Dance School

Does the Pac-10 Deserve More Than One Invite to the ... - Associated Content

2010-04-08T07:00:00.001-07:00

The Champion of the Pac-10 as Its Sole Entry?

The 2009-2010 NCAA basketball season has not been the most dominating for Pac-10 schools. Regular collegiate powerhouses like the Stanford Cardinals and UCLA Bruins are well below .500. The Arizona WildcatsÂ must win the Pac-10 tourney in order to extend their consecutive tournament streak to 26 seasons.

The California Golden Bears, Arizona State Sun Devils, and the Washington Huskies are playing for the Pac-10 tourney championship this week. The winner will have an automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Tournament. What will the fate of the losers be?

California Golden Bears (21-9, 13-5)
The Golden Bears are 21-9, but they have not defeated a team in AP 25 or ESPN/USA polls this season. If the Golden Bears are eliminated early in the Pac-10 tournament, there may be some concern for Golden Bears fans on Selection Sunday. 21-10 with no top 25 victories and a recent loss to a sub .500 Oregon State Beavers team is hardly impressive.

Fortunately for the Golden Bears, they did win the Pac-10 regular season championship with a 13-5 conference record. I think this will be enough to get the Golden Bears into the tourney around a 10-11 seed. If the Golden Bears win the Pac-10 tournament, they may become as high as an eight seed.

Arizona State Sun Devils (22-9, 12-6)
The Arizona Sun Devils were the regular season runner-ups in the Pac-10. They did manage a AP 25 victory against the Washington Huskies when they were ranked 22nd, but the Huskies pummeled the Sun Devils later in the season. The Sun Devils have relied on a soft, out-of-conference schedule that still consisted of near misses against inferior teams.

After getting swept by the Golden Bears and throttled by the Huskies in their last game, the Sun Devils need to at least make the Pac-10 championship game. If they lose early in the Pac-10 tournament, they would be fortunate to be one of the final four invites.

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British Fairtrade Foundation Works to Change Buying ... - Investors Business Daily

2010-04-08T04:00:00.001-07:00

Mar 11, 2010 (Voice of America News/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- The British-based Fairtrade Foundation works to improve the lives of farmers in developing countries, by guaranteeing fair prices for their products and investing in social infrastructure. The organization also tries to convince British shoppers to switch to fair-trade products.

Dancing in the streets of London. This is a two-step with a purpose.

The aim is to raise awareness for fair-trade products, in this case, tea. The Fairtrade Foundaton would like Britons to change their regular brand of tea for a fair-trade one. Barbara Crowther is the foundation's director of communications.

"Here in Britain, we drink a lot of tea, but only one in ten cups are fair-trade, which means we're paying a fair price to the tea growers in the developing world," said Barbara Crowther. "And we know that in India, and in Africa, in Uganda and Tanzania, there are lots of farmers who've met all the social and environmental standards to be able to sell the tea as fair-trade, but the companies are still dragging their heels, they're still not buying it on fair-trade terms."

On the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, the Gumutindo farms show the legacy of fair-trade dealings. The 7,000 farmers and their families have schools and medical centers. Fair prices and yearly crop bonuses have enabled these Ugandans to build their own warehouses to store their coffee. The guaranteed prices protect them from market fluctuations.

Six thousand kilometers away, Fiona Nakusi is here in London representing Gumatindo's farmers and meeting with potential clients. She says she's seen great progress since the farms became fair trade certified in 2004.

"In the fair-trade system the farmer gets a higher advance price and at the end of the year they also get bonus payments," said Fiona Nakusi.

The Fairtrade Foundation is helping farmers all over the world. In addition to tea and coffee producers in Africa and India, the foundation is trying to get good prices for all sorts of products - including these bananas from the Dominican Republic.

This London exhibition is showcasing fair-trade products, Olive oil from the Palestinian territories, chocolate, shirts made from fair-trade cotton and dried fruit.

"Are you liking your banana?," asked Andy Muscat.

Andy Muscat says his family does its best to support products that help producers.

"Anything like oranges, or bananas or mandarins we try to buy fair-trade," he said. "Coffee, tea, organic or fair trade, we try to buy all the time."

That's the Fairtrade Foundation's idea behind this "tea dance" - letting people know they can choose products that will make a difference half a world away.

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Education notebook: More school statistics - Abilene Reporter-News

2010-04-08T01:00:00.001-07:00

Another local high school has the chance at a state championship today. Weâre all rooting for the Wylie High School Lady Bulldogs in their big basketball game against Liberty-Eylau High School this morning. Besides the plethora of athletic stats our sports writers provide, I thought Iâd offer a little extra competition fodder:

n Enrollment: Wylie ISD has 3,191 students; Liberty-Eylau ISD has 2,778.

n Annual athletics spending: Wylie ISD spends $215 per student; Liberty-Eylau spends $233 per student.

n High school completion rate: Wylie graduates 98.2 percent; Liberty-Eylau graduates 81.7 percent.

n ACT scores: Wylieâs students score 23.3 on average; Liberty-Eylau students score 18.7.

n Distance from Frank Erwin Center in Austin: Wylie is 189 miles away, and Liberty-Eylau is 372 miles away.

Wylie education foundation

Speaking of Wylie, district board member Becky Rentz is working to get together an education foundation.

âWeâre just in the planning stages right now,â Rentz said, but she hopes by next spring, the foundation could have enough money to start considering scholarships, special school projects or light facility enhancements.

She has recently attended workshops with Superintendent Joey Light to learn how to launch the project, which includes filing for nonprofit status, gathering a steering committee and building an alumni base for former students to have an avenue to make memorial gifts or donations to honor favorite teachers.

âI just think it could be a good thing for Wylie,â Rentz said.

The Abilene Education Foundation is celebrating its 10th year of service to the Abilene Independent School District.

Pass driverâs ed yet?

Ford will have some new cars at Wylie High School today and the company will donate $20 to the Wylie High School prom for everyone who takes a test drive, up to $6,000.

No doubt some high school students are eager to get behind the wheel of a new F-150 with visions of graduation gifts dancing in their heads. (FYI â" students must be over 17 to take a spin.)

Other cars expected to make appearances include the Taurus, Fusion Hybrid, Escape, Explorer and Edge. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those Ford folks ought to tune those radios to KKHR 106.3 so the Lady Bulldog fans can listen to the game during their joy rides.

One more FAFSA workshop

Parents and students have one last opportunity to learn how to apply for college financial aid at a FAFSA workshop Tuesday at Abilene High School.

The workshop will be in the Learning Resource Center at 6 p.m.

Got education news? Contact Emily Peters at peterse@reporternews.com or 676-6776.

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Winnipeg teachers suspended after 'lap dance' goes viral - Regina Leader-Post

2010-04-07T22:00:00.001-07:00

WINNIPEG â" A pair of Winnipeg teachers engaging in risque business set off a media riot after a video of a simulated lap dance from a school event went viral.

The video, taken last Wednesday during a well-attended pep rally for Grade 9 through 12 students at Churchill High School, shows students giggling, gasping and screaming as a female teacher receives a strip club-style lap dance from a male teacher.

By Thursday afternoon, students were spreading a minute-long video of the dance among each other on Facebook. On Monday afternoon, clips from the video were aired on CBC television.

Tuesday night, one parent of a Churchill High student groaned after learning that the video had gone national. "They so, so crossed the line," said the parent, whose daughter showed her the video last week.

"It embarrassed me. While we were first watching it I said, 'they crossed the line.' My daughter said, 'wait, it gets better.'"

To translate, it got worse: among other things, the minute-long clip, which looks as if it were made on a cellphone, shows the male teacher bobbing his head near the female teacher's crotch, and grinding his rear against her crotch.

The teachers, who are said to be relatively new to Churchill's staff, were sent home with pay after a parent complained about the video, said Winnipeg School Division trustee Mike Babinsky. Babinsky first learned of the video from a television producer on Monday afternoon.

A spokesperson said Tuesday the division could not comment on personnel matters, but that it does "expect respectful and professional conduct from all of our staff at all times."

While many students thought the stunt was "gross," the hubbub over the video is overblown, one said. "At first we didn't realize what was going on," said a student who was standing close to the action at the pep rally.

"Once the kids started screaming, it was like, 'oh, my goodness.' I just think the joke went too far. I think they should be talking to them, but I don't think they should be suspended. I understand it's a serious thing, but they didn't mean to hurt anyone."

Maybe it's simply a reflection of a culture where adding a little bump 'n' grind is just good for business. "They look to me like younger staff who got way too into it," Babinsky said, noting that the behaviour was "totally inappropriate."

"You can't just look the other way in situations like this. By the same token, if you were to turn on the TV, within the next hour you'd find something similar to that on a music station. Society is sending mixed messages."

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Bullying raises questions about schools' vigilance - Pride Source

2010-04-07T19:00:00.001-07:00

Bullying raises questions about schools' vigilance

Parent, student voices swell as more 'bullycides' reach media, courts

By Denise Lavoie

Originally printed 4/8/2010 (Issue 1814 - Between The Lines News)

A gay teenager in New York wins $50,000 from a school district that failed to stop taunts about his sexual orientation. The Justice Department investigates complaints that administrators ignored racial bullying in a Philadelphia school.

And in Massachusetts, a 15-year-old girl hangs herself after she is mercilessly harassed for months - taunting and threats that school administrators knew about but did not stop.

Now, with nine students charged in the bullying and rape of Phoebe Prince, who hanged herself at her family's home in January, questions have arisen about how accountable school officials should be for stopping bullying.

Barbara Coloroso, a nationally known anti-bullying consultant, had been contacted by South Hadley school officials months before Phoebe's death, after a young boy in nearby Springfield killed himself. She spent a day there in September, training teachers and administrators on how to recognize and deal with bullying.

Coloroso said school officials made mistakes by failing to stop the bullying and, after Phoebe hanged herself, by allowing at least some of the students involved to continue to attend classes and a school dance with no visible signs of discipline.

'The questions to ask are: Did they follow their own rules and did they keep Phoebe safe? Obviously not. And, did they deal effectively with the bullies? Obviously not," Coloroso told The Associated Press on March 30.

Authorities say Prince, who had recently emigrated from Ireland, endured months of verbal assaults and threats after she briefly dated a popular boy. She was harassed mostly in school, but also on Facebook and through other electronic forms.

District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said the inaction of school officials was troublesome but not criminal.

More than 40 states have anti-bullying laws that generally require schools to adopt a set of preventive policies. But Marlene Snyder of Clemson University's Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life said laws and policies don't necessarily help if schools don't follow through with intensive training for teachers and staff.

"In defense of teachers, very few of them have ever had training on bullying prevention, much less how to intervene without making the situation worse," she said. "Some people don't understand the dramatic and devastating effect that this kind of treatment can have on a child."

In upstate New York, the Mohawk Central School District agreed March 29 to do more to protect students from harassment as part of a settlement with a gay teenager who claimed he was relentlessly bullied.

The boy, described only as 15-year-old Jacob, now goes to another school, and his father said he hopes other districts take note of what happened in the working-class village.

"I wish some other schools would follow in the footsteps of this school and make changes," said Robert Sullivan, who has a different last name than Jacob. "A lot of schools are going through the same thing as this school."

In Georgia, 11-year-old Jaheem Herrera committed suicide at his Atlanta-area home last year after his parents say he was repeatedly tormented in school. School officials denied it and an independent review found bullying was not a factor, but his family rejects that conclusion.

In Michigan, 12-year-old Kimberly Linczeski of Ontonagon - located in the upper peninsula - took her own life in March after an ongoing feud with a classmate who bullied her came to blows while at school. For punching back, Linczeski was punished and sent home, where she later died of self-asphyxiation.

And at South Philadelphia High School, Asian students say they've endured relentless bullying and racial epithets by black students while school officials ignored their complaints. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund filed a complaint in January with the U.S. Justice Department.

In the Massachusetts case, school officials had previously said they did not know about Phoebe's harassment before she committed suicide. They have said some students accused of taking part in the bullying have been disciplined and will not return to class.

Assistant Superintendent Christine Swelko said the school, through its anti-bullying task force, was continuing to review its policies and programs.

Legal experts said it would be difficult to charge school officials criminally, but said Prince's family could have a cause of action in a wrongful death lawsuit.

"If the mother told more than one school official what was going on, it would come down to what she actually told them, and then if they did nothing about it and something bad happened as a result, that is a basic argument that the school was indifferent and could be legally liable for what went on," said Peter Hahn, a Newton attorney who specializes in education and juvenile law.

Massachusetts is one of only 10 states without a specific law targeting school bullying, according to Stop Bullying Now, a project of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. Other states without laws in place include Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana, North and South Dakota, Mississippi, Alabama, Hawaii and Washington, D.C.

The legislature cited Phoebe's death and the apparent suicide of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover of Springfield last year in passing anti-bullying legislation in March in a unanymous vote. The legislature still needs to approve a final version before sending it to the governor.

Many parents complain that the laws aren't enforced consistently and that school officials don't do enough to remove bullies from schools.

Ted Mathews, a South Hadley parent who said his 13-year-old son was harassed in school several years ago, said he doesn't understand why school administrators did not intervene.

"Bottom line is, they could have done something, but they didn't," Mathews said. "My personal belief is if you're going to hold these kids accountable, then you've got to hold these adults accountable, too. Everybody's got an excuse, but it doesn't bring her back."

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School Notes -- Walnut Creek Education Foundation ... - San Jose Mercury News

2010-04-07T16:00:00.001-07:00

It's done.

The Walnut Creek Education Foundation has reached its goal of raising $724,000 for the current school year.

In a recent letter to parents, foundation President Elizabeth Davis announced she was proud and "relieved" to report the foundation had reached its goal. She thanks parents, businesses and residents for donating to the foundation could give money to Walnut Creek School District schools and Las Las Lomas High School.

More than 230 families stepped up to make extra or additional contributions; that is in addition to the donations from 1,600 families, teachers, staff, administrators and community members, she said.

While this year was tough, next year could be even more demanding.

"We have been told that the coming year will hold even greater challenges," wrote Davis. "The success of the foundation rests on a commitment from all of our families. We need greater participation and increased donor support. I am confident that, like this year, you will rise to the occasion and give what you can."

For more information about the foundation go to www.wcefk12.org or call 925-933-9233.

n n

In the past three years, Northgate High School has seen the opening of a beautiful new theater and an all-weather track and football field, thanks to the efforts of the Northgate Community Pride Foundation.

This year, the school has one

more project to be excited about. To complement the Jack DeRieux Little Theatre foundation, parents and students recently celebrated the grand reopening of the dance studio, complete with a new sprung floor, according to a news release. The $18,000 project was the first smaller-scale project tackled by the foundation.

"Having a space that is our own really allows the dancers to connect with and commit to the program at school," says dance instructor Alyssa Bond. "Not only is the space safer, it is also our own and looks amazing. You walk in and know that it is a dance room. The dancers and myself cannot thank the donors enough for what you have given us."

It was a relatively quick project. The foundation began the fundraising efforts in December, with the bulk of donations coming from families and friends of dance students. By February, the floor was in place.

But the studio isn't quite finished yet, as the foundation, along with dance program supporters, are now raising money for ballet bars â" an essential part of a working studio.

For more information about the project or to make a donation, visit www.northgatepride.org.

To submit an item for School Notes contact Elisabeth Nardi at 925-952-2617.

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Winnipeg teachers suspended after 'lap dance' goes viral - Vancouver Sun

2010-04-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

WINNIPEG â" A pair of Winnipeg teachers engaging in risque business set off a media riot after a video of a simulated lap dance from a school event went viral.

By Thursday afternoon, students were spreading a minute-long video of the dance among each other on Facebook. On Monday afternoon, clips from the video were aired on CBC television.

"It embarrassed me. While we were first watching it I said, 'they crossed the line.' My daughter said, 'wait, it gets better.'"

A spokesperson said Tuesday the division could not comment on personnel matters, but that it does "expect respectful and professional conduct from all of our staff at all times."

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Here's what you can do with an old school - Toronto Star

2010-04-07T10:00:00.001-07:00

Samatha McLoughlin of Ballet Creole, a troupe of African-inspired dancers, dances at the former Old Orchard Public School.

RENE JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR

$1M-$1.5M

How much the Toronto District School Board can expect to earn for each acre of land it sells.

FIVE

Appraisers the Toronto Lands Corporation hires; plus five real estate brokers.

NINE

Sites the TDSB declared surplus and up for sale in 2009-2010; four are vacant lots.

$11M

Roughly the amount the TDSB earns from leasing 49 sites each year, most of which gets poured back into maintenance.

$30M-$43M

Earnings from property sales the school board is hoping to realize this year.

What happens to schools that close

Shaw Public School: 180 Shaw St., closed in 2001; a heritage site, in the process of being sold to Artscape, the non-profit redevelopment group, to create an art community centre.

Boyne River Outdoor Centre: In Shelburne, closed in 2003; the Bruce Trail Conservancy wants to buy 100 of its 410 acres for conservation.

Franklin Horner. 432 Horner Ave., leased to Torontoâs Parks, Forestry and Recreation for years as a senior citizensâ centre; now the city has bought it.

840 Coxwell: A building linked to R.H. McGregor School, itâs rented to East York General Hospital for doctorsâ offices.

James S. Bell School: 3495 Lakeshore Blvd. W., leased for years to city for a daycare centre; city has now bought it.

John Weeks rolls his wheelchair up to the mike in the principalâs office and says âHelloâ over the PA to fellow classmates in this program for people with intellectual disabilities.

Then, with a hint of mischief, he calls on Mayor David Miller to drop by â" one of his favourite jokes these days.

Weeks is one of 60 adults whose programs moved last week from two grim strip malls to an airy new home in this former Scarborough school for the disabled on Ellesmere Rd. near McCowan Rd. The Toronto Association for Community Living bought half of the former Harold Lawson Public School this spring for $3 million from the Toronto District School Board, using money raised by selling other sites. The association has owned the other half of the school for decades.

âItâs the perfect hub to support people who want to spend up to 60 per cent of their time in the community; thereâs even a big field where we can hold community barbecues,â raved chief executive officer Bruce Rivers.

Itâs just one of the new uses being found for old schools closed by a board with too many properties and not enough cash. As the Toronto District School Board faces dozens of school closures in the coming years from falling enrolment, some have warned of a fire sale of public schools into private hands.

