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Community Corner

Lilah Bollinger is a Whiz Kid

Lilah is an artist, businesswoman, hula hooper and more!

Although Lilah Bollinger is only in eighth grade, she has the talent and drive of a much older kid.  She is also extremely self-aware, a trait that is also unusual for her age.

 

Lilah, who was born and reared in Milford, began taking art seriously a few years ago, while she was a student at Orange Avenue Elementary School.  She dabbles in photography and computer graphics, but her love is drawing.

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“I have one of those tablet things that you plug into the computer, but I don’t like it…I really like using my pencils and doing shading and stuff.”

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Lilah does beautiful work, but she considers doing art to be more than making pretty pictures.

 

 “I think it’s really great to get all my emotions and ideas out on paper.  You get to show everybody how you feel,” said Lilah.

 

However, her art is not merely cathartic, it is also meant to be seen.  Lilah proudly exhibits her artwork online at www.deviantart.com.  Search for “wow300cows” to see her work -- work which is at times whimsical, as in her llama alphabet, at times disturbing, as in her drawing of a bloodied wolf, and at times peaceful, as in her pencil sketch of a koi fish.

 

In addition to being a talented artist, Lilah is a burgeoning businesswoman.  In her spare time, she assists with her mother’s hula hoop business, “Velvet Orchid Hoops.” Lilah and her mother make the hoops themselves from irrigation tubing, and then travel with them around Connecticut, to festivals, fairs and parties, teaching and doing demonstrations.

 

Lilah’s favorite part is when she gets to demonstrate her hula hooping skills.

 

“It’s really fun,” Lilah said.

 

She describes her moves as “crazy fancy,” and said that the craziest, fanciest is the kick-start, “where you lay [the hoop] on the ground and kick it up to start it.” 

 

Besides her extracurricular interests, Lilah gets A’s and B’s in school.  Her favorite subject is language arts (“because that’s more creative in my mind”) and her least favorite is math.

 

Although Lilah lives in Bristol right now, the move has been temporary.  She and her mother are in the process of returning to Milford.

 

Lilah's mother, Amy Bollinger, said, "Lilah's looking forward to being back."

 

Lilah explained, "I have most of my friends there."

 

Lilah's mother's new house would put Lilah at Foran when she starts high school next year.  Amy Bollinger is optimistic about putting Lilah back in the Milford school system.

 

"[Milford's] a good [school] system.  It's better than most," said Bollinger.

 

As for the future?  Lilah has an unusual interest she would like to pursue:

 

“I’m really interested in the paranormal stuff,” she said.  “like ghosts, and things that are scary!”

 

Personable, talented, and driven, Lilah Bollinger is a Whiz Kid!

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