At the height of the Covid-19 lockdown in June 2020, a student from the International School Manila started an educational initiative to provide kids with a creative outlet.
Sophia A. Lopez, then 15 at the time, called her project Press Play. It focused on providing art therapy and on helping kids cope with the lockdown, as well as the stress and boredom, which came with the abrupt end to face-to-face classes.
In partnership with Disney Art Attack and Hallmark Philippines, Sophia turned Press Play into a platform to gather art materials for free distribution to children’s homes across Metro Manila. From the Press Play website (www.pressplayph.com), instructional videos guide the children in turning the bundled art materials they receive into works of art.
“Sophia started Press Play because, during the nationwide lockdown, she thought of kids in children’s homes who did not have access to online learning,” said Trina Alindogan of Disney Art Attack and Hallmark Philippines. “She believed that art therapy projects, like creating paper flowers and Christmas trees from paper plates, would provide them with an outlet that would be beneficial to their mental health,” Alindogan added.
Also through its tie-up with Hallmark Philippines, Press Play was able to produce and sell Christmas wrappers and cards designed by the children.
Press Play likewise collaborated with Knowledge Channel, the Philippines’ pioneer and largest provider of online education, to produce a fun video on the origins and process of creating the much-loved Filipino dessert: halo-halo.
Now 17-years old and a 12th grader, Sophia has earned the admiration of partners like White Cross Children’s Home’s Executive Director Mely Reluya and Virlanie Foundation’s Communications Manager Chez Ebot for her Press Play project.
“Learning while watching [the Press Play videos] was one of the easiest ways of catching the children’s attention. In drawing/creating artworks, the children were able to express their emotions and feelings, especially when they could not go out. They were happy showing their finished artwork,” Reluya said of Press Play. “On behalf of Virlanie Foundation, we would like to thank you for your generous donation. The girls really enjoyed the art activity, which is very helpful during this pandemic crisis. Your support is a great vote of confidence in our mission,” Ebot told Sophia.