But old schools often just switch from one public body to another, notes Shirley Hoy, executive director of the Toronto Lands Corporation, the armâs-length body created in 2008 to handle the boardâs real estate holdings.

âPeople think weâre selling schools on the private market, but more often weâre negotiating with public partners for community use,â said Hoy, whose agency sold 16 properties last year for about $38 million. By law, Ontario school boards must offer old schools first to other school boards, then to a college or university, then another level of government, then a non-profit agency and finally then to the private market.

Itâs a daunting task for a school board that already owns 97 empty schools, many rented to an eclectic array of tenants.

In the west end, 27 homeless mothers and their 53 children eat, sleep, and get help to reboot their lives in what was historic Hughes Public School until the TDSB closed it nearly 10 years ago. The board rented the vaulting three-storey building to Beatrice House womenâs shelter, now run by the YWCA, on a 10-year lease for $130,000 a year.

Renovated to give each family its own bedroom and bathroom, the shelter is hailed as a success, but also faces its first rent hike in a decade as Hoyâs agency sharpens its pencil to negotiate true market value for its properties.

âThis is a beautiful building; thereâs a sense of spaciousness here that helps avoid the panic that can sometimes arise between women who have experienced violence,â said manager Alethia Lewis.

Downtown, the dancers of Ballet Creole rehearse their upcoming 20th anniversary show in what was once Old Orchard Junior School on Dovercourt Rd. near College St. The non-profit company of African and Caribbean-inspired dancers performs in almost 300 schools a year, but now faces its first rent increase in eight years â" to $7,500 a month from $5,000 â" which administrator Anna Di Costanzo says will be almost impossible.

âWe love this location,â she said; âbeing nestled in a community rather than stuck out in some warehouse somewhere.â

While schools that close often are snapped up by other boards, they also can be recast as private schools and seniorsâ centres, day cares and doctorsâ offices. The old Carleton Village public school on Davenport near St. Clair Ave. W. is being turned into the Toronto Police Servicesâ new 11 Division.

âSchools were always located in the heart of a community, which makes them such great places to strike up connections with the neighbourhood,â said Roy Schuurhuis, co-supervisor of the new adult development program at Harold Lawson. It doesnât hurt that they also usually come with airy windows and a gym, he notes, plus a sink in every classroom, a flagpole for early morning ceremonies â" and a PA system.

Says Schuurhuis: âThey become schools â" with a twist.â

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Annual swing dance returns to WWII History Festival - The Citizen Online

2010-04-07T07:00:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, Apr. 24, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing will host âKeep âem Flying,â a 1940s-theme hangar dance, complete with big-band performances, swing dance demonstrations, period costumes and vintage aircraft.

The festivities will be held at the Historical Airpower Facility, Atlanta Regional Airport Falcon Field in Peachtree City and will begin at 6 p.m. with free swing dance lessons by Rachel Ferguson Dance Connection.
Â
âKeep âem Flyingâ guests will hear the Peachtree Jazz Edition play swing standards made famous by Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman. Described as âone of the best bands in Atlanta,â the Peachtree Jazz Edition is returning to âKeep âem Flyingâ for the eighth straight year.Â

Also performing will be the Vintage Vocals, a Cobb County trio that wears military-style costumes while performing '40's classics by the Andrews Sisters andÂ other big band stars.

Spine-bending dance demonstrations will provided by Down South Swing and student's from Ferguson's studio.
Â
âKeep âem Flyingâ is one of several highlights scheduled during âWWII Heritage Days,â a public history program created to honor The Greatest Generation, the men and women who won the Second World War.Â

The weekend combines vintage military aircraft and vehicles, educational exhibits, demonstrations and guest speakers to teach WWII history. The program will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony recognizing local WWII veterans.
Â
Proceeds from the dance are used to cover costs associated with hosting âWWII Heritage Days,â the ongoing preservation of vintage aircraft and âEducation Through Living History,â a program made available by CAF Dixie Wing volunteers to schools and youth groups free of charge.

The 2005 edition of the annual swing dance was instrumental in the repair of âThe Lady in Blue,â a rare SBD Dauntless dive-bomber flown by the CAF Dixie Wing.Â

âOur SBD was grounded because we needed a new engine,â said Jim Buckley, leader of the CAF Dixie Wing âso we decided to rename the dance to reflect our mission, which is to restore and fly World War II airplanes as a tribute to Americaâs veterans.âÂ

The CAF Dixie Wing is a non-profit educational organization that relies on donations and fundraisers to preserve WWII aircraft and teach WWII history.Â
Â
Advance tickets to âKeep âem Flyingâ are $35 per person; $50 after Apr. 19.Â Reserved tables for eight $300.Â Group discounts available. For tickets, call 678-654-2464 or visit www.wwiidays.net. The dance will be held rain or shine. No refunds please.
Â
The Commemorative Air Force is a non-profit organization dedicated to flying and restoring World War II aircraft.Â Based in Midland, Texas, the organization has over 9,500 members and operates a fleet of over 150 World War II aircraft.Â www.commemorativeairforce.org

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Gov. Mifflin students dance night away to fight cancer - Reading Eagle

2010-04-07T04:00:00.001-07:00

Dylan Moser spent the better part of his young life battling cancer.

But the Shillington 10-year-old beat cancer twice, and the disease is now in remission.

Dylan was all smiles Friday as he told his story to more than 250 Gov. Mifflin High School students, who danced the night away in the intermediate school to raise money for the fight against childhood cancer.

"I'm 100 percent better now," Dylan said to a cheering crowd at Gov. Mifflin's second annual Mini-THON, a 12-hour dance marathon to support the cause.

Organized by Gov. Mifflin senior Timothy Hartung, also a cancer survivor, the Mini-THON generates money for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.

The fund was created in 1972 to help pay medical costs of young cancer patients and to assist with research.

Each year, Penn State University holds a 48-hour THON in State College, and the effort has spawned smaller dance marathons in high schools throughout the state.

Janell Moser, Dylan's mom, said she was thrilled to learn that Mifflin was hosting a Mini-THON.

Dylan was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 21/2 and spent six years in treatment before making a full recovery, she said.

And Dylan, his mom added, will likely carry the torch when it's his turn to dance.

"This is our school," Moser said. "I hope Dylan can continue the trend."

Leading up to Friday's dance, Mifflin students solicited pledges from donors. Organizers did not have a final fundraising count, but they hope to top the $30,000 contributed last year.

Students began dancing and playing games at 7 p.m. and planned to continue to 7 a.m. today.

Early in the night, senior Erin Kearney was teaching other students the group dance that Penn State students perform at their THON.

For Kearney, 18, it was her second time participating in the Mini-THON. She came, above all else, because of the enthusiasm Hartung puts into organizing the event.

For weeks, Hartung stood in front of the high school cafeteria trying to get kids to sign up, she said.

"It is awesome to see everyone come together for a good cause," Kearney said. "I think we see how much this means to him."

Hartung, who also battled leukemia, was left searching for words as he watched classmates spend hours dancing to help find a cure for a disease he faced.

Cancer changed him, Hartung said, and now that he's in remission, he is focused on fundraising and awareness.

"I am now more of an outgoing person," he said. "I would not have done something like this if I did not have cancer. It brought me out of my shell."

Contact Darrin Youker: 610-371-5032 or dyouker@readingeagle.com.

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S'pore schools score 'soft skills' wins - AsiaOne

2010-04-07T01:00:00.001-07:00

By Jennani Durai

IF RESULTS of recent international competitions are anything to go by, then Singapore's education system seems to be doing all right with the holistic development of its students.

In the past month alone, Singapore schools won at least four international titles in debates, choir and dance.

Leading the way was Singapore Management University's (SMU) three-year-old Law School, which snagged the university's first international law moot title. Then, choirs from Catholic Junior College (CJC) and Anderson Secondary School, both not typically known as choir schools, clinched gold awards in international choral competitions, while Victoria Junior College's (VJC) dance ensemble similarly beat international rivals to win in Italy.

SMU's team, comprising third-year students Chang Zi Qian, Eng Cia Ai, Sheryl Lee and Michael Ng - all from its pioneer law batch - emerged the champion at the Monroe E. Price International Media Law Moot, organised by Oxford University, on March 27. A moot is a mock trial in which participants argue a case as if in court. The SMU team defeated more than 20 others from all over the world in seven rounds of simulated court debate.

This particular moot centred on media law issues, and this year's hypothetical problem involved a clash between the press and the state on the issue of press freedom, said Assistant Professor Tay Eu-Yen, a litigator with law firm Drew and Napier, who helped coach the team.

The SMU team beat the defending champions from the Cardozo School of Law in New York in the finals to clinch the title.

The team was sponsored by Drew and Napier, with the personal support of the firm's chief executive officer Davinder Singh, who was part of the first moot team from the National University of Singapore to win an international title in the 1980s.

CJC's choir emerged the overall winner in the Mixed Youth Choir category at the Young Prague Festival 2010 on March 27 and 28. The 36-member choir, which was the only Asian participant in the festival, beat 16 other choirs from Estonia, Poland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Britain.

'We have made quite a breakthrough, considering that CJC is not known as a choir school, and more than half of the singers have no formal musical training,' said teacher in charge Priscilla Lee.

Anderson Secondary earned the High Gold award in the choral competition held in Riva del Garda, Italy, from March 28 to 31. The team beat 40 choirs from 14 different countries, including two other Singapore schools, to emerge tops in the Children and Youth Choir Category of Mixed Voices.

VJC's dance ensemble was crowned the overall grand champion of Lecco Danza, an international dance competition, in Italy early last month.

More than 45 teams from seven countries participated, with the majority from the competition's home country.

Singapore's contingent, the sole representative from Asia, comprised 26 students from VJC, who earned top honours in the seniors category for contemporary dance and the hip hop solo item.

The recent wins in some of the 'soft skill' areas that the Ministry of Education is striving for shows that it may not be that difficult a challenge.

The current education system already provides a holistic education for many students in many different ways, said Anderson Secondary School principal Poh Mun See. She added, however, that these winning teams such as Anderson's choir, cater to students who are already interested and talented.

'We have to do more to ensure that every child gets that kind of opportunity, so I would also agree with the latest announcements to provide more opportunities to schools in the areas of music, art and PE,' she said. 'It's a step in the right direction, especially for the lower levels, to expose the students to many different areas.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

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From homeless shelters to dance studios, old schools ... - Toronto Star

2010-04-06T22:00:00.001-07:00

Samatha McLoughlin of Ballet Creole, a troupe of African-inspired dancers, dances at the former Old Orchard Public School.

RENE JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR

John Weeks rolls his wheelchair up to the mike in the principalâs office and says âHelloâ over the PA to fellow classmates in this program for people with intellectual disabilities.

Then, with a hint of mischief, he calls on Mayor David Miller to drop by â" one of his favourite jokes these days.

Itâs a daunting task for a school board that already owns 97 empty schools, many rented to an eclectic array of tenants.

âThis is a beautiful building; thereâs a sense of spaciousness here that helps avoid the panic that can sometimes arise between women who have experienced violence,â said manager Alethia Lewis.

âWe love this location,â she said; âbeing nestled in a community rather than stuck out in some warehouse somewhere.â

Says Schuurhuis: âThey become schools â" with a twist.â

What happens to schools that close

Shaw Public School: 180 Shaw St., closed in 2001; a heritage site, in the process of being sold to Artscape, the non-profit redevelopment group, to create an art community centre.

Boyne River Outdoor Centre: In Shelburne, closed in 2003; the Bruce Trail Conservancy wants to buy 100 of its 410 acres for conservation.

Franklin Horner. 432 Horner Ave., leased to Torontoâs Parks, Forestry and Recreation for years as a senior citizensâ centre; now the city has bought it.

840 Coxwell: A building linked to R.H. McGregor School, itâs rented to East York General Hospital for doctorsâ offices.

James S. Bell School: 3495 Lakeshore Blvd. W., leased for years to city for a daycare centre; city has now bought it.

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DANCE: Borinquen Dance Theatre - Rochester City Newspaper

2010-04-06T19:00:00.001-07:00

When a young member of Borinquen Dance Theatre arrived late for a recent evening rehearsal, slipping silently into the spacious studio at Hochstein School of Music and Dance, artistic director Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez didn't let the tardiness go unchecked. In Spanish, she gently admonished the girl, then urged her to hurry and join the others in their warm-up. Likewise, when a dancer with an injured foot requested permission to only "mark," or walk through the choreography, Padilla-Rodriguez agreed, but quickly reminded the others that they were, of course, expected to dance full-out.

"Our youth are starving for structure," she said as she kept her eyes glued on the teenagers, ages 14 to 21, splayed on the floor stretching their young limbs, spring sunshine streaming in through the high glass windows. "Borinquen is about more than dancing. It is a vehicle to help students develop the discipline and skills they need to gain self-confidence and academic achievement. It is using the arts as a form of discipline."

Padilla-Rodriguez founded Borinquen in 1981 with the Ibero-American Action League (Puerto-Rican Arts and Cultural Center) to further appreciation of Latin American dance. When that league folded four years later, Borinquen joined forces with Hochstein, a partnership that still exists today. "Borinquen" is the original name of Puerto Rico, and means "land of brave people." Not everyone in the company is Puerto Rican, or even Hispanic, but demographically, many of them might be included in "at risk" groups. In fact, it was seeing the statistics for drop-out rates among Hispanic students that led Padilla-Rodriguez to focus on youth. Today, she boasts that 90 percent of the hundreds of students who have been involved in Borinquen Dance Theatre go on to attend college.

Ingrid Colon, 29, leads the warm-up at a recent Borinquen rehearsal. Colon spent her own adolescence dancing with Borinquen and now serves as an assistant and - perhaps more importantly - as a role model. Conversations dwindle as the rehearsal begins in earnest, Colon leading the dancers through several very different pieces.

"Bomba" is a dance that Padilla-Rodriguez choreographed to represent the African influence on Puerto-Rican culture. Colon counts aloud for the group as the dancers work to match their steps to the heavily rhythmic, percussive music. Another of Padilla-Rodriguez' pieces, titled "Eclectic," is just that. Faster and more energized, this piece is a juxtaposition of movement in Latin contemporary style set to music by Deep Forest, a group whose music could be described as somewhere between modern and hip-hop.

The 15 teenagers in the troupe are intent now, focused. They check their movements in the mirrors lining one wall of the studio, going back over challenging bits of the choreography. This weekend they will perform in one of Borinquen's most important concerts of the year, and a major fundraiser for the group. They mean to impress. They have grown accustomed to Padilla-Rodriguez's high expectations.

The group performs at events, festivals, colleges, evening school events - even Mayor Robert Duffy's inauguration. Rehearsals are three times a week, and students are required to maintain excellent school attendance and good grades (nothing lower than a 2.5 average). If a dancer is having trouble academically, Padilla-Rodriguez helps him or her connect with tutoring. As director of strategic community partnerships for the Rochester City School District, she is keenly aware of services available to students. She is also certified to teach in elementary bilingual education and served as vice-principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 9, and holds a B.A. in dance education.

Padilla-Rodriguez sets no boundaries on her involvement in her young dancers' lives. If they need her, she is there. She embraces the concept of Borinquen as an extended family, a safe place, and hopes its members will gain self-esteem, respect for others, and pride in their shared cultural heritage. Recently, she arranged a workshop on nutrition for her dancers; other workshops have addressed teenage pregnancy, the history of Puerto Rico, and financial management.

Borinquen has been recognized by the Presidents' Committee on the Arts & Humanities as one of the top after-school art programs for youth in the United States. It is funded by the New York State Council on the Arts, Women's Circle, Wilson Foundation, Rochester Area Community Foundation, The Greater Rochester Arts Council, individual donors, and a grant from Wilmont Foundation.

"Many of my kids have had major challenges within their own lives, within their families," Padilla-Rodriquez says. "Even though love doesn't cost anything, if you never experience it, it's difficult for you to have any sense of belonging."

"We have a generation that lacks mentors," Padilla-Rodriguez says. "The messages our kids receive are too negative. Instead, they need strategies that reinforce their sense of hope and keep their dreams alive, strategies to help them get from Point A to Point B. The arts are just one way."

Padilla-Rodriguez cites Garth Fagan, famed founder and artistic director of Garth Fagan Dance and Bessie Award-winning choreographer, as her own mentor. At 16, she was the youngest member of his original company, Bottom of the Bucket, But...Dance Theatre.

"He always told us that discipline was freedom," she says. "He made me understand that things won't happen without discipline."

Fagan remembers Padilla-Rodriguez as the "creme de la creme." "Nydia was a beautiful, bright, precise, and talented dancer. That's a lot of adjectives, but they're all true. She lit up the stage," he says. "And what she's doing with these kids now is more than just dance. She's nourishing them."

Padilla-Rodriguez's time with Fagan profoundly affected her choreography as well. A heavy influence of African and modern dance merges with Puerto Rican folk and contemporary Latino dance, even a bit of hip-hop, to create the hybrid of movement that is Borinquen.

Coralis Rivera Laboy, 25, is Borinquen's assistant director; she also contributes to choreography. Master instructor Andrae Dunwoody, 37, runs the outreach program at Monroe High School and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 9, making dance available for those without transportation. These students perform in their own schools, setting examples for their peers. Borinquen also has a junior company, featuring children ages 8 to 13. They, too, will perform in this weekend's concert.

The concert will also feature dancers from the Bharata School of Indian Classical Dance & Music, who will share the stage with the senior Borinquen group to present, "The Sun Dance," a collaboration that demonstrates the contrasts between their two cultures. "La Plena," a folkloric dance choreographed by Padilla-Rodriguez, will celebrate the African, Spanish, and Taino Arawak (Indian) influences on Puerto Rico, the three cultures represented by the three ruffles on the dancers' costumes. "Mestisaje," also a work by Padilla-Rodriguez, emphasizes the fusion of the three cultures; colorful masks add an indigenous flavor to the piece.

Borinquen Dance Theatre

Saturday, April 10

Hochstein School of Music and Dance, 50 N Plymouth Ave.

