Leadership Training with the Interns

 This week's leadership training was led by Ohio University Education Professor, Perianne Bates. She began with a discussion on decision making and the team had to decide who take with them on a deserted island. Suggestions ranged from Teddy Roosevelt, Gordon Ramsey and Hellboy to Superman, Emeril Lagasse and Bear Grylls from Man vs. Wild.

 Then an activity on risk-taking and leadership.

 And finally, after a discussion  on creativity, the group did an egg drop experiment.

The Garden is Ready to Go

Chives, Sage and Parsley 

Beds ready and planted

A big thanks to artist and gardener, Margaret Gustafan, for putting our kitchen garden in for us again this year behind the First Presbyterian Church. A big thanks to the church for allowing us the use of their newly renovated dining room and commercial kitchen for our breakfasts and our snack preparation and cooking/gardening classes.

New for 2013

CIRCLE 2013

What is new this summer?

Full partnership with Hocking College. This increased capacity gives us access to:

·       Professional, Culinary kitchens so we can become a reimbursable, USDA summer food site

·       Computer labs so we can capture data and blog with students efficiently

·       The INN at  Hocking College so we can serve and eat meals and teach manners

·       Culinary Staff, especially Dean, Master Chef Alfonso Constrisciani (which has already captured the attention of Ohio University Press)

·       Free use of fitness facility

·       College scholarships for graduates

·       Robbins Crossing for reenactments and gatherings for families

·       Bussing and transportation

Possibly one of the greatest things a full partnership with and access to Hocking College provides our students and families, is the sense of ownership that being on the campus creates. College and higher education will no longer be foreign and intimidating. Having been on campus, students will naturally feel affinity to and comfort with the idea. Hocking had a scholarship fund that was dormant, which will now be used for our students. This is a tremendous opportunity. 

Leadership Athens participants have developed a program model for training high school students, four select Circle graduates, who will work in the program this summer as interns. They researched to find evidence-based curriculum with surveys to measure gains. The program was designed to fit our needs, and includes five Nelsonville community members to conduct sessions, and who also serve as mentors once interns complete the program. This is imperative for students who will have little opportunity or desire to leave the area after high school.

Leadership Training means that Circle Graduates:

·       Will be better prepared to solve their own problems, help others learn to solve problems and become an agent for change in the community.

·       Will be more employable, with work experience and references.

·       Will have free college scholarships to Hocking College

·       Will be better prepared to contribute and give back to community.

Ohio University Press Book Publishing:

Ohio University Press has expressed a desire and keen interest in publishing a book about our arts-based program and our community, and how we are working at a grass roots level to educate and feed our at-risk children. The book will demonstrate how Circle helps to effectively solve many problems facing small communities and explains:

·       How to create healthy, inclusive communities

·       How to feed children in summer and WHAT to feed them (recipes and garden tips)

·       How to keep children engaged and minds and bodies active during summer

·       How to provide arts education that has been cut. Our program offers 70 hours of arts learning, which is nearly double that of the public schools who do offer art.

·       How to create income for communities and at the same time provide badly needed creative education (Tomorrows thinkers need creative problem solvers.)

·       How to create leaders

·       How to generate pride in community and facilitate harmony in families

·       Where to go to find resources

·       How to set up programming in any town, rural or urban.

·       How to measure gains.   

Book proceeds will go to create scholarship funds and programming income streams to ensure that Circle work can continue to nourish at-risk children in both rural and urban communities.

New Partners:

Factory Street Studios and Moving Parts in Athens, OH will provide in-kind dance instruction and choreography 3x weekly at the Fitness Center. Parents will be treated to a short dance performance at Stuart’s Opera House during the film gala. We feel dance is an important component for young girls especially, to learn to be dignified in and respectful of their bodies.

Measurement:

Building on surveys created for us in 2010, we will conduct new surveys in 2013 that measure gains on many levels in our students, community and families (see attachment.) While we know the work we do has impact, it needs to be substantiated with new data – especially because of our book publishing opportunity. 

Program Particulars

Who: Up to 60 students in the Nelsonville York City School District (NYCSD) entering grades 5 through 11 (plus 5 pre-selected interns)

When: June 17 through July 19 Monday through Fridays 8:30 AM to 4 PM. Family night barbeque and swim at the Fitness Center and Film gala and art opening July 25 at Stuart's Opera house

Where: On the square: the First Presbyterian Church, Hocking College studios, Starbrick Clay, Paper Circle, and the former Fair Furniture store.

At Hocking College: The Inn at Hocking College and their culinary kitchens, the Hocking (student) fitness center and Robbins Crossing.

