, with the advent of social media and the ever-pervasive smartphone, we have new ways to socialize and form a sense of community near and far. We can make our backyards into makeshift drive-ins, invite friends and neighbors over, and make our own cinematic entertainment. Being creative doesnt have to be relegated to classrooms and studiosthe potential for art education is everywhere. Next time you feel nostalgic, build a little sense of community in your backyard. Have an improv movie-making activity, share your home movies, or just set up an old sheet as a screen and have a good old-fashioned shadow puppet show!TRENDS // PAGE 24PAGE 25 // TRENDS'