7:30 p.m. | $10-$25 | 787-0087, borinquendancetheatre.org

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Excerpts from 'Letters to Jackie' - The Sun News

2010-04-06T16:00:00.001-07:00

- Margaret McLean, Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 17, 1964.

---

"I have never before written to a Congressman, President or any type of Statesmen. In fact, in my thirty some years of living I have never DONE MUCH OF ANYTHING except vote, toward being an American or making this Country a better place in which to live.

Today, however, my heart is SO HEAVY I feel I must express myself to you. I feel I must tell you how VERY ASHAMED I am to be living in this city. Dallas - a city of cultural background - a city of colleges, schools and supposedly intelligent people. God would that I could move from this place this hour."

- Robert L. Wood, Dallas, Texas, Nov. 22, 1963.

---

"I am a Florida Dairy Farmer who has been a lifelong Republican. I am also Protestant and have been anti-Kennedy since 1960.

However I feel a desperate urge to exend my deepest sympathy to your children and to you. As an American I'm deeply ashamed at the manner in which the President met his end. As an American I'm also very proud of the great courage you displayed during the entire ordeal.

I have talked with many of my friends who have like back grounds and I can assure you their feelings are 100 pct the same as mine. We are so sorry."

- Russell E. Weir, Brandon, Fla., Nov. 27, 1963.

---

"The reason that I have not written you was because I am poorly educated and was ashamed to write you altho down in my heart my prayers + thoughts were with you and your family.

I am colored and 65 years old and John F. Kennedy is the only man that fought a mighty battle for the freedom of my race of people that might have their equal rights here in America, which has been lacking since Abraham Lincoln. But I consider John F. Kennedy much greater than Lincoln. ... I only wish that there was some way for me to help lift the terrible burdan and heart ache that I know that you are still carrying."

- Mrs. Andrew Burril, Mattoon, Ill., Nov. 22, 1964.

---

"I am only thirteen and I know you are well educated, but I still feel I could give you some advice.

I have been operated on four times for polio and I am now recouporating from a broken hip, but I know you too have problems so I will tell you my remedy for smiling and happiness. Always sing "You Gotta Have Heart" from Damn Yankee's and I think you'll be happy. I doubt whether or not you'll read it, but the aid whose reading this letter; it goes for you to."

- Janis Hirsch, Trenton, N.J., Jan. 16, 1964.

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Enduring Message - Modesto Bee

2010-04-06T13:00:00.001-07:00

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Actors prove where there's a 'Will,' there's a way - Salem News

2010-04-06T10:00:00.001-07:00

BEVERLY â" Will Rogers "never met a man he didn't like."

And chances are, you'll feel the same way about his musical.

In "The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Revue," more than 100 Beverly High students tell the story of the legendary "Oklahoma's favorite son" who â" through everything from a daily newspaper column and radio talk show to stage performances, appearances in motion pictures and a presidential run in 1928 â" became one of the most popular, highest-paid stars of his time.

The songs are catchy, and it will keep you laughing.

"But if we do it right, it should make you cry at the end," said senior Cassie Pavlowich, who plays Betty Blake, Rogers' wife.

In the meantime, there's swing dancing and tap dancing, cowboy tricks, and live animals.

"There's a dog act where there's real dogs, and a bunch of actors dressed up as dogs," said senior Abby Kelly, who plays the favorite showgirl in Florenz Ziegfeld's "Follies," while Rogers does routines between acts.

"There's a lot of direct interaction with the audience," junior Nate Howard said about his lead role as Rogers. "It's like the audience is part of the show."

With 74 actors and actresses and more than 30 students between the chorus, the pit band and behind the scenes, it's also one of the largest casts yet, musical director Carolyn Pilanen said.

"I don't like to turn anybody away," she said.

Rogers, who was known for his common sense and simple truths, also speaks a message that rings true today. That's one of the reasons she chose it.

"We've done this show one other time. I think it was about 12 years ago," Pilanen said. "We pulled out the video, and I remembered what a great show it was. It's about caring about each other and helping someone out with a dollar or a dime. It's a really good message right now, with the economy the way it is."

Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer@salemnews.com.

If you go

What: Beverly High School musical "The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Revue"

Where: Memorial Building auditorium, 502 Cabot St.

When: Today, tomorrow and Saturday at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.

Cost: $9 for adults, $7 for students and senior citizens. Tickets available at the door.

Extra: Don't forget to check out the art sale featuring work by Mary Smalley, Beverly's first art teacher, who died last year.

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Edutopia to bring success to Kentuckiana - WHAS 11

2010-04-06T09:24:00.001-07:00

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(WHAS11)-WHAS11 is launching a new project called "Edutopia".

Each week we'll visit schools all over the country and show you what's working in public education, and how these successes can be adopted right here in our own schools.

In San Diego, there's a high school where nearly every student graduates, and every graduate is accepted into college.

Students are engaged because they learn by working on projects that produce important products. Like a DNA bar-coding process that will help convict poachers in Africa.

âI know everyone is serious about it because it's a serious issue but this is really a lot more fun than you would be able to do in any other classroom,â says Mari a student/High Tech High

Every student performs a meaningful internship in the community.

At this elementary school in Tucson, Arizona, the arts are used in every classroom to help teach every subject.

Opera helps first graders learn to write.

Dance teaches second graders geometry.

Fourth graders learn science while playing the violin.
Â
Independent research confirms that reading, writing and math scores have improved dramatically.

In Brooklyn, New York, 4th and 5th graders are making their school safer.Â They're learning to become peace helpers.

To understand their own anger and help younger children to resolve conflicts.

These stories and more come to NBC bay area courtesy of the George Lucas educational foundation.

âI strongly believe that education is the single most important job that the human race has,â says film director George LucasÂ

Though more famous for his feature film success, Lucas has been working for years to document success in public education around the country.

I didn't enjoy school very much. Occasionally I would come up with a teacher who would inspire me. But as I got older and i began to work with computer technology and telling stories through film, I began to wonder 'why couldn't we use these new technologies to help improve the educational process?"Â says Lucas

The foundation's website, edutopia.org is a comprehensive resource for parents and teachers.Â

Â âIâm very excited that we have been able to help give people the tools they need to go into their own community and improve their own educational systems in their own way,â says George Lucas.

Next article Hundreds gather at Okolona Christian Church to honor Sgt. Adam Ray killed in Afghanistan

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Reiffton students make instruments, music to accompany Olympics ... - Reading Eagle

2010-04-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

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Ice dancing inspired Exeter student Bri Berstler to turn to drums, a rain stick and a xylophone.

Snowboarding meant electric guitars and percussion for two classmates, and bobsledding for another pair meant drums - lots of drums.

Students at Exeter's Reiffton School celebrated the Winter Olympics with music they composed and performed on homemade instruments.

The music-filled Olympic ceremony on Friday ended a five-week session with Tina Davidson, artist in residence.

Davidson of Marietta, Lancaster County, worked with a core group of 18 sixth-graders before school, helping them build instruments out of recycled materials. She taught them to write music with graphic notation and helped them compose their own songs inspired by Olympic sports.

Bri, 12, who was inspired by ice dancing, learned she can express herself with music.

"When you compose music, you're composing your expression," she said.

Davidson also met with the entire sixth-grade class to make instruments and learn about composition. Students made coffee can drums, cardboard-dowel rain sticks and xylophones out of sticks and pipes.

The dedication and perseverance of Olympic athletes should be an inspiration to the entire school, Davidson said.

"The thing about the Olympics, you're all capable of that kind of thing when you find your gift," she said.

During Friday's event, Davidson led the school of nearly 700 students in an Olympic symphony. One group made wind noises, another called out the pitter-patter of rain and another sounded like the woosh of quick skis.

During the individual performances, sixth-graders Ricky Wike, 12, and Chris Ambrosi, 11, got a big round of applause for their song, "Snowboarding Victory."

Ricky shook a container filled with beads, while Chris played a milk jug drum and then switched to an electric guitar.

"I thought it was kind of interesting, learning about the instruments," Ricky said.

Sixth-grader Kira Shultz, 11, plays guitar and is a big Taylor Swift fan. She strummed her acoustic guitar in a figure-skating composition.

"I feel that I got a lot out of it because now I think differently about becoming a composer or doing something different in the music business rather than playing your guitar," she said.

After the musical performance, students at the Reiffton Olympics "speed skated" across the gym on paper plates. Students representing Estonia, Latvia, Great Britain and Australia won the gold medals.

Teams of teachers raced one another on bobsleds made from gym mats and scooters.

Students had some practice, spending the last month doing Olympic events, such as skating, curling and ice hockey, in gym class.

Contact Erin Negley: 610-371-5047 or enegley@readingeagle.com

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Schools briefly - Star-Press

2010-04-06T07:00:00.001-07:00

Daleville bake sale

DALEVILLE -- The Daleville Junior-Senior High School National Honor Society will have a bake sale today (March 4) and Friday, March 5, during lunch in the cafeteria, according to daily announcements.

Parents Night Out

DALEVILLE -- Daleville Elementary School will have Parents Night Out 5-9 p.m. Friday, March 5.

The cost is $5 for the first child in a family and $1 for each additional child, payable at the door.

Snacks and a drink will be provided.

Elementary Family Night

MUNCIE -- Heritage Hall Christian School will have its Elementary Family Night, complete with a Tic Tac Toe Challenge, 6-8 p.m. March 12.

The event is intended to give participants a chance to connect with other parents, students and faculty at the school through an evening of fun, food, and friendly competition.

This event replaces an enrollment program that was originally planned for March 9.

Information: heritagehallchristian.org

DES talent show

DALEVILLE -- Daleville Elementary School's annual talent show will be at 1 p.m. March 19.

Auditions will be 3-4:30 p.m. March 12 in the music room and primary commons area. Any students in grades 4, 5 or 6 may audition for a solo or group act. Talents may include singing, instrumental music, dancing, comedy or any other act.

Book fair volunteers

DALEVILLE -- Volunteers are needed to help staff the book fair at Daleville Elementary School the week of March 15-19. Many time slots are available during the school day.

To schedule a time, call Diana Schlegel, 378-0251, or Mary Smith, 215-4820. Volunteers must have limited criminal history reports on file.

Math, science awards

INDIANAPOLIS -- Applications are being accepted for the 2010 Hoosier High School Math and Science Awards.

This marks the third year for the awards, which Gov. Mitch Daniels created to recognize Indiana's top high school math and science talent.

All Indiana high school students are eligible to receive the award and can apply online. Nominations from teachers, principals and other school staff members also will be accepted. Application criteria includes SAT, ACT and Advanced Placement scores, awards and prizes as well as grades received in math and science courses.

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Risborough pupils prepare for rock challenge (From This ... - This is london Calling

2010-04-06T04:00:00.001-07:00

Risborough pupils prepare for rock challenge

7:40am Tuesday 6th April 2010

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PUPILS at a south Bucks school are getting ready to rock as they prepare to take on 11 other schools in a major dance, drama and music event.

Princes Risborough School has been preparing to take part in the Global Rock Challenge at Portsmouth's Guildhall later this month.

They are hoping to build on their success of last year, where they took the prize for 'Best Drama Skills' in the same competition.

This year's performance by the sixty-plus students is entitled âAn Emotionless Worldâ, which follows the story of Poppy and Edward.

In their world all human emotion has been eradicated by a micro-chip implant in order to bring order and unity to the planet. The young teens have developed immunity to their microchip and make it their mission to bring love and hate back to the world.

The Rock Challenge, which takes place on Tuesday April 27, is being run by the Be Your Best Foundation, which encourages youngsters to take an active role in building safe and healthy communities.

The foundation strives to inspire young people to reach their potential and achieve their dreams without the need for alcohol, tobacco or other drugs.

Before setting off for the show, pupils will be taking part in a fundraising âNight to Celebrate Talentâ, which will be held on Friday April 23 from 7pm.

It will feature dance groups from the school including Elite, Shock Out, students taking BTEC Dance, and students who are finalists in the upcoming Wycombeâs Got Talent night.

To buy tickets for the event, email srosling@princesrisborough.bucks.sch.uk.

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Sports of The Times - New York Times

2010-04-06T01:00:00.001-07:00

At the end of the night, you have to admire Duke.

With the entire state of Indiana rooting against the Blue Devils and Lucas Oil Stadium sounding like an oversize Hinkle Fieldhouse, Duke did everything it needed to end Butlerâs amazing run in the N.C.A.A. tournament.

Between Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith, Duke made big shot after big shot, grabbed crucial lose balls, made critical free throws and wore down Butler, 61-59. This was Dukeâs first championship since 2001 and its fourth over all, won by a group that was regarded as one of Mike Krzyzewskiâs more ordinary teams.

Not on Monday.

This much is sure, the N.C.A.A. won.

Again.

The national championship game drew 70,930 fans bringing the weekend total to more than 140,000, the second largest total in tournament history.

About six hours before the game, Richard Brodhead, the president of Duke, and Bobby Fong, the president of Butler, sat in Fongâs spacious office and got to know each other.

The congenial meeting would soon move to Lucas Oil Stadium and turn partisan amid thousands of screaming fans in a sea of blue.

âYou and I made many of the same choices with our lives,â Brodhead said, referring to Fong. âIn college, we decided we would pursue the same subjects; we both went on to graduate school in the same field. Then both of us gravitated to teaching and turned our love of teaching into a different kind of job. You are the head of one school. Iâm the head of another school, and we sit across the table as friendly rivals because tonight weâll have this great contest.â

Both were English majors; Brodhead at Yale, Fong at Harvard.

Eventually, the subject of intercollegiate athletics came up. How does the grand spectacle of March Madness fit into the mission of higher education. Brodhead and Fong agreed that the athletes were wonderful ambassadors of their universities. They, as educators, insist that athletes are to be treated like regular students.

But the reality is that they are not like other students. They hold a rigorous âpart-timeâ job and perform before a large public audience for the glory of the university, often risking injury in pursuit of a championship.

âThe truth is they are and they arenât,â Brodhead said. âThey lead a very demanding life. Theyâre very good at what they do, but what makes our basketball team fit at our university is that they are part of a continuum of people who set their height very high and are willing to work amazingly hard to reach as far as their talent will let them.â

Fong made the case that the dancers at Butlerâs prestigious Department of Dance, and especially the ballet program, were just as uniquely important to the university as the menâs basketball team.

The department of dance offers three degrees â" in performance, pedagogue and arts administration. Butler was among the first liberal arts schools with a dance program to offer a degree in dance, with ballet as its primary focus.

Michelle Jarvis, the associate dean and chair of Butlerâs School of Dance, said the dance students compared favorably to the universityâs traditional athletes.

They are highly competitive, admitted after a rigorous audition process. They train every day from September to April. âWeâre a six-day-a- week operation,â Jarvis said.

In the summer the dancers are building relationships with professional companies by completing internships in the United States and abroad.

âThey are busy all year long, aspiring to be that artist,â Jarvis said.

Jarvis made the case that the dancers are as important to the university and work just as hard as the basketball team and face many of the same physical risks.

The program performs three times a year and often draws large crowds.

There is nothing on the campus that creates public moments on the scale of high profile sports programs.

Last January, 94,906 fans watched Alabama defeat Texas for the national championship in football.

On Monday, more than 70,000 watched Butler play Duke.

As the debate over the role of athletics at colleges intensifies, moments like the Final Four make a strong case that athletes are unique students on campus.

âThereâs an audience for this kind of excellence that there may not be for a student violinist or a student scientist,â Brodhead said of athletics. âBut in a way, the impulse, the drive is continuous.â Yet at Butler the dance program is more connected to the university than any sports team. In two weeks, the ballet department will perform âSwan Lake.â After that performance patrons can visit the school of dance, a meaningful validation by the university.

After Mondayâs national championship game fans will not see a similar academic building reflective of the vast athletic universe of which the Final Four is a part. It does not exist.

The sports programs are university cash registers, convenient marketing vehicles and little more.

Butlerâs run to the Final Four and Dukeâs re-emergence as a national power, reinforce the value of intercollegiate athletics to the mission of higher education. College athletes in big-time programs are unique students on campus. Like dancers, artists and musicians, they deserve an academic home.

Perhaps Mondayâs game between two well-respected private colleges will catapult athletics to a respectable place in academia.

E-mail: wcr@nytimes.com

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NCAA's biggest name programs aren't in this dance - Indianapolis Star

2010-04-05T22:00:00.001-07:00

If you put together a Mount Rushmore of college basketball, UCLA, North Carolina and Indiana would be slam dunks to be included, or at least be clearly in the conversation.

The three schools have combined for 21 national championships and 43 Final Four appearances. North Carolina holds the record with 27 consecutive NCAA appearances. Indiana had a stretch of 18 years in a row, and UCLA had strings of 14 and 13 years in the tournament.

But when the NCAA Selection Show airs today (6 p.m., WISH-8), the Bruins, Tar Heels and Hoosiers all will be on the outside looking in at the same time for the first time since 1966.

Other big-time programs such as Connecticut and Arizona will be right there with them.

Is it an overhaul in the landscape of college basketball or merely a blip on the radar screen for one year?

"It's just a perfect storm this year of bad things happening to all of the big shots at the same time,'' said ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas. "This is not a great year for college basketball, anyway. We don't have a lot of great teams out there like we've had over the last few years.

"And it just gets magnified when so many of the traditional powers are down.''

Jim Nantz, who will call the Final Four for CBS for the 25th time, said he doesn't think any of those programs will be down for long.

"If I had to bet, I would think that every one of those tradition-rich teams that are out this year will be back in the NCAA Tournament next season,'' Nantz said. "I think it creates a different aura for this year's tournament. It gives you the vibe that this is going to be the most unpredictable, wild, hold-on-to-your-brackets-as-tight-as-you-can festival than we've ever had before.''

And, Nantz pointed out, that feeling exists before the brackets have even been released. He said he doesn't necessarily think it's a bad thing.

"Not unless you're an alumnus of one of those schools,'' Nantz said. "In recent years, I have felt like the madness had been softened a little bit. Last year, it seemed too predictable. This year, going in, I don't think you could have a tournament that could be more difficult to handicap.''