What: Up to 60 students from the Nelsonville-York City School District will be provided a free-of-charge, holistic arts-based summer arts and wellness enrichment program. Free bussing and meals will also be provided. Our intensive rotation model allows for each student to pass through each studio offering. All visual arts classes are taught to OH Department of Education Visual Arts Standards. Rubrics and lessons plans will be developed. These and all final reports will be posted to our website, along with all other data that will be captured in the program. Students will be given art classes that exceed in hours, those provided in traditional public schools. Students will learn about nutrition and making healthy food and lifestyle choices, as well as how to read food labels and comparative shopping labels in the store. They will work in the garden and be given basic skills to plant their own. Access to and opportunities for fitness activities are provided daily at Hocking College. Students will work in professional kitchens with professional chefs, and learn culinary skills, serving skills and table manners as the group comes together daily to share a meal at The Inn at Hocking College.  Families will be celebrate their child’s accomplishments at the art exhibit held at Stuart’s Opera House during the Final Friday in July.

Studios on the square:

Painting: Students will work with professional artist Terry Fortkamp to learn how to paint a master copy. (A master copy is when students choose the work of a master such as Rembrandt, create a grid, mix paint, and copy and paint what they see.)

Ceramics: Students will work with longtime favorite, Ann Judy, to create "toad houses." The toad house will be designed to go in the garden or yard and will demonstrate a new understanding of architecture and form.

Design and Construction: Students will work with Aaron Smith to create marionettes. Marionettes are an exercise in measurement, and construction. The marionettes will be fully functional and students will be encouraged to use them in their performing arts video.

Papermaking and printing: Students will work with curriculum director Keith Wilde and Paper Circle resident artists, Anna Tarrarova, to make paper by hand and to print images using screenprint techniques. Class will critique the work and choose the best examples of each students work to be displayed at Stuart's Opera house as a large quilts. Students will learn drawing and printing basics. The images used on the screen will be transferred to a deck of cards. Each student will receive a deck of cards created from scanned images (chosen in critiques) to take home.

Nutrition art: Our Cooking and Gardening component of Circle Round the Square’s summer program, taught by Wendy and Shelby Kaho, focuses on promoting better food choices and eating habits among at-risk children in Nelsonville, Ohio. This includes hands-on cooking in a professional kitchen led by three chefs, and involving students in menu planning, budgeting, food preparation and cooking of the camp lunches. We will develop a working community garden, publish a healthy cookbook as a collaboration between the master chef and the students.  In addition to kid-friendly, healthy recipes, our classes will teach advanced kitchen skills, including knife skills, cooking methods, and focus on safety, technique to give students the knowledge, confidence and desire to get into the kitchen and to participate in family menu planning and food shopping. We will use surveys at the beginning and the end of camp to measure changes in attitudes towards healthy foods and eating behaviors and administer pre and post tests on the skills of label reading and comparison shopping to check the students understanding and abilities to be good consumers.

Video performance art: Half our students will work with the above instructors after morning classes have been completed, as well as filmmakers from National Network of Forest Practitioners and editor Matt Byrne, and audio engineer Galen Mullins, to produce high-art music videos. The challenge for the younger groups will be to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The challenge for the older group will be to create a moral tale from the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Music will be overlaid. This studio will run for two and half weeks while the others are in culinary class, then they switch.
Theater Improvisation with Dan Dennis
Fitness: After lunch, students will be taken to the Hocking college fitness center every day, where they will be able to swim, play basketball, play tennis, dodgeball and volleyball, walk on the walking path, play ping-pong and boardgames, and where Factory Street Studios will offer daily dance classes for those interested. Dance will be performed at final show at Stuarts Opera house.

Hocking college will host at Robbins crossing historical reenactment for all families on the last day of the program. Field trips will include local farms and museums. Final field trip will be either to COSI or Splashdown depending on the weather.

Stuart’s Opera House: An art opening and show at Stuart’s during the Final Friday art walk shows off the amazing work created in each studio. Families and peers attend and feel great pride while looking at their children’s accomplishments.  

Leadership Athens County Training for Our Interns

 For five weeks this spring our interns will be joining community leaders in preparation for their roles as leaders in our summer camp. Robby, Nic, Jessie and Breeona work through a curriculum that has questions, essays and discussions. Our facilitators are:
Libby Villavicencio of Executive Director  of the Hocking College Foundation
Peter Galbraith pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Nelsonville
Kevin Dotson of Rocky Brands
Perianne Bates Education Professor at Ohio University

 They also have opportunities for activities that explore different leadership styles,

Libby Villavicencio from Hocking College leads an activity.

and group dynamics.

And, of course lunch, generously provided by the Rocky Grill.

Here is a description of the program from a recent letter to the editor of the Athens News:

"The Paper Circle Project designed a leadership training course that will help the interns develop communications skills, learn to work as a team, and allow them to realize their potential as an individual to affect positive change. The course uses a combination of experiential exercises, writing assignments and discussions. During the five-week program, students will identify leaders in their lives, develop a vision for their future, and work together to accomplish objectives. As a result of this workshop, graduates will have a greater investment in the Nelsonville community that will motivate them to create a positive environment for the next class of students and other area residents."

Eva Bloom, Merri Biechler and Barbara Eiden-Molinaro
Leadership Athens County Class of 2013