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Syracuse Upset in Big East Tournament; Will Georgetown ... - Associated Content

2010-04-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

Syracuse Lost Their First Game of 2010 Big East Tournament to Rival Georgetown

Syracuse lost to Georgetown in the 2010 Big East Tournament, and with it may have lost a No. 1 seed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Coming into the 2010 Big East Tournament, Syracuse had a 28-3 overall record and had wonÂ the Big East regular season title. They were ranked third in both the AP Top 25 and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Polls and looked almost assured of clinching a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with a couple of Big East Tournament wins. Syracuse lost their first game of the tournament though, falling to Georgetown in a 91 to 84 Big East game on Thursday morning. Now many things will be called into question for Syracuse.

Syracuse played Georgetown really tough on Thursday, but they really needed to pull out a win against the No. 8 seeded Hoyas. Georgetown is a pretty good team on the whole, but they proved on Thursday just how tough the Big East Conference is this season. That alone may cost Syracuse the No. 1 seed in the NCAA brackets if several other schools win as expected. Right now the only two teams that seem guaranteed No. 1 seeds no matter how they do in their conference tournament are Kansas and Kentucky. That leaves two spots to go to presumably two different conference champions if the NCAA Selection Committee gets exactly what they want from the bids.

Right now there seems to be two schools that could steal the thunder from Syracuse, and they are Duke and Purdue. Duke is 26-5 during the season and Purdue is 26-4. With the loss to Georgetown, Syracuse falls to 28-4. Now comes the tricky part. If Duke wins the ACC Tournament, and Purdue wins the Big Ten Tournament, then both teams will be flying high, sitting on the cusp of 30 wins on the season, and will grab the attention of the Selection Committee. Getting hot at the end of the season typically gains favor in the selection process, and if the final thing on resumes is conference championship versus first game exits, Syracuse could be looking at a No. 2 seed. Now Syracuse fans definitely know which teams to root for as Championship Week continues.

References:

Syracuse-Georgetown Results

ACC Tournament

Big Ten Tournament

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Families have fun together at Sweetheart Dance - Post-Tribune

2010-04-05T16:00:00.001-07:00

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T he scene on the dance floor wasn't the usual couples moving to the beat. Foursomes, fivesomes and even single dancers attended the fifth annual Parent-Child Sweetheart Dance recently at the Jean Shepherd Community Center in Hammond.

"They were playing my favorite music, and I even danced with my sister," said Austin Murphy, 17, as he left the dance floor with sisters Jaanei Murphy, 9, and Jada Comer, 2. "We're all tired."

Hope Comer decided to bring her family after hearing about the event from the kids' school, Maywood Elementary.

"It's real exciting to be here," Comer said. "There's not a lot for the kids to do on a winter weekend. This is perfect."

Besides music from DJ "Venom" Casey Ramos, the crowd of more than 500 ate hot dogs and other treats. Family photos were available for purchase, and the Hammond Police Department offered free fingerprinting and photo IDs for the kids.

Isa Bridges of Hammond and her children, N'Jima, 13, and Imarca, 9, patiently stood in line while the kids were fingerprinted.

"It's wonderful that they are having this type of event," Bridges said.

The dance began as a way to promote family unity. With reasonable ticket prices and positive word-of-mouth advertising, the crowd has increased each year.

Although the balloon-twisting artists and face-painting volunteers were absent this year, no one seemed to mind. Attendees shifted their focus to the dance floor, as was evidenced by the almost empty tables and jam-packed dancing area.

Young boys barely out of the toddler stage danced with their mothers and one another, and groups of pre-teen girls gathered on the dance floor.

"The most fun thing tonight is being together with my best friend," said Stephanie Banville, 9, as she and Aneesia Echols, 9, took a break from the dance floor. "We're having a great time just dancing around."

Sisters Jada Printman, 7, and Janna Printman, 8, asked their parents to have their picture taken by a professional studio during the dance.

"I had to remind the girls that we brought our own camera and had taken many pictures already," said their father, Jermaine, with a laugh. "They had forgotten, since they were so busy on the dance floor.

"We're all getting a lot of exercise tonight since they keep making their mom and me dance with them."

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Education seen as way to curb gang inroads - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

2010-04-05T13:00:00.001-07:00

DOWNEY - About 200 local educators gathered Thursday at the Los Angeles County Office of Education headquarters to hear the latest and not-so-greatest news about gangs and their impact on schools and youths.

The group, which included school administrators and security officers for campuses throughout L.A. County, heard from law enforcement experts, including Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chief Larry Villalobos and retired L.A. County sheriff's gang investigator and gang expert Richard Valdemar.

Baca said the true key to thwarting gang violence is in education for youths and adults who have been incarcerated.

"Our policies and politics have lost their way," said Baca, who noted that he has taught at the junior high, high school and adult school levels and is in the process of revamping the jail system to become an education system.

"If you don't educate the human mind while they're in prison they come out the same way, if not worse," Baca said to applause.

The sheriff kicked off the daylong conference, which included other experts and background on some of the grimmest gang crimes investigated by officials.

That included full-color photos taken from crime scenes in Mexico related to drug cartel violence, such as the bodies of two decapitated police officers who were dumped at an Acapulco police station and the heads of about half a dozen men rolled across a dance floor at a club

in Michoacan.

The impact the cartels have is global, Villalobos warned, and includes recruitment of local teens.

"All these cartels south of the border are reaching out for our kids, clean kids, who are still in high school, and who don't have records to buy guns at gun shows and other areas," Villalobos said. "They get kids who are 18 or 19 who can buy guns legally and then they funnel the guns to the cartels," who sell them in the highly profitable illegal gun trade.

Those at the conference also learned about all the various gangs in the area, and across California, and how they function at the street and prison level.

Among the statistics shared with school officials Thursday were estimates of how many gang members are thought to be in the county - around 80,000 - and how much gang crime has impacted the county over the past 25 years, with 10,000 gang-related killings and 100,000 incidents resulting in serious injuries.

School officials and parents need to know the trends because the issue starts at a young age, Valdemar said.

"When I talk to gang members and I ask them to remember when it started, they all say it was grammar school," Valdemar said. "At 12 years old, in fifth, fourth or sixth grade."

"Maybe they hadn't jumped in yet, but they are already gang members," Valdemar added.

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Knox graduate to appear on âThe Officeâ - Galesburg Register-Mail

2010-04-05T10:00:00.001-07:00

Former Knox College student Amy Rieckelman will appear on NBCâs âThe Officeâ tonight.
Rieckelman, a 1997 graduate of Macomb High School who majored in theater at Knox College, moved from Chicago to Los Angeles in October 2007. She works at Chango Coffee and Spaceland, a live music venue.

For Rieckelman, her role on âThe Officeâ is another step up the ladder to achieving her dream of becoming an actress. Although she doesnât have an agent yet, Rieckelman is hopeful her role on âThe Officeâ will make agents notice her.

The episode is the showâs return after the Winter Olympics and will feature the long-awaited birth of Pam and Jimâs baby.

For those who donât watch âThe Office,â Pam and Jim are co-workers who, after dancing around each other for four seasons, finally married during an October 2009 episode.

In tonightâs episode, Rieckelman will play the girlfriend of one of âThe Officeâ co-workers.

Rieckelman landed the part after auditioning for writer and co-executive producer Paul Lieberstein, who plays âTobyâ on the show, and the episodeâs director, who turned out to be quite a surprise.

âI walked in and there was Harold Ramis,â Rieckelman said about her audition during a phone interview Wednesday. âI was like âI donât care if I get this role, Iâm on the set of âThe Office,â this has been a good day.â â

But Rieckelman, who lives in Los Angeles, said she wasnâtÂ intimidated by the legendary director of âCaddyshackâ or by the actors on the show.

Rieckelman said everyone on the show went out of their way to make her feel welcome on the set, where she even had her own trailer.

Rieckelman said actors Leslie David Baker and Jenna Fischer, who play âStanleyâ and âPam,â came up to her on the set right away.

âEveryone was so friendly and nice,â she said.

Rieckelman credits Rainn Wilson, who plays âDwight Schrute,â with expanding her role â" and her lines â" on the show. Rieckelmanâs small role was expanded to âfour or fiveâ scenes, with one really big scene Rieckelman canât talk about, other than to say that she had a really good time shooting it.

âI think youâll know why we had so much fun,â she said.

âRainn Wilson was giving me a lots of encouragement, which was nice,â she said.

âItâs a really fun show to work,â she added. âYou can tell thereâs a good energy about everyone. Itâs everything I expected.â

While continuing to land small roles and extra work, Rieckelman is playing keyboards in a indie rock band, Yes Me to Death.

âIâm doing both, full speed ahead,â she said of her acting and music passions.

Rieckelman said her Spaceland and Chango Coffee co-workers are planning âThe Officeâ viewing parties tonight.

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Should Durham create a special tax to benefit schools? - Raleigh News & Observer

2010-04-05T07:00:00.001-07:00

In this economic climate, how can I advocate for a Durham school district tax of 33 cents on every $100 of assessed property value?

Only with an exemption for seniors citizens and disabled persons on fixed incomes.Only if county commissioners are required to maintain their portion of Durham Public School funding. And only if the county commissioners, City Council and the school board unite to create an independent committee of school stakeholders - including local politicians, parents, parole officers, teachers, business leaders, students themselves - whose task would be to examine and make transparent the state of Durham's schools, provide policy recommendations and investigate equity in the system.

If we're not willing to make an investment in our children, who is? Durham's schools are funded locally. We are fortunate to be able to eat local and shop local; now I suggest we tax local, too. An improved school system will attract investment and growth, not hinder it.

Durham schools have many successes, but some students still sit in broken desks and crumbling buildings. Art, music, theater and dance are available in some schools, but not all. Remediation, mentoring and tutoring are provided to some students who need them, but not to those who lack transportation or a qualifying program. Students eat "low-fat super donuts" from school menus and play on dirt fields. The power to change this is ours.

We'll either pay now with adequate funding, or pay later with more jails, police and social problems.

Thirty-three cents is a wise investment in Durham's future.

Michael Oehler, a Durham parent, writes the blog supportdurhamschools.blogspot.com supportdurhamschools.blogspot.com.

It's time to change how we think about teaching our kids

By Mark Austin

First and foremost, I am passionate about Durham having the best schools possible.

That said, I have a hard time with the proposal to yet again increase our tax burden. Durham's combined city/county tax rate is already one of the highest in North Carolina. While Durham doesn't match Chapel Hill in per-student spending, we spend more than our peer districts, including Wake County.

This isn't a matter of insufficient revenue, rather how funds are allocated.

Durham schools abandoned Reading Recovery while extending funding for "specials" such as art, music and physical education. Many of these subjects are ones a college-educated teacher should be able to teach without need for a specialist, at least at the elementary level.

The district spent thousands on magic boards, interactive projectors and white boards installed last year. But this technology doesn't replace the one-on-one instruction a teacher can provide. At a budget-line level, this is the trade-off the school district made.

Kids today spend hours a day strapped in the back of vans sending them to distant schools. Wouldn't time and funds be far better spent on tutoring rather than driving them around?

Many districts around the country dealt with similar issues by merging county services, having the libraries managed by the public library system.

Not all of these ideas may work or apply. But it is time to radically change how we think about teaching our kids and see if we can do things in a better way, rather than continuing to do the same things with just more taxpayer money.

Mark Austin, the parent of two students in Durham Public Schools, is business development manager for SAS Institute.

Mark Austin, the parent of two students in Durham Public Schools, is business development manager for SAS Institute.

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Concession sales aid schools, nonprofits - Indianapolis Star

2010-04-05T04:00:00.001-07:00

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Many extracurricular activities, such as dances and athletic camps, rely on fundraising.

"I think everything we can do in fundraising that is not a door-to-door project by students is an improvement," said John Ellis, executive director of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents. "They just don't seem to work well. I don't think they generate as much revenue, and I don't like sending kids out to do that."

Centerplate, the licensed food vendor at Lucas Oil Stadium, contracts with 101 groups to run its 146 permanent and portable concession stands and has doled out more than $2.74 million in its nonprofit program since the stadium opened in 2008.

Of those 101 groups, 56 are schools. The rest are a mishmash of organizations, including dance companies and gymnastics teams.

"What we get is a really good quality of personnel behind the concession stands," said John Stockholm, general manager at Centerplate. "Volunteers really do care and tend to provide better customer service.

"It's primarily a win-win situation," he said. "Not only do we put money back in the community, but in most cases, we end up with a much better grade of stand worker."

Volunteers undergo training through Centerplate, and group leaders are given a seminar by Marion County Health Department officials.

Volunteers "receive training in food safety essentials and are subject to following the policies and procedures of Centerplate," according to Health Department spokeswoman Collette Duvalle.

During the AFC Championship Game in January, volunteers with Knightstown High School had $13,000 in sales -- a $1,170 payday.

Earning that much cash in one day "means we don't have to sell candy bars," said athletic director Jennifer Jacoby.

"As far as the money, it's a no-brainer."

Working the concession stands takes a certain level of commitment. Volunteers often work eight-hour days, arriving two hours early and cleaning up for two hours after the buzzer sounds.

"It's brutal," said Jacoby, whose school planned to have about 40 volunteers staffing seven concession stands on Final Four weekend. "It's not like you just show up for the game and leave. It's an eight-hour process.

"There is a little bit of risk," she said. "But the benefits can be amazing if people take advantage of it."

Thomas at (317) 444-6087.

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COMMUNITY NOTEBOOK: Inline hockey starting early - Jackson Sun

2010-04-05T01:00:00.001-07:00

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TCA (15-6) defeated Merrol-Hyde 30-14 and Dyer Middle 27-23 last weekend in Class 2A tournament.

Team members include: Ashley Snider, Phalon Jones, Cassie Layman, Kylie Kuykendall, Haley Hathcock, Keri Morford, Makenzie Pendergrass, Samantha Van Cleave, Austin Brewer, Cherelle Ewell, Emily Taylor, Savannah Seeley, Haley Carpenter and Kia Davis .

TCA is coached by Matt Coble .

"I think (last) Saturday was the hump to get over," Coble said. "The girls are playing hard and they want to win."

Alabama football

The voice of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team Eli Gold will be the guest of the West Tennessee Chapter of University of Alabama Alumni Friends at Miss Ollie's (111 East Lafayette St.) on Monday, March 1.

Gold, who has been calling Tide football since 1988, will speak at 6:30 p.m. after refreshments (cash bar) at 6 p.m.

Admission is $15 for non-chapter members, $5 for chapter members paying their 2010 chapter dues.

The admission price will benefit the Danny Ridgeway Memorial Scholarship at the University of Alabama.

Additional donations accepted.

Chapter dues - $20 for individuals, $30 for a family - will be collected at this meeting which helps provide funding for chapter events throughout the year.

Please RSVP to Becca Simpson at 660-8242 or by e-mail westtnbamaalumni@yahoo.com.

Soccer camp

The 12th annual "Best of the West" Soccer Camp, open to all soccer players in grades one through 12, will be held June 7-11 at University School of Jackson.

Chris Leonardi serves as camp director, said practice times for grades one through seven will be from 9 a.m. to noon and grades eight to 12 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Chris Leonardi serves as camp director and will be assisted by Gavin McKinney , Bethel University women's assistant soccer coach and Kyle Smith , Hastings (Neb.) College women's assistant soccer coach.

Fees are $115 and include a camp tee-shirt.

Campers can register on the first day of camp or online at www.usjbruins.org.

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Students take key roles in Black History Month celebration - Post-Tribune

2010-04-04T22:00:00.001-07:00

I* word, song and dance, Grissom Elementary School students participated recently in one of the Lake Ridge Schools' annual cultural observances.

Students from kindergarten to fifth grade packed into the small gymnasium in Gary's Black Oak section for a program concluding Black History Month.

Students were reminded of the contributions of civil rights leaders. Fourth-graders read brief biographies, including those of Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman and inventor George Washington Carver.

Directed by music teacher Diedre Danek, students in Angela Ruiz's and Juanita Hughes' fifth-grade classes sang the playful "Crawdad Song" and "Little Sally Walker," followed by the introspective "What Can One Little Person Do?"

Some students were selected beforehand to help produce the musical numbers.

"In our music class, my teacher, Miss Danek, said if we had any ideas for the songs we could stand up and dance to them," said fifth-grader Xzaiver Lopez, 12.

In a tribute to the late music icon and Gary native Michael Jackson, Grissom students Keonte Anthony, Nick Fuson and Lucky Mares wore fedoras and sequin-decorated gloves as they moved to the sounds of "Beat It."

Furthering the idea of promoting something positive, students swayed to the recent remake of the 1984 USA for Africa song, "We Are the World," which was projected on a big screen.

Later, Sharon Johnson-Shirley, superintendent of Lake Ridge Schools, applauded the children for their spirit.

"Grissom Elementary School really knows how to celebrate Black History Month in great fashion," she said. "So give yourselves a hand."

She presented certificates of appreciation to Hughes, the longtime Grissom cultural history events coordinator, and Ruiz.

The superintendent said she was impressed by how the students learned about the contributions of civil rights trailblazers.

Johnson-Shirley said she imagined the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. would be happy to see students of different colors learning side-by-side at the school.

Then she adapted the "Afro-Centric Creed" and asked all the students to repeat the words.

"I have faith in myself," Johnson-Shirley recited. "I have faith in my teachers. I will accept my duties and responsibilities. I respect others; I seek that respect.

"I have self-respect. I have self-control ... I love myself and, in loving myself, I will be the best person I can be."Juanita Hughes, Grissom Elementary School fifth-grade teacher and longtime coordinator of cultural presentations at the school, joins students watching the remake of "We Are The World" on the gym's projection screen during the recent Black History Month program. -- photo provided

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A second chance at FUN in Myrtle Beach area - The Sun News

2010-04-04T19:00:00.001-07:00

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In true prom style, there will be a "photo opp" with backdrops where you can take the classic couple, arm-in-arm prom photo with your date for your mom's fireplace mantle. There will be a king and queen crowning, as well as "old school throwback tunes" to dance to.

Oh, and in true prom tradition, we can't forget the theme. This year it is "Enchantment Under the Sea," although Burt says you don't have to dress to fit it.

"It's gonna be a fun gimmick, so cheesy and so fun," he said. "Everyone has to dress up. Either you dress really nice or you can dress really funny like in a vintage lime green suit. Classy or silly."

The Grown Up Prom night will be uniquely special for Burt himself.

"This is my first prom event and first prom, period," he says.

Recently turned 25, Burt excelled in school so much that he graduated at a young 15, thus missing out on his own high school prom.

But Burt has done anything but miss out on the parties since. In fact, he is quite the life of the party. Since the beginning of last summer, Burt has made his living making nightlife in Myrtle Beach a little more extraordinary. His first party series was Monday Mayhem at the Party Deck, which he said was "hugely successful with 3,000-plus people every Monday."

"It was crazy," he said. "We had a full-sized pool in the middle of the club; all the girls are topless, body painted running around the bar. No dress code. The cheapest drink specials. It was amazing. I really established a great reputation with that party and went to some other clubs and all those events were slam packed."

Burt can also be found every Thursday and Saturday at Tunnel Ultralounge where he buys the ladies drinks from 10 p.m. till midnight, and every Monday and Wednesday at Buddha Lounge (which is officially closed except for Burt's events).

The ironic twist is that while Burt makes a living promoting the party lifestyle, he himself does not drink.

"I've never had a sip of alcohol in my life," Burt said, noting that he's "only stereotypically a contradiction." "I'm a wild boy but I'm always sober for it."

As for why he chose this career path, Burt says he just wants to give back to his hometown of Myrtle Beach where he was born and raised.

"I love this city and I think it deserves some variety," Burt said. "I want everyone to have the time of their life, be happy and be safe. That's all I care about with any event. Love life, be happy, but be safe."

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Robert Bobb's biggest challenge: Create a new Detroit Public Schools - Detroit Free Press

2010-04-04T16:00:00.001-07:00

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"It's like when a kid falls and hurts himself," Bobb said, "and an adult puts his hands on and says, 'You'll be OK.' "

His father, who died at age 82 in 2006, completed only the sixth grade but stressed the importance of education to his five children. All of them graduated from high school and college.

"Robert is the mentor to all the grandchildren in the family," said his cousin Dale Bobb, 53, of Houston. She looked up to him. "He was just a real strong person."

He was raised to be a leader, she added, noting: "The Bobbs are strong-minded people, not lackin', not slackin'."

He was the oldest child, and grew up in a three-bedroom house. He was always reading a book when he wasn't playing baseball or stickball.

"Robert was always a special child, a sweet child from day one," said his aunt Levora Bobb, 84, of Houston. "He never caused anybody any problems. He took care of himself, my parents. He was very neat and clean and loved reading. He was always smart, good in school, a real honest-to-goodness kid."

Money was tight for the Bobbs.

"I remember one year, my mom brought home some clothing," Bobb said. "I remember putting on an old shirt. I went to church and a kid said, 'He's got on my shirt.' "

He vowed never to wear somebody else's clothing again. Appearance is important to him. It shows power and achievement for a man who climbed from the sugar fields to the boardroom.

At times, Bobb carries himself with an icy formality. He rarely loosens his tie or rolls up his sleeves, even around his staff. He owns about 35 suits and about 100 ties. Many shirts are monogrammed and he is apt to wear cuff links, but he doesn't own any dress shoes. All he wears are cowboy boots made from ostrich skin. He has a pair for every occasion, eight in all, not counting the pair made from lizard skin. "They are very comfortable," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

In March 2009, just one month after Bobb took the job in Detroit, his mother died of a heart attack. It devastated him. After returning to Detroit from the funeral, Bobb went to church on Palm Sunday with Steve Wasko, his public relations chief.

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Colorado Springs Family Wins National Family Dance-off ... - PR-USA.net

2010-04-04T13:00:00.001-07:00

Primrose Schools, the leader in educational child care, announces the Lopez family of Colorado Springs as the winner of the Family Dance-off, a national campaign to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices. In honor of the Lopez family's victory, Primrose will make a $30,000 donation to their local Children's Miracle Network hospital, The Children's Hospital in Denver.

"We are thrilled to announce the Lopez family as the winners of the Family Dance-off," said Jo Kirchner, President and CEO of Primrose Schools. "Their success in making exercise a fun part of the family's healthy routine is a tremendous example to families across the country. We are honored to make a donation to The Children's Hospital on their behalf."

More than 55,000 people voted for families from across the country who submitted 30-second home videos of their family's best dance moves to www.FamilyDanceoff.com. The Lopez family earned enough votes to compete last week as one of seven weekly finalists vying for the grand prize of $5,000 and the local hospital donation.

Calia Lopez, age 2, attends the Primrose School of Springs Ranch, where the Lopez family learned of the Family Dance-off contest. Parents Carlos and Heidi Lopez are both educators - Carlos an elementary school principal and Heidi a high school choral teacher. The contest was a perfect fit for this family, who understands the value of being active and spending time together. Their video, "I Love You...Primrose," shows the whole family having fun, including 8-month old Caden.

"Not only did our family have a great time competing in this contest, but we wanted to raise awareness for this worthwhile cause," said Carlos Lopez. "As an elementary school principal, I've had a number of students over the years whose lives have been touched by The Children's Hospital and we're proud to be able to support their efforts."

The Children's Hospital sees, treats and heals more children than any other hospital in its seven-state region. With more than 1,000 pediatric specialists and 3,000 full-time employees, The Children's Hospital aims to improve the health of children through the provision of high-quality coordinated programs of patient care, education, research and advocacy.

"On behalf of the entire staff here at The Children's Hospital, we would like to thank Primrose Schools and all participating families for their support of Children's Miracle Network through the Family Dance-off," said Steve Winesett, President and CEO of The Children's Hospital Foundation. "This event was a fantastic opportunity for families all across the country to engage in a fun and healthy activity while raising awareness for pediatric health care. We appreciate not only the financial support but also the community awareness that was raised during this campaign."

The Family Dance-off competition ran from Feb. 1 to March 26. Each week Primrose named a weekly finalist based upon popular votes. The seven finalist videos were then reviewed and rated by an independent panel of judges based on the number of votes, creativity, originality and humor of the videos. In addition to the grand prize winner, the two runners-up will receive a Wii Fit Bundle and each weekly finalist will be awarded a Flip Video(TM) Camcorder.

The Primrose Family Dance-off was created to promote healthy bodies and happy hearts. Childhood obesity and the need for more physical activity are critical issues for young children in America. The American Heart Association recommends that children ages two and older participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.

About Primrose Schools

Founded in 1982, Primrose Schools is the nation's leader in providing consistent, accredited early childhood education and child care services in more than 200 schools in 16 states. Primrose School's foundation is based on a dedicated and passionate group of early childhood professionals providing high quality education with a balance of learning, character development and play.

Primrose School's Balanced LearningÂ® Curriculum blends teacher-directed and child-initiated activities and is consistently delivered in all Primrose Schools nationwide. This exclusive curriculum is standards-based and enables teachers to help children build a foundation of knowledge and skills that will enable them to move successfully from one level of development to the next. Primrose is the first preschool organization in the country to achieve the gold standard in educational accreditation from AdvancED and to require all of its schools to become SACS CASI or NCA CASI accredited.

  For more information, visit www.primroseschools.com.    About Children's Miracle Network

Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals. Each year the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind. To learn more, visit www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org.

Source: Primrose Schools

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Overbrook dance concert will honor spirit of Judith ... - MLive.com

2010-04-04T10:00:00.001-07:00

By Bill Iddings | The Muskegon Chronicle

April 04, 2010, 5:39AM

Darren BreenDancers rehearse a modern dance routine titled "Gray Matter," about the different ways that people communicate, in preparation for "Dance Theater in Concert XXV."In life, Judith Brooky Green made people smile.

Now, remembering the late West Michigan dance legend brings Cathy Gamby-Weideman to tears.

Judith Brooky Green died in 1998.âShe was generous,â Gamby-Weideman said.

Then, as Gamby-Weideman sat in the Bookside Bistro at Muskegon Community College, emotion choked her words into silence. Her eyes went red and wet. She paused to compose herself, to be able to continue.

âAnd that comes from the way she was with me, the way she interacted with other students, the things that I hear other dance students say about her,â Gamby-Weideman said, and repreated, âShe was generous.â

Gamby-Weideman is the director of âOverbrook Dance Theater in Concert,â Muskegon Community Collegeâs biennial dance concert that Brooky Green founded.

The 25th concert coming up at MCCâs Overbrook Theater will pay tribute to Brooky Green, who also founded the collegeâs dance program. After the first of three performances, on Friday night, one dancer will become the first recipient of the Judith Brooky Green Memorial Scholarship.

Fresh from The University of Michigan, Brooky Green came to MCC in 1974. Three years later she founded MCCâs Repertory Dance Touring Company, which spent 12 years touring to area schools.

Named in 1982 as Dance Instructor of the Year by the Michigan Dance Association, Brooky Green in 1986 co-founded the Ariel Dance company in the city of Holland.

Brooky Green contracted cancer. She died April 21, 1998.

Friends and colleagues â" often they were synonymous â" knew and know Brooky Green as far more than her resume.

Michelle Thompson, standing, and Amelia Rogers rehearse a modern dance routine for their upcoming dance concert.In an area where dance often is sparsely represented in public performance â" âJudith used to say it was either feast or famine around here,â Gamby-Weideman said â" Brooky Green nurtured an art form in which trained bodies move to tell a story. As the great choreographer Agnes DeMille once said, âThe job of a choreographer is to be immersed in the idea, and to be creative, and to work out all the technical problems, and still hold the attention and energies of (the) group ... on many levels at once.â

Such was Judith Brooky Green, as Beth LaBaren-Root remembers.

The director of dance at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, LaBaren-Root was Beth Johnson when, in the mid-1980âs, she attended MCC and danced with and for Brooky Green.

âShe was a very good role model,â said LaBaren-Root, who is bringing 11 of her dancersÂ to perform three numbers in âOverbrook Dance Theater in Concert XXV.â âShe was very kind and giving. She introduced us to a lot of new ideas and concert. She really gave a lot to the program.â

Not all of the 39 dancers who will perform 13 pieces in âOverbrook Dance Theater in Concertâ are aware of the dancing queen whom the show will honor.

Michelle Johnson, a 19-year-old MCC student from Fruitport, concedes to not knowing much about Brooky Green.

Amy Decker, a psychology major, front, and Meranda Sills, a special-event planning major at MCC, rehearse their parts in "Gray Matter." Indeed, Johnson said, earlier in her life she was not certain she even wanted to dance.

âMy older sister was a dancer and I just wanted to be like my older sister,â she said. âI actually hated it at first.â

Johnson now intends to make dance a career, after furthering her education at either Hope College or Grand Valley State University. She is on a dance scholarship at MCC. She has choreographed a dance titled âBurning Room,â with influences of modern, jazz and ballet dancing, for the MCC concert.

Johnson is one of 19 choreographers for âOverbrook Dance Theater in Concert,â along with Gamby-Weideman, LaBaren-Root, Sarah Powell, Julie Siuda Jolman, Jodi Ellinger, Mike McCallum, Jana Warren, Rhashika Lewis and Monica Miles.

They also will perform, as will Erin Robere, Amy Decker, Andria DeCaire, Katie Potter, Meranda Sills, Jacy Jonseck, Amelia Rogers, Samantha Schuler, Judy Schalk, Deb Null, Michelle Lovse, Debbie Paynich, Renae Murphy, Erin Blais, Corey Christoffersen, Elaine Anderson, and Dana Smith.

Many of the participants in âOverbrook Dance Theater in Concert XXVâ are alums, either of MCC, past âOverbrook Dance Theaterâ concerts, or both. That also pays tribute to Brooky Green, said Gamby-Weideman.

âOne of the things that has been notable each time we do the concert is the return of the alumni students,â said Gamby-Weideman. âSome of the dancers who are participating this year danced with Judith 20, 25 years ago.â

Once a dancer, always a dancer.

âWhen youâre a dancer, thereâs no denying that. You can try to take a year off, you can try to say Iâm too old to dance, but itâs a part of who you are. ... Itâs what you were meant to do. Itâs within you, what needs to come out of any creative person.â

Bill Iddings is a Chronicle correspondent.

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Connellsville Area High School cast, crew ready for 'Singin' in the ... - PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

2010-04-04T07:00:00.001-07:00

While many residents are tired of "grumbling in the snow," the people behind the scenes of the upcoming Connellsville Area High School Musical are ready for "Singin' in The Rain."

"For the most part, it's all going well," said Andrew Miller, technical director for the musical, who said they've had a bit of a delay in their schedule because of the February snowfall, but anticipate that the show will still go on.

Taking place in 1927, "Singin' in The Rain" is a story about Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont, a famous on-screen romantic pair with Lina mistaking that for real love.

When Don and Lina's latest film is transformed into a musical, Don's voice is perfect for the songs, but Lina's voice needs to be dubbed over, which brings in Kathy Selden, an aspiring actress. As Kathy works on the movie, Don falls in love with her.

The musical features dancing, multiple stage changes, costume changes and the songs "Fit as a Fiddle (And Ready for Love)," "All I Do is Dream of You," "Singin' In The Rain," "Make 'Em Laugh," "Beautiful Girl," "You Were Meant for Me," "You Are My Lucky Star," "Moses Supposes," "Good Morning," "Would You" and "Broadway Melody Ballet."

"The newest thing is to have water on the stage as rain," Miller said, adding that it's new for the crew as well as Miller, who has been involved with the shows since 1994.

Miller said the show requires many scene changes â" there are four scene changes just in the opening â" and there also will be little props and items that will need attention during the run of the show.

"This is one of the largest scene changes I've ever done," Miller said.

"This is mostly a different type of show," said Carol Kirk, head costume designer and prop department for the show, along with assistance from Nicole Grindle, Ashley McCutcheon, Katie Skiles, Eleanorann Miller, Cassie Stout and Racquel Bastian.

"We've sewn a lot of raincoats, trench coats and slickers," Bastian said about the costumes for the cast of 54. "A lot of alterations."

Because "Singin' in The Rain" is something of a period-piece show, Kirk said they're not making original costumes from scratch, but have purchased clothing from local discount stores. Luckily for them, the clothing of that period made a comeback and the clothing was available, she added.

"I tried to look for things that are retro," Kirk said, noting that the costumes will really make an impression for the Broadway Melody scene. "It's fast, colorful, and that's what people like."

Tickets are still on sale for "Singin' in The Rain." The ticket office will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The musical will run Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Connellsville Area High School Auditorium. Price for Thursday is $10 per person; $12 on the other dates. For more information, call 724-628-1350.

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Kids can learn about Native American history in this book - Spectrum

2010-04-04T04:00:00.001-07:00

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Terri Schlichenmeyer

The Bookworm

Every year, at the beginning of summer, your best friend's mom buys her a special charm for her bracelet, to celebrate another successful school year. It's a tradition, she says, and you completely understand.

Your family has lots of those.

Some people celebrate Hanukkah, while others have Christmas. Your family might have a special vacation spot you visit each year, or a celebration to mark a significant day. Or maybe your traditions are stories about Corn Husk Dolls, coyotes or salmon.

In the new book "A Kid's Guide to Native American History" (Chicago Review Press, 226 pages, $16.95) by Yvonne Wakim Dennis and Arlene Hirschfelder, you'll read about customs, history-making people, and the truth about the many nations that live in this nation.

Wait. America is just one nation, right?

Yes and no. There are many nations in this country. The word "nation" signifies a group of people who share a culture and are united under one government, which perfectly describes American Indians. In each of our 50 states, you'll find many people of the First Nations, as they sometimes prefer to be called. Even New York City has a large population of Native people.

Don't think for a minute, though, that you can lump all Native Americans together! Each nation has different cultural traditions.

The Oneida, for instance, tell stories of a protector who lost her face because she became selfish, and Native Hawaiian tales explain why naupaka look like they're broken. IÃÂ±upiat hunted seals, whales, and walruses for food. Pueblo people craft storyteller dolls, which is a tradition created in 1964. Plains nations (Arapaho, Pawnee, Crow, and Dakota) hunted bison and used almost every single part of the animal in their everyday lives.

In this book, you'll learn how to act at a Powwow - and how not to act). You'll learn some stereotypes and truths - traditional clothing is not, for instance, a "costume."

If you're a crafty kid, this book has directions for many everyday things you can make that are similar to traditional Native American items. There are games to play, recipes to try, famous (and not-so-famous) people to learn about, stories to tell at your next sleepover, and some cool new words that will surprise your friends.

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Aftershocks, tsunami, riots stun Michigan friends in ... - Detroit Free Press

2010-04-04T01:00:00.001-07:00

"People were walking around, just dumbfounded, just like us," Carissa said.

There was no electricity and no cell phone service, so they had no way to let their parents know they were alive.

Parents wait for news

Back in Michigan, the parents of the three young friends sat in front of their TV sets and scanned the Internet.

News reports were sketchy.

"We went all Saturday without knowing anything," said Karen Rose, Amanda's mother. "I woke up Sunday morning and it felt like there was acid in my lungs."

Jeff Rose, Amanda's father, is an executive at General Motors. He sent several text messages around the world to different executives, and suddenly, there was an informal, makeshift team of people trying to help.

A world of prayers

In Canton, Doug and Gail Elenbaas watched the news and prayed for their daughter, Carissa.

"It was a mixture of emotions," Gail Elenbaas said. "We were relatively sure she was probably OK, but we had to recognize she could be dead."

And in Grand Rapids, Mary Jo and Todd Nanninga sat and prayed for their son Ben. "It was extremely nerve-wracking," Mary Jo Nanninga said.

"It was missionary week at my church," Karen Rose said of Five Points Community Church in Auburn Hills. "And I think (Amanda) was prayed for on six continents."

Surviving another day

The ground continued to rumble from small aftershocks even 24 hours after the initial quake. Carissa, Amanda and Ben were afraid, so they slept at a friend's house, all three sharing a twin bed, out in the open, under the stars.

In the morning, they woke to sirens -- a warning that another earthquake was imminent -- and they hiked to the top of a mountain and found a tent city that was formed by the town's survivors.

Despite the horror, Carissa, Amanda and Ben remained remarkably calm. They are all deeply religious and they said they put their lives in God's hands.

Strangers gave them food and shelter. And they made it through another day.

Tattoos are no joke

Back home in Rochester Hills, Karen Rose sat at a computer and did the unthinkable: She entered Amanda's name into an official government Web site set up to identify bodies from the earthquake.

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Peter Ross: Keeping it reel - Scotsman

2010-04-03T22:00:00.001-07:00

It is, perhaps, the sparkliest event the city has ever hosted. Everywhere in the Royal Concert Hall there are young women in glittering get-ups that are a sort of sartorial hybrid between Marie Antoinette and Vegas-era Elvis. Sydney Devine, in his rhinestone pomp, could daunder through the venue and look drab in comparison. This, you feel, is what God had in mind when he created eyeballs.

There are around 4,500 competitors taking part in the championships, which are divided by gender. There are three times more females than males. The contest is also organised by age, with dancers ranging from ten-year-olds to over-21s. Yet these huge numbers represent only those who qualified in the various regional heats held throughout the world. Thanks to the international success of Riverdance and the shows which toured in its wake, Irish dancing is a global phenomenon, with festivals and competitions â" or feiseanna â" held from Pittsburgh to St Petersburg.

The first thing you notice when you walk into the concert hall is the sound of not-too-distant gunfire. This increases in volume as you climb the stairs to the practice areas, where it becomes clear that the din is caused by dancers banging the heels and toes of their bling-buckled shoes into the floor. They stare straight ahead, concentrating, kicking above the height of their own heads, aware of nothing other than the jigs playing on their iPods or the incantations of their teachers.

Irish dancing is all about the legs and feet. The arms are held by the sides. One girl from London wears a T-shirt describing the stance required: "Head up, Shoulders back, Feet out, And Smile". Legend has it that this goes back to when Queen Elizabeth I ordered a troupe of Irish dancers, on pain of death, to perform at her court. They did so, but kept their upper bodies stiff as an act of rebellion.

The dancing retained a political dimension into the 20th century as an expression of national identity, but now it's not even particularly Irish. Forty per cent of the competitors here are American. There are also Canadians, Germans, Australians and Dutch, as well as English and Scots; Glasgow is the epicentre of Irish dance in Scotland with more than 20 schools. Even Russia, with few direct cultural links to Ireland, has embraced Iransdskiye tantsy.

Many Russians got into the dancing after seeing Michael Flatley, but Daria Kolesova, a 22-year-old from Moscow, first saw the style on a beer advert. This is appropriate as alcohol, she thinks, is a point of connection between the Russians and Irish. "We drink similarly," she says. There are dance schools throughout Russia. Such is their passion for the dance form, students there will travel overland for a week to attend a three-hour lesson.

Waiting in the wings with dancers, you can sense the nerves. They are like paratroopers waiting to jump, if paratroopers wore psychedelic velvet. The auditorium is packed; five judges are in front of the stage. The audience is so excited the bow-tied compÃ¨re has to shush them. "Now," he says, "you are about to learn a lovely Irish word â" cuinÃs. It means quiet."

Solo competitors dance twice, first in heavy shoes and then light, with each performance lasting two minutes. A proportion are then selected to go forward to the next round, where they dance again in heavy shoes. From this process, the world champion in each age group is chosen. Extraordinary to think that you might fly half-way round the world, wait around for days and then dance for just four minutes.

During the light rounds, the competitors are on stage two at a time, accompanied by an accordionist and keyboard player. During the heavy rounds, there's three of them, twirling, kicking, leaping and standing â" with astonishing balance â" on the points of their toes. Coming off stage, they are panting and covered in a sheen of sweat, excited and relieved. "It's the most exhilarating feeling I've ever had," says Maggie Schroeder, 16, from North Carolina. "For some of us it's a dream come true. It's everything an Irish dancer works for. But also the hardest two minutes of your life."

It seems odd that the dancers are judged on their individual performances, yet are on stage two or three at a time. "It gets competitive," says Katie Records, 16, from San Francisco. "Dancers who are really competitive start shoving people."

Suzanne Coyle, a 19-year-old from Glasgow, knows all about rivalry and ambition. She has been World Champion four times, but at the past three championships was placed second. Today, she will compete against, among others, two brilliant dancers she has known since they were all children â" Claire Greaney from Galway and Simona Mauriello from London. "It's amazing to win," she says. "Such an achievement after all the work you put in through the year. It's quite emotional." Coyle is modest but the hunger for victory shines through and emphasises that, for all its glitz, Irish dancing at this level is a high-end sport and athletic discipline.

One room has been given over to vendors of dancing gear. Here, you can buy fake tan, sparkly socks, and the curly wigs that are de rigueur among Irish dancers, which come in very blonde, very dark or very red. Melaine Murphy started the trend because she was fed up putting hundreds of rollers in her daughters' hair.

In the centre of the room is the Eire Designs stall, run by Belfast designer and dance teacher Gavin Doherty. Some of his opulent made-to-measure creations are arranged on dummies and reflected in the mirrored ceiling. There are costumes in hot pinks and fluorescent orange; white with a purple peacock-feather effect; black velvet with a pattern of orange and yellow flames. "When you have 200 kids in competition and one comes out in an amazing dress that catches the eye, that kid might end up at the top of that group rather than the bottom of it," says Doherty, who is 30. "I have a kid dancing today and I knew that her dress would make or break her. If it made Niamh feel amazing then she was going to perform well."

It must have worked, as Niamh Taylor goes on to win the world championship in the 16-17 category. Not everyone is happy about the glamorous side of Irish dancing, though. There's a feeling among some of the old guard that the costumes are too revealing and have moved too far from the traditional Celtic designs, that they owe more to Lady Gaga than to Lady Gregory, the Irish folklorist. The ruling body, An CoimisiÃºn le RincÃ Gaelacha, keeps a stern eye on hemlines and has legislated that skirts should be no higher than four inches above the knee. But that is not easy to enforce. As Dr John Cullinane, 70, the commission's vice-president, says: "Who is going to run around with a tape measure?"

Each competitor in Glasgow is accompanied by their teacher, who will often have worked with them since they were a pre-schooler and will, therefore, know them as well, if not better, than their own family. "The kids'll tell you things they won't even tell their parents," says Sharon Taylor of the Montgomery Taylor school of Irish dance in Bargeddie, Lanarkshire.

For the parents of dancers competing at this level, it is an enormous commitment. Sheila Guerin has travelled to Glasgow from Rockland County, New York, with her three daughters â" Sinead, Kerry and Erica â" all of whom have qualified for the world championships. How does she manage her time? "You've got to have their father on board," she laughs. "There's two or three classes each week, and basically every vacation is given over to dance championships. The Nationals take place during the summer, and we rush through Thanksgiving dinner to leave for our Regional."

It is also expensive. "Yes, a huge financial commitment. I have three girls dancing and the dresses run anything from $2,500 to $3,000 (Â£1,600-Â£2,000]. Then there are the flights and the hotel."

It's a culture that runs in families for generations. Dancers tend to become teachers or part of the organisational structure. Longevity of passion is the rule. Wee girls who have been dancing in Glasgow this week may, half a century from now, be running the show. Take Anna O'Sullivan, an elegant woman of 67, sister of the former Celtic goalie Denis Connaghan. Born in the Gorbals of a Donegal family, she moved to New York almost 50 years ago, and has worked as a teacher ever since. She took Irish dance to America like Columba bringing Christianity to Scotland and has taught around 5,000 students. Now she is back in her native city with three students, loving every minute and reflecting happily on a life well lived.

"The day I die," she says, "put me standing up in a coffin and have a good dance round me."

She's wearing no diamante, but her eyes, as she says this, don't half sparkle.

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Pow-Wow of Love returns to tradition - State News

2010-04-03T19:00:00.001-07:00

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By Emily Wilkins (Last updated: 30 minutes ago)

What the 27th annual Pow-Wow of Love lacked in competition, it made up for in spirit.

The North American Indigenous Student Organization, or NAISO, hosted the 27th annual Pow-Wow of Love on Saturday and Sunday at Jenison Field House, but a mainstay for the event was missing: numerous competitive dances.

Since 1989, the Pow-Wow of Love has been a competition powwow where dancers compete for a prize. Because of limited funding, this yearâs event was traditional.

Only three dances â" a menâs traditional, a menâs fancy and a female jingle â" were competitive because of a late donation by a donor.

Garrett Faulk, criminal justice junior and NAISO co-chair, said although competitive powwows attract better dancers, the traditional ones offer something more spiritual.

âYou donât take anything away from (a competitive one),â Faulk said.

âYou get the dancing and singing and drumming, but you donât learn the actual culture behind it.â

âI think that this will be more of the people who really just enjoy dancing for dancing itself and music for music itself,â Dyer-Deckrow said.

âItâs an opportunity for us to come together to renew friendship, make new friends and share and appreciate our (culture).â

To emphasize the cultural focus, a group of elders attended the powwow to discuss American Indian traditions and culture.

â(The elders talked) about the seven teachings, and those are different stories in the culture,â social work senior Ashley Ryerse said.

âI think those will be good to hear because itâs important to learn what the elders know.â

The elders were recruited from the community, said Ryerse, who also is a NAISO co-chair.

Even without the competition, more than 2,500 people attended the event, which is a larger turnout than in past years, Faulk said.

Dozens of dancers came to the event dressed in full regalia. One dance, called an intertribal, was open to all spectators regardless of heritage or experience.

âItâs a basic two-step to the beat of a drum,â said Faulk. âThis is what a traditional powwow is all about â" going back in to the culture and trying to preserve our culture.â

John Petoskey, a student at Northport High School in Northport, Mich., said he preferred the traditional powwows because they held more significance.

âI donât really like competition powwow,â he said.

âI donât like the idea of getting paid to do a cultural spiritual dance.â

Originally Published: 52 minutes ago

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Winnipeg teachers suspended after 'lap dance' goes viral - The Province

2010-04-03T16:00:00.001-07:00

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WINNIPEG â" A pair of Winnipeg teachers engaging in risque business set off a media riot after a video of a simulated lap dance from a school event went viral.

By Thursday afternoon, students were spreading a minute-long video of the dance among each other on Facebook. On Monday afternoon, clips from the video were aired on CBC television.

"It embarrassed me. While we were first watching it I said, 'They crossed the line.' My daughter said, 'Wait, it gets better.'"

A spokesperson said Tuesday the division could not comment on personnel matters, but that it does "expect respectful and professional conduct from all of our staff at all times."

"Once the kids started screaming, it was like, 'Oh, my goodness.' I just think the joke went too far. I think they should be talking to them, but I don't think they should be suspended. I understand it's a serious thing, but they didn't mean to hurt anyone."

Watch the video here:

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My view: GHS track relay record still stands test of time - Gloucester Daily Times

2010-04-03T13:00:00.001-07:00

It was sometime after 4 in the afternoon, exactly 10 years ago today, that four young student-athletes from Gloucester High School stepped onto the track at the venerable old Armory building in upper Manhattan and ran their way into the history books.

The four, seniors Tristan Colangelo and Shaun Milne, and juniors Ngai Otieno and Josh Palazola, were in New York to compete in the National Scholastic Indoor Track & Field Championships, and by the time they completed their 20-lap circuit around the Armory's steeply banked, 200-meter oval, they had accomplished what no other high school runners had ever done before.

Competing in the top seeded heat of the distance medley relay (DMR), an event consisting of 1,200-, 400-, 800-, and 1,600-meter legs, not only had the boys from Gloucester finished first, they also literally obliterated the national record of 10:10.30 with an astounding, off-the-charts 9:59.94 clocking, the first and still only sub-10 minute DMR ever run indoors by a high school team anywhere in the world.

This weekend, several thousand student-athletes from schools throughout North America will be competing in one of two major high school national championships, one in Boston, the other in New York. Again, the distance medley relay will attract well more than 100 of the top teams in the country. And again, it will be interesting to see how Gloucester's record stands up to this year's assault.

Ten years have passed since those four Fishermen recorded one of the most amazing feats in the annals of high school sports, an achievement ranked by the New Balance Track & Field Hall of Fame as one of the U.S. sport's 100 best accomplishments of all time.

But what matters most isn't whether Gloucester's historic DMR record is broken this weekend or at some future time. What matters most is that the Fishermen's 2000 national champion and still national-record-holding team has provided all of us with a valuable lesson regarding the lofty heights to which young people can soar where opportunities for participation and a willingness to work hard to achieve even near-impossible goals exist.

On March 10, 2000, four young student-athletes from a relatively small but energetic and resilient public high school in a largely working-class Massachusetts coastal community took their turn on the big stage of New York City, and turned in the performance of a lifetime.

That occasion happened to involve athletes.

But the performance could just as easily have centered around music, theater, art, film-making, dance, science, engineering, or any other of the many fields of endeavor where students â" when provided the opportunity and tools necessary to tap ever more deeply into their own developing resources â" find it possible to discover that the sky is the limit when it comes to human achievement.

Jim Munn is a frequent contributor to the Times, and the boys track and field coach at Gloucester High School.

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TOWN BRIEFS - Asbury Park Press

2010-04-03T10:00:00.001-07:00

Prayer Week to focus on AIDS

ASBURY PARK: Allen Chapel AME Church will observe the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS March 7-13, to help educate the community about HIV prevention and testing and to help provide care for all people living with HIV and AIDS.

The week is sponsored by the Balm in Gilead Inc., a national organization seeking to have African American churches become centers of support for people with HIV and AIDS.

The Rev. Gerald Bailey, pastor of Allen Chapel, will lead off the week at Sunday's 10:30 a.m. service at the church, 214 DeWitt Ave. On Saturday, March 13, the church will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast with Asbury Park Mayor Ed Johnson speaking at 11:45 a.m. before a dedication of a Living Hope tree. HIV screenings will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. weeknights and from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. next Saturday.

Participants also can take part in individual prayer at 1 p.m. and Bible study on Wednesday, and prayer, a workshop and movie at 6 p.m. Friday. For more information, call 732-463-0560.

Nancy Shields

Annual benefit dinner, dance

LONG BRANCH: The Seashore School will hold its third annual dinner dance fundraiser March 13 at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa to support the school's drama program and other specialty departments.

There will be dinner, dancing and a chance to bid on auction items ranging from sporting events, golf foursomes, Broadway theater tickets, a New York weekend, Botox basket, spa packages and family excursions to signed sports memorabilia from Seashore alumni Donald Brown.

Tickets are $75 a person. Anyone who would like to purchase a ticket or donate an auction gift can call 732-229-4398.

Carol Gorga Williams

Women's health screening event

WEST LONG BRANCH: Monmouth Medical Center will present women's health screenings and presentations by women's health experts from 5:30 to 8 p.m. March 24 at Branches restaurant, West Long Branch.

The event is sponsored by the Women's Council for the Leon Hess Cancer Center at Monmouth Medical Center.

The free event, which will offer beverages, light fare and door prizes and giveaways, will feature health screenings for blood pressure and cholesterol and information on Monmouth Medical Center programs, including cardiac, surgical, cancer services, bariatric surgery and diabetes education.

To register or to learn more, call 888-SBHS-123, ext. 4.

Carol Gorga Williams

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Cab Calloway senior sets stage for stardom - Delaware Online

2010-04-03T07:00:00.001-07:00

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"I love doing it," he said. "And it keeps me in shape, too. I don't have to worry about that. And I get to sing, dance and act all at the same time."

The student long ago achieved what many performers don't get to do in a lifetime -- he appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

He was a member of the National Honors Choir in the eighth grade when he performed at Carnegie Hall, and he was in the sixth grade when he traveled as a guest performer to the Kennedy Center for the Opera for Youth Convention.

Last month, Millison also performed his first acting role for film. He appeared in a demo called "Shadow Boxing," a short piece that will be shopped around to attract interest in a possible full-length feature. It was made by Shadow Box Pictures in Yardley, Pa., he said.

"It was definitely a different experience than what I'm used to," he said. "But it was definitely a thrill. I could see myself doing more film work in the future. Very fun."

Millison, whose three siblings followed his lead and attend or have graduated from Cab Calloway, has performed in lead and supporting roles at such community theaters as the Wilmington Drama League, OperaDelaware, the former Three Little Bakers Dinner Theatre and the Delaware All-State Theatre.

He has compiled many of his community-service hours performing tap dances or other numbers at a variety of charity events, many times at nursing homes, and he also provides free tutoring for friends in math, another subject he enjoys and has mastered.

"I'm very proud of him," Millison's mom said.

She describes her son as an introvert by nature, but he comes alive on stage.

"Up until October, he wasn't going to go into musical theater. He was going to be an astronaut. A [teacher] told him that whatever his passion is, he should follow it. So he said, 'I'm going to give it a shot,' " Cindy Millison said.

Chris Millison, who emulates the athletic dance moves of screen star Gene Kelly, confirmed that Eldreth talked him out of sidestepping a theater career to become an astronaut, at least for now.

"I still have a fascination with space, and I'd like to one day go up there," he said. "And if things don't work out with musical theater, I can always take that route."

Apparently, the sky is no limit.

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Covedale cast croons classics by Neil Sedaka - Cincinnati.com

2010-04-03T04:00:00.001-07:00

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Lesley Hitch, Michael Shawn Starks, Brooke Rucidlo and Mike Sherman - we loved, loved, loved them last season in "Musical of Musicals: The Musical."

They're together again, this time joined by Danielle Muething and Joshua Steele in "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" at the Covedale Center, having a great, "shamma-lamma, ba-ba-ba-ba-da-doo-wop - a-down-downs" time to the songs of Neil Sedaka.

Can you say "hit"?

"Breaking Up" is set at a Catskills resort in 1960, wherein two girlfriends from Brooklyn are in search of good times and romance over one wild Labor Day weekend.

The cheery, breezy score showcases 18 Sedaka classics, including "Where the Boys Are," "Sweet Sixteen," "Calendar Girl," and, of course, the chart-topping title song.

We canvassed the "Breaking Up" gang for their Sedaka favorites:

Jen Perrino, Covedale Business Manager/Producer: I like "Oh Carol" ... it's got a great history. Sedaka wrote it for Carole King back when they were an item writing songs together in the Brill Building in the late '50s. She even wrote him an answer song called "Oh Neil."

Brian Hoffman, Music Director: My favorite is "Lonely Nights" because it's one of those well-written, catchy songs that works in almost any style. It can be played as a straight ballad, with a funk groove, or even with a gospel choir."

Lesley Hitch: "Laughter in the Rain" - my mom was, and still is, a BIG Sedaka fan. My mom is a great singer and harmonizer, and I have wonderful memories of riding around singing along to this particular song on the car radio.

Karie-Lee Sutherland, choreographer, agrees: When I heard it for the first time it was raining, and I was having my first big crush on this boy at church. My mom wondered why I went around singing it so constantly that summer.

Brooke Rucidlo: "Right Next Door to an Angel." This song reminds me of the stories I've heard of my grandmother and grandfather's relationship. They grew up next door to each other on Jersey Beach, and my grandfather was head over heels for my grandmother, so he waited patiently for her to love him, too. Their story is one of those perfect little love stories that makes me want to believe in happy ever after.

Joshua Steele votes for the title song: I came to love the song learning and performing it in an a cappella group in high school. And you know what? Breaking up is hard to do. Now I know, I know that it's true.

Mike Sherman: "Calendar Girl." It was the only song I really recognized going into this show. They use to play it at my elementary school dances, so I remember moving awkwardly to it as a fifth- and sixth-grader And no, my dancing skills have not improved since then.

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Solomon School aims to bring home and community together - Fremont News-Messenger

2010-04-03T01:00:00.001-07:00

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You've probably heard the old saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." In today's world, this saying may be more relevant than ever.

While it is the parents' responsibility to be the main teachers of their children, few parents can do this task completely alone.

With this in mind, Solomon Lutheran School is preparing for its 2010 Fund Drive Kickoff from 7 to 10 p.m. March 6.

This year's theme, "Together We Can," illustrates the partnership among home, school, church and the community.

When these four elements work in unison, it helps to create a challenging and rewarding educational experience for the students of Solomon Lutheran School, while helping them to keep Christ as the center of their lives.

This annual campaign, which supports many academic programs, faculty salaries, physical operating costs and assistance for those in financial need, remains a primary way in which Solomon families can join together to help the school.

Throughout last year, $41,000 was contributed. This year, the goal is to raise $45,000.

This year's event will feature the big band music of The Swingsters.

If you haven't mailed your fund drive donation yet, bring it with you to the kickoff.

Enjoy an evening of delicious food with buffet dining and dancing.

Do you feel as if you have two left feet? If so, a dance instructor will be available to teach you a few dance moves.

This is a wonderful way to come together with friends in a spirit of celebration and commitment to Solomon Lutheran School.

No tickets are necessary; babysitting will be provided.

OPEN ENROLLMENT

In other Solomon news, open enrollment is being accepted for the 2010-2011 preschool program.

Several class options will be offered. Nursery class, for children who will be 3 years old by Aug. 1, will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Two preschool classes also will be offered. The first is a 4- and 5-year-old class (children must be 4 years old by Aug. 1) Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. with an all-day option from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The second preschool class is open to children ages 3 to 5 as of Aug. 1. It meets Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Extended care also is available.

Solomon follows the Ohio Department of Education's Early Learning Content Standards. These include language arts, religion, science, social studies, math readiness, physical education, health and safety, storytime, arts, crafts and field trips.

The staff at Solomon is committed to promoting child development through a quality program in a Christian environment.

Now is the perfect time to enroll your youngster for one of these classes. Solomon Lutheran School is at 303 W. Main St., Woodville. For information or to set up a tour, call 419-849-3600.

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New market study available at Fast Market Research ... - PR Inside

2010-04-02T22:00:00.001-07:00

2010-04-03 02:45:44 - Recently published research from IBISWorld, "Fine Arts Schools in the US", is now available at Fast Market Research

This Industry Market Research report from IBISWorld provides a detailed analysis of the Fine Arts Schools in the US industry, including key growth trends, statistics, forecasts, the competitive environment including market shares and the key issues facing the industry.

Industry Definition

This industry includes schools which offer instruction in the arts, including art (except commercial and graphic arts), dance, drama, music and

photography (except commercial photography). Professional dance schools are also included.Schools may provide non-professional classes and tuition on an ad-hoc or semi-regular basis, depending on the needs of students in the area.

Report Contents

The Key Statistics chapter provides the key indicators for the industry for at least the last three years. The statistics included are industry revenue, industry gross product, employment, establishments, exports, imports, domestic demand and total wages.

The Market Characteristics chapter covers the following: Market Size, Linkages, Demand Determinants, Domestic and International Markets, Basis of Competition and Life Cycle. The Market Size section gives the size of the domestic market as well as the size of the export market. The Linkages section lists the industry's major supplier and major customer industries. The Demand Determinants section lists the key factors which are likely to cause demand to rise or fall. The Domestic and International Markets section defines the market for the products and services of the industry. This section provides the size of the domestic market and the proportion accounted for by imports and exports and trends in the levels of imports and exports. The Basis of Competition section outlines the key types of competition between firms within the industry as well as highlighting competition from substitute products in alternative industries. The Life Cycle section provides an analysis of which stage of development the industry is at.

The Segmentation chapter covers the following: Products and Service Segmentation, Major Market Segments, Industry Concentration and Geographic Spread. The Products and Service Segmentation section details the key products and/or services provided by this industry, highlighting the most important where possible to demonstrate which have a more significant influence over industry results as a whole. The Major Market Segments section details the key client industries and/or groups as well as giving an indication as to which of these are the most important to the industry. The Industry Concentration section provides an indicator of how much industry revenue is accounted for by the top four players. The Geographic Spread section provides a guide to the regional share of industry revenue/gross product.

The Industry Conditions chapter covers the following: Barriers to Entry, Taxation, Industry Assistance, Regulation and Deregulation, Cost Structure, Capital and Labor Intensity, Technology and Systems, Industry Volatility and Globalization. The Barriers to Entry section outlines factors that can prevent a new company from entering this industry and also gives an indication of the extent to which this occurs. The Taxation section details all kinds of taxation that are specific or are particularly important to this industry, including taxation concessions. The Industry Assistance section refers to any government and/or other measures designed to improve the performance of this industry. The Regulation and Deregulation section details any applicable regulation and/or deregulation to this industry. The Cost Structure section details the average costs for a company operating in this industry as a percentage of total revenue. The Capital and Labor Intensity section provides a guide to the amount of capital used in production/providing a service compared to the amount of labor in the total mix of inputs. The Technology and Systems section acknowledges the latest technology and/or systems available to this industry within the country. Technology refers to machinery and equipment and systems refers to methods of production that enable better and more efficient production. The Industry Volatility section refers to the year on year fluctuations which occur in industry output. The Globalization section gives an indication of the extent to which the industry is global based on factors such as the level of foreign ownership, the proportion of demand accounted for by foreign operators and the volume of production conducted in other countries.

The Performance chapter provides an analysis of both the industry's Current Performance and Historical Performance. The Current Performance section provides the key analysis for the industry over the past five years with key performance indicators discussed. The Historical Performance section details previously important events in the development of the industry.

The Key Competitors chapter lists the major players in the industry as well as an analysis of each major player's activities in the industry. Market share information is included where possible.

The Key Factors chapter covers the industry's Key Sensitivities and Key Success Factors. The Key Sensitivities section outlines the key factors that are outside the control of an operator in the industry, but are likely to have significant impact on a business. The Key Success Factors section details the factors within the control of an industry operator and which should be followed in order to be successful in the industry. Often this will include behavior that will help to minimize the effects of the Key Sensitivities.

The Outlook chapter is a key analysis section of the report and outlines expectations for the key industry indicators over the next five year period, including forecasts.

For more information or to purchase this report, go to:
- www.fastmr.com/prod/55131_fine_arts_schools_in_the_us.aspx

About IBISWorld

IBISWorld's Industry Intelligence can assist in making better business decisions about strategies and revenue generation by gaining an instant understanding of an unfamiliar or familiar industry faster & more conveniently than previously possible. IBISWorld's reports cover over 700 United States industries - everything from Shoes Stores to Gold Ore Mining and all industries in between. In addition to their core Industry Report product, they also publish over 700 US Industry Risk Rating Reports, over 700 Industry Profiles, over 8000 Publicly Traded US Companies as well as hundreds of Economic & Demographic Profiles. View more research from IBISWorld at www.fastmr.com/catalog/publishers.aspx?pubid=1007

About Fast Market Research

Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.

For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.

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NEW Schools chief Randy Dorn apologizes for drinking ... - Yakima Herald Republic

2010-04-02T19:00:00.001-07:00

SEATTLE -- Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn, who was charged Wednesday with one count of drunken driving, apologized Thursday, saying in a written statement that he is deeply sorry for hurting his family, supporters and staff and failing to set a good example for schoolchildren across the state.

"I will work hard to earn back your trust, and I pledge that I will never make this mistake again," Dorn wrote.

Dorn gave more details about what he'd been doing in the hours leading to his arrest early Sunday in Orting.

Dorn said he had been at an annual crab feed and dance at the Swiss Sportsman Club Park in Bonney Lake, a club he said his family has long supported. He said he attended with his wife and sons and, as members, they stayed late to help clean up the hall.

"I drank beer during the event," he said, "but I thought I was capable of driving home. I now know that drinking any amount of alcohol before driving is an extremely poor choice."

According to police records, an officer in Orting initially stopped Dorn, 56, for investigation of speeding and for a defective taillight. But then the officer smelled alcohol. The report said Dorn took two sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test at the scene, and failed all three.

When Dorn got out of the car, the officer said he could smell a "strong odor of intoxicants" and observed that Dorn's "eyes were watery, droopy, bloodshot and his face was flushed."

In two breath tests done at the police station about an hour and a half later, Dorn's blood alcohol was reportedly 0.11 percent, higher than the legal limit of 0.08 percent. The report did not say if anyone else was in the car. Dorn's three sons are all adults.

The allegations have raised questions about Dorn's judgment as a public official, especially as the state's top schools official.

In his statement Thursday, Dorn said his attorney has asked the city of Orting to release all the documents related to the case, and that his first court hearing will be Friday, April 2.

He said he continues to go to work, although he will take a long-planned vacation next week.

Dorn was elected as the state's top school official in 2008. He oversees everything from state school funding to teacher certification and state exams. He also enforces education laws and advises the Legislature on education issues.

Some elected officials have weathered drunken-driving charges or convictions and remained in office. Former state Supreme Court Justice Bobbe Bridge was one, and King County Councilmember Jane Hague is another. King County Assessor Scott Noble resigned, but he was charged with vehicular assault after he caused a head-on accident that injured two women, as well as himself.

Political consultants say a lot depends on the details of Dorn's case and how he handles the matter.

A drunken-driving conviction is a gross misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.

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Dear Kentucky, - CBS Sports

2010-04-02T16:00:00.001-07:00

So now it's a division four program? Even after I JUST stated it was a divison two program. How amazing?Â See how dumb you are?

I agree that you guys are young. But seriously, with Patrick Patterson, John Wall (who I think is overrated, but still good) and Demarcus Cousins... there's no reason to have that many losses with your creampuff schedule, or close games. (Aren't these guys projected 1st round draft picks?) Even then, you guys still lost to South Carolina, struggled to beat Auburn and so on...

After looking at your schedule I only see 3 good wins... two against Gerogetown and at West Virgina. Outside of that It's notÂ a world beating schedule bigÂ guy. The worldÂ is finding out the Nova is not what they were last year so regardless of ranking theyÂ don't scare anyone. Did you forget about Cornell?Â They punched their way into the dance (yet again). And those WVU and one of the Georgetown wins were on the road (has Kentucky beaten a ranked team on the road this year?)

Villanova is Villanova. You can't call it a bad win. The team has 24 wins, and six losses this year, regardless of what you say, it's a good win.

Not to mention, wins against teams with receiving top 25 votes as in... Memphis, California and Cornell (who I've already mentioned)

Looking at Kentucky's schedule I see you guys beat.... two top 25 teams this year. Tennessee (at home) and Vandy (at home). And nobody with receiving votes.Â Your teams SOS is in the 40's. There's no doubting, Syracuse's "body of work" (as Gary Parrish likes to call it) is better.

Looking at this years Big East Tournament bracket. I only see Syracuse being able to improve their tournament resume (we play Georgetown again tomorrw, to get a chance of beating them on the road, at home and at a neutral site this year) and other NCAA Tournament schools in the Big East if we beat GU. Kentucky on the other hand doesn't have that advantage unless they play Tenn or Vandy.

Point is.. we may have one more loss... but our "body of work" is way better than Kentucky's.

Mike I would like to go on the record as saying I have nothing but respect for the Cuse... love their team and feel you guysÂ have a legit shot at winning it all. What I can't stand is aÂ young kid like your self who seems to always jump on the CatsÂ whenÂ your team has as many holesÂ to fill with an older more "experienced" team. I like Kentucky. But hate the fans. I think you guys are a joke, honestly. You guys have the highest percentage of idiot fans, and homer fans but I guess I'll just have to deal. Although, you seem decent. But just admit Syracuse has played better than UK this year despite having only one more loss.

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Let the children play - Idaho Mountain Express

2010-04-02T13:00:00.001-07:00

Let the children play

Childrenâs Art Festival celebrates 3 years

The entire valley arts community will come together for the Wood River Arts Alliance annual Children's Arts Festival, which will take place at the Community Campus in Hailey on Saturday, March 6, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Co-founder Claudia McCain said children have told her the festival has been the best day of their lives.

"In this age of technology, this is a day children work with their hands, eyes and ears," McCain said. "It is a very visceral experience."

The festival is a free event for elementary school children, grades kindergarten through fifth. The festival will offer interactive classes in clay making, drama, dance, music and visual and literary arts. Registration begins at 9 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.

Classes are 50 minutes in length and take place at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Each registered student receives a gift and a raffle ticket for a Flip camera to be given away at the end of the day. Lunch is available for purchase or children may bring their own. Interpreters will be available for the Spanish-speaking community.

New this year for students in grades third through fifth is a full-day workshop called "The WRAA Players." Thirty students will spend the day learning and rehearsing a one-act musical, "Zero to Hero," and will perform it in the theater at the end of the day. In addition, an optional class, Tech Track, will be offered for students interested in learning lights, sound and stage management. This is the only class for which students can pre-register on line at the WRAA Web site, wrartsalliance.org.

"The St. Thomas Playhouse doesn't offer classes during the school year, so this is our way of giving back," said St. Thomas Episcopal Church Education and Production Director Sara Gorby.

Three performances will take place in the theater, starting at 9:30 a.m. with a performance by the Sun Valley Summer School of Music faculty and guests. At 12:15 p.m., St. Thomas Playhouse will present "Rumpelstilskin," and the day will conclude at 3:10 p.m. with the WRAA Players' performance of "Zero to Hero" and a final group dance led by Britta Von Tagen.

For kids who may not make it into a class, there are plenty of activities, including walk-up craft tables, a bouncy house, painting a pirate ship and the Sun Valley Summer Symphony School of Music's instrument petting zoo. Art work created by students from all area schools will adorn the halls of the Community Campus.

Wood River Arts Alliance members offering classes include Boulder Mountain Clayworks, Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Company of Fools, Footlight Dance, The Mountain School, Nia of Sun Valley, Petite Picasso, Sun Valley Summer Symphony School of Music, Notes Music, Music N' Me, nexStage Theatre, Iconoclast, St. Thomas Playhouse, Nancy Liston and Pat Robinson.

Volunteers are needed for the event. For details, call 578-7720 or e-mail wrartsalliance@mac.com.

Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com

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Maintain Fitness With Learning Tap Dance - PRLog (free press release)

2010-04-02T10:00:00.001-07:00

PR Log (Press Release) â" Apr 02, 2010 â" Tap dance is one of the interesting forms of dance, which falls under the category of those activities enjoyed almost by everyone. Learning tap dance is the best way to make your mind relax. Tap dancing concept originates from the American theatrical form that is different from other form of dance because of the percussion footwork. The best part about the tap dance is that beat of the tap dance matches perfectly with the rhythmic patterns. The most popular steps of tap dance are ball change, shuffle, cramp roll and ball change.

Metal tapped shoes are the main requirement of the tap dancers, which creates distinctive form of sound by making the proper use of body shifting weight techniques. The main aim of introducing the concept of tap dancing is to make the future generation clean with clear sounds at different tone levels. Tap dance makes you learn that ho to create varieties of rhythmic pattern with feet. It is a unique experience for both trainer and dancer.

There are many tap dance schools available where the trainers make use of the cardio dance DVD. The tap dancer divides the dance based on levels such as intermediate, basic and difficult level. The level created in the tap dance make it easier for dancers learn to tap dance. How to tap dance understood well in the tap dance lessons given in tap dance schools.

You can make selection of the tap dance video based on the understanding level and capability of the dancers. The tap dance video leaves a long lasting impact on all who have a desire to learn tap dance. Online tap dance lessons are also available online just with a mouse click from home for all those who do not have enough time to visit tap dance schools on regular basis.

Influence of several cultures found in the tap dancing such as Spanish, Irish, African and Spanish. Tap dancing is a fun to learn for both amateurs and beginners due to the availability of tapdancemadeeasy.com. It creates an urge in individual to learn easily how to tap dance.

Learn to tap dance becomes simple for all those who are fond of dancing due to the availability of trained and experienced trainers. They make students learn every aspect of the tap dancing without prickling their pockets. Perfect definition of coordination learns well under the supervision of tap dancing. Boxer, athletes and musicians made tap dancing their hobby. It is best for a person to maintain the fitness of body.

Online tap dance classes have set different modules according to the capability of learners. The dance videos of professionals help the dancers to listen and understand perfectly the steps of tap dance. A perfect way of communication creates between the brain, feet and leg with the tap dancing under the supervision of trained dancers at an affordable cost that matches perfectly with the budget of learners.

Online it becomes easier to gain more information about the benefits of learning tap dance and from where to learn tap dance. Loosing weight activity becomes easier by taking properly tap dance classes.

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Swinging Tuesday nights away at St. Olaf - St. Olaf College

2010-04-02T07:00:00.001-07:00

Swinging Tuesday nights away at St. Olaf

By Mara Kumagai Fink '11
March 3, 2010

With an annual event that attracts more than 200 students for more than 15 hours of swing dancing, itâs hard to believe that only 50 years ago this kind of dancing was prohibited at St. Olaf.

Called âthe work of the devilâ until 1961, any kind of dancing besides traditional Norwegian folk was a violation of the collegeâs rules. But today dancing abounds on campus with at least three clubs devoted to the activity, not to mention numerous dance-related events -- one of which is the St. Olaf Swing Club.

The recently held St. Olaf Lindy Fest is the swing clubâs biggest annual event on campus. Each year the affair attracts hundreds of students, including some 100 people from 11 schools across the state and as far away as Nebraska. The group also flies in instructors from across the country for the weekend-long dance extravaganza. Although this is its biggest event, swing club meets throughout the entire academic year.

The Swing Club hosts classes from 9-11 p.m. every Tuesday in Dittmann Center Studio One. Usually attracting 40-50 people weekly, the group, started in 1996 by Kyle Carson â00 and Karina Shankle â98, has become one of the more popular clubs on campus.

St. Olaf Swing Club President Becca Grupe â10, says she thinks that this popularity is due to the open and inviting environment that swing club provides.

âThere's a lot of energy in the dance itself and for many of us, that energy has filtered into our lives as well. When people see that energy out on the dance floor, there's something very appealing about the freedom of movement and the passion that fills swing dancers -- as well as the fact that we're willing to make fools of ourselves together,â she says.

The Tuesday evening classes include a formal class taught by the swing club officers from 9-10 p.m., followed by an hour of free dance for students to practice their newly acquired skills.

For swing dance club regular Kim Hotchkiss â11, the Tuesday night ritual is a great way to meet other students and serves as a tension release after a long day of classes and homework.

âItâs a very fun, active club,â she says. âItâs also a safe environment to try something crazy and silly and maybe a little uncomfortable; but you can just laugh about it and have fun.â

Read more about how St. Olaf swings in the winter 2007 St. Olaf Magazine.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.

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Clifton Board of Education candidates discuss finances - NorthJersey.com

2010-04-02T04:00:00.001-07:00

CLIFTON â" With the Board of Education election less than three weeks away, the eight candidates sat down with Clifton Journal and answered questions regarding their views on the most pressing issues facing Clifton schools in the immediate and long-term future. The first series of questions dealt with the financial challenges and budget constraints currently facing the district.

The candidates' responses are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot.

Gina Marie Scaduto, whose name still appears as "2A" on the official ballot, said again this week that she would not be running.Question 1: Considering $7 million or over 25 percent of the district's state aid was cut from next year's budget there is no more pressing issue facing the Clifton Board of Education than their financial future. As a candidate for the school board what specific recommendations would you make in order to create revenue and where specifically would you look to cut costs?

Phil Binaso â" "There's no way in the world there's $7.1 million of fat in the budget," Binaso said. "When you consider 80 to 85 percent is salaries and the rest is discretionary spending, could you get a little money out of that? Yeah. Is it going to make up anywhere close to the $7 million? No. There's only one way because there has to be some sort of an accommodation made. The teachers can decide to get together and say 'we don't want our associates to be laid off' and take a pay freeze, and if that happens I think it would negate a lot of individual teachers or assistants or aids from really getting hurt in this economic recession.

"I don't think the ball is in the school board's court because I think it's up to the teachers to figure out what do they want to do," he said. "It's as simple as that. If they say 'no, we want our raises,' is that realistic? The current unemployment rate is 9.7 percent, but underemployment - those people who have used up all their benefits - puts the country's total at about 16.7 percent. So, why in the world would anybody - whether its police or firemen - want to take a hard-line stance and see somebody lose their jobs.

"As far as creating revenue, there's a whole theory which deals with going to a four-day week," Binaso said. "It would cut down on some of the utility bills because you wouldn't be having normal heat volumes in the schools on the fifth day, as well as Saturday and Sunday. That is an opportunity. There's an opportunity in doing a better job of purchasing textbooks, supplies, etc. There is another theory going around in other districts which relates to charging for afterschool or extracurricular activities like paying rentals for hockey ice-time or for football or anything else. I understand the parents are going to rebel because they can't afford it, but, on the other hand everybody has to give a little because you can't give what you don't have."

Kim Renta â" "Most areas have been affected, will be affected by budget cuts in one way or another with the exception of classroom teachers, which I think is the most important thing to keep in position," Renta said. "To my knowledge there are no classroom teachers among the cuts and I believe that's a really important thing because they truly affect the students on a day-to-day basis. There are ways we can make reductions that will have as little impact on the classroom as possible and that's what I hoped to do wherever we could.

"In terms of revenue streams that's something that we really do need to focus on in the coming years because I think next year our situation will be similar as I can't imagine this economic climate turning around too quickly," she said. "One of the great ideas which I think has come up is the possibility of advertising in our venues. At the stadium, for example, we might be able to get corporate sponsorship and have a Nike sign or maybe at the auditorium we'd have a sponsor related to performing arts or music. That's something we're going to try and look into and see if we can pull in some revenue that way. Also, as we continue to do little improvements to the auditorium and it ultimately gets completed we are going to be able to rent it out as a revenue stream. Once there's air conditioning in there we're going to see a lot of the dance schools and other performing arts interested in using it because it is a beautiful auditorium. It's just a little outdated at this point.

"Another potential revenue stream revolves around our out-of-district special education placements," Renta said. "If we had available space opening up anywhere in the district - which is always an issue for us - we could become a feeder district for other districts because we have the personnel and expertise in these special education areas. They would send the children that they can't educate properly because they don't have the facilities or the personnel and they would actually pay tuition to the Clifton Board of Ed. That could mean a tremendous amount of money for the district.

"As of [Tuesday] night the school board budget will not have a pay to play stipulation where parents of children playing a particular sport would have to pay a fee in order to participate," Renta said. "I really feel that sports in a high school as large as ours are just so important because it keeps kids active and involved which is something we want them to do. And a lot of our children do come from underprivileged backgrounds so we don't want to exclude children because the parents can't afford whatever the fee may be."

Gary Passenti â" "I would look at the administrative positions at the upper and middle levels and look to pare them down through attrition or combining them," Passenti said. "These administrators don't ever look to cut themselves out of it and instead look at the lower level teachers and the one thing I don't want to do is take the teacher out of the classroom. If you do then that classroom becomes 40 students now instead of say, 30 students. The problem is that I don't have the line-items so I don't know what's state mandated, but some things need to be combined. We just have to come up with creative ideas. I don't want to cut anything for the kids but some compromises will have to come eventually.

"My main concern is to avoid cutting the money for the kids and students," he added. "As a candidate my vested interest is my two kids and, if elected, any decision I make on this board is going to affect them personally as well as my family and my taxes. That's why I think making parents pay for their kids to play sports is just another way to pass the buck to the taxpayers. I don't think they should have to pay any more money to play sports. I think sports are great for kids because it keeps them off the street and motivated in the classroom. Some kids might think they have nothing to go to school for anymore because they can't afford to play and I definitely don't want to take that away from them. But, on the other hand, instead of having five coaches, we might have three coaches. Concessions like that will have to be made."

Mary Kowal â" "You're going to have a $7 million gap to fill and my position has been to consolidate positions and separate the essential jobs from the nonessential jobs," Kowal said. "Some positions may be eliminated or combined, such as different disciplines, but over the last four or five years so many of the supervisory levels have been added and now they're just going to have to be eliminated because I cannot see eliminating any classroom staff. The integrity of the classroom must be maintained and I also don't feel that the nurses should be eliminated. I cannot see how, in good conscience, you could sacrifice the health and safety of students while keeping supervisor positions. The students do not interact with them and they simply are not as important to the student's education as a classroom teacher.

"Other districts are eliminating teaching positions, afterschool programs, certain curricula, but I think if you can get rid of a lot of the non-essential jobs and supervisory jobs you're definitely going to be able to maintain the classroom and the nurses," Kowal added. "And I think you're going to be able to maintain most of the services that we offer our students. Maybe restructuring administrative levels to fit into the budgetary needs for the upcoming years is a possibility. I'd like to see a line-by-line item breakdown because I have no idea what the budget is."

Joe Fazio â" "My approach would be to take that budget and break it down into about eight to 10 major categories - like professional services, outside services, school maintenance - and then start to drill down further from there," Fazio said. "The big problem is that the majority of the budget is contractual obligation with salaries and benefits and then from there take a look at any other obligations contractually, legally, whether it's leases or contracts and then go down further from there. I wish I could say here's exactly where I think the savings could be, but without having a budget in my hands to really take a look at the numbers and start asking the questions it's tough to say.

"But, in my own opinion, everything is open for discussion," he added. "People say 'what about layoffs' but it's kind of like a last resort because you hate letting people go. But, then again, if you get to the point where you have to make it up somewhere, then we have to start taking a headcount and look at who's reporting to whom. On the other hand, when I read about having parents paying for athletics it's tough because I think the taxpayers are stretched enough. And if we have to go out and start saying 'you got to pay for your kid for sports,' sorry, but going after the parents to pay for more to me is not an option."

Wayne Demikoff â" "I would look at a complete restructuring of administration to save positions for other people who they are going to terminate," Demikoff said. "I had a problem with finding out that 37 positions were being eliminated yet there were only two administrators out of that number. I would have asked for a complete discussion on administrative positions to determine which ones are absolutely necessary and which ones have been added over the years that can be consolidated. Once you add something to a district it's very difficult to take it away, but these are tough times and we have to go back and take a look at some of these things to see if they made sense to have it or not. These are the questions which need answering.

"Next, when you're trying to trim the budget you should look at who is retiring so if they are not mandatory those would be the easiest positions not to fill, that way people don't lose their jobs," he said. "Then you must look at the 'nice to have' things and replace them with the 'must have' things and trim your budgets that way. That's not what I see happening here. The people cannot afford to continue to pay for this. The Board should have had an idea that things were going to be tough so that if they had to cut $1 million or $5 million here's the priority sequence that I would cut. That's how you develop this and develop credibility with the taxpayers that this is a good budget.

"In regards to new revenues, one thing that was stated years ago when School 17 was built was that the School 12 annex on Ackerman Avenue would be eliminated, the kids there would be redistributed to another school and the cost of renting the building would be eliminated," Demikoff added. "I would look at things like that that they never followed through on. Also, I would like to bring in some of the expensive special education placements that are being done outside [the district]. If we can bring those in and maybe even get some revenue from other towns who might have the same deficiencies in special ed maybe we could get some money that way because special ed is very expensive. We want to give our kids what they need but can we do it cheaper inside rather than outside the district?"

Barbara Novak â" "A lot of people have a lot of ideas to do away with this or do away with that but it's often times too small and doesn't solve anything," Novak said. "My big thing is the auditorium. I feel that eventually that will be a great money-maker, but the unfortunate part is that they're going to have to spend money to make money there.

"I think there has to be a way to generate more money and not by taxes," Novak continued. "However, not being able to look at the budget line by line puts those of us candidates who aren't on the board at a disadvantage. I do know from talking to other people in other cities that sometimes it's prudent to delay certain things like putting off specific facility repairs for one or two years when it's not drastic. I really don't want to see the loss of any programs or staff so we must also check costs thoroughly when purchasing all the different supplies needed in district. We have to be realistic."

"I prepared the budget for my end when I was a teacher and administration would tell us you'd need to cut so many areas to make the budget," she said. "Each year the teachers and supervisors work on budget preparation in the fall for the following year so I have experience dealing with these types of issues. Obviously it's on a bigger scale on the Board but I think I'd be a quick learner."

John Houston â" "Because I'm not part of the budget process right now the only thing I can say is that I'd want all the teachers in place," Houston said. "That's where I stand because if you start to cut teachers that's where classes start to get doubled up and that puts a lot of strain on the other teachers or the supervisors and administrators. The bottom line is there would be more children for less teachers and then you can't give the individual attention to the children that they may need. I'd definitely want to give priority to the nurses too because I feel that there should be a nurse in every school. Children are at school every day and if something happens I think that nurses are something that's essential for all the schools so I would not cut anything in that regard either.

"I can't speak to cuts because I don't have the background," he said. "I know a lot of people like to talk about [cuts] but I'm not there with the Board to know whether certain levels or certain people in certain positions should be let go. However, I do feel the Governor implemented the school cut-backs in a radical and reckless way. I think he could have implemented his cuts in a way incrementally instead of so dramatically. In a way, it's a little reckless because when you get down to it the Governor is the head of the schools because they are state-mandated. Could there have been other cuts made in the state to alleviate the burden placed on the schools? I understand he's trying to balance everything but it was too much for the City of Clifton and its 11,000 students to deal with on our own so I think the state needs to come up with some techniques to better raise revenues in the schools and around the state because he put too much on the taxpayers.

"At this time I would recommend the individual school districts â" like Clifton â" lobby the state to help them realize that it was too radical of an approach," he added. "Education is rapidly changing and more services are necessary to make our schools the full educational centers that they need to be. Clifton is a place, like many other towns, which cannot do this on their own due to the nature of education today. This is a state mandate and ultimately all schools are under the jurisdiction of state guidelines. I'm not saying that's a bad thing because it provides uniformity and provides a way for all of our schools to be well-run but the method here was just too dramatic."

Question 2: There has been a great deal of discussion amongst the Board as well as members of the public regarding the possible implications this budget will have on Clifton residents' taxes. Given the challenge of appeasing the taxpayers, while maintaining a thorough and efficient education, what percent increase in the tax levy would you advocate as a reasonable compromise?

Binaso â" "Do I think we should do better than 2.5 percent? You've got to go through the budget and ask yourself if some of these positions can be consolidated," Binaso said. "Maybe we can save some teachers. I do know if we don't try hard enough to reduce the tax burden I feel the governor will come back and say we haven't done enough. It's just ripping the fiber of our community. I'm not about to tell the union what to do but as educators they're smart enough to see the writing on the wall.

"A lot of people are really concerned about this situation, and I mean seniors, couples and even young people," Binaso continued. "It is just a terrible situation that we're all going through and I wouldn't be surprised next year that school districts who don't take some sort of action in compromising, cutting or sharing cost, the government comes back to them and says 'you didn't do your fair share.' What people want is a change."

Renta â" "I'm definitely not comfortable with a zero percent increase because it would really decimate the school system, but I do think there is a happy medium that we could get to," Renta said. "I'm hoping that we can come to a number that everyone is comfortable with, because some people want zero and some want a higher percentage. Ultimately what I would love to see is a 9-0 vote from the Board of Education because we've never had that as long as I've been on the board. With two different factions, if everyone is behind the budget I think that it would have the possibility of actually passing.

The budget that will be presented Wednesday is actually significantly lower - in terms of tax-point increase - than I think people expect it to be.

We were allowed a 4 percent tax levy increase, but we're below that."

Passenti â" "The zero percent is almost impossible but, at the same time, we can't add any more new jobs or programs at this time," Passenti said. "It's out of my control because they're passing the budget [Wednesday] but if I can keep it lower than the state average then that's feasible."

Kowal â" "I'd recommend a 2 percent increase, but obviously the lower [the tax levy] the better," Kowal said. "I don't know if they can go with a zero percent increase but I think they should try to stay close. A 2 percent increase may work for taxpayers while still maintaining the educational services. Obviously if you went down to zero when you cut out jobs you'd have to take salaries into consideration. And, although they're talking about the teachers who are still in negotiations, you'd have to remember that you have those athletic coaches which are on stipends already. It's a very complicated procedure and a difficult decision. I'd love to see a zero based budget but I don't think that's a possibility right now."

Fazio â" "To me, 2.5 percent is reasonable," Fazio said. "I don't like when they are supposed to cap it at 2.5 [percent] and then go get a waiver to make it 4 percent. The 2.5 is preferred and reasonable but I wouldn't want to go any higher than that. Certainly lower is better in my opinion."

Demikoff â" "I would advocate a tax levy which is less than 2.5 percent and closer to a zero percent increase," Demikoff said. "However, I'd have to know what else would be cut to accommodate the taxpayers before I, as an independent candidate, could comfortably throw a number out there."

Novak â" "I'm thinking that 2.5 percent would be feasible," Novak said. "It's my understanding from what I've been told that if it were zero [percent] they'd have to lay off a lot of staff and you don't want the students to suffer. This is a large school system but I know there's been talk about cutting support system. For me, it's important to maintain an excellent education service because people need to realize that if their school system goes down their property value goes down.

The Clifton school system has always been excellent which is why it's so important to understand that if that goes downhill everything goes with it."

Houston â" "I don't know the numbers and I would have to see the big line-items otherwise I would be speaking out of turn," Houston said. "I'd need to know what the difference in percentage would mean in terms of what additional positions would be eliminated as a result, so I can't speak to that."

E-mail: gicas@northjersey.com

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Dawgpack up to Challenge - North carolina State Scout

2010-04-02T01:00:00.001-07:00

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On Thursday, Bilas issued a challenge to the Husky faithful to one-up the experience that they had at Rupp Arena last week in Kentucky. The Dawgpack responded to this challenge by camping out both Thursday and Friday night at Bank of America Arena while waiting in line to get inside for Saturday's show. They also wrote on the sidewalks leading into the arena urging fans to be loud and also writing out the UW fight song.

Davis even said it was the best arena that they have gone to this season, and that he even heard the Dawgpack was dancing around three hours before they could even get into the arena Saturday morning.

Once the show began, the Dawgpack, Husky band and cheerleaders, as well as the rest of the Washington fans that woke up early to come, showed the country how diehard and devoted they are to Husky basketball. They brought their 'A' game this morning, filling the entire lower bowl behind the set and about half of the upper sections behind it. The Gameday crew said that they were impressed with what they saw.

âQuality. Itâs all about quality, not quantity and these kids here Iâve seen for years and I was here when they upset LSU a few years ago when Spencer Hawes was a freshman and with Jon Brockman and those guys,â Phelps said. âIt was as good as any that we have had because the quality is more important than the quantity.â

Perhaps the highlight chant from the Dawgpack was the 'East Coast Bias' chant that started about halfway through when ESPN was talking about the games on the other side of the country.

Also in attendance during the morning taping were UW Head Coach Lorenzo Romar and his assistant coaches, Raphael Chillious and Paul Fortier. After the show ended, Romar walked on the court and met up with Knight, and it looked as if Romar picked his brain for at least a half-hour.

Phelps, who was prodded to wear a Husky tie by the Dawgpack and Harry the Husky before ultimately turning it down, said he was expecting this performance out of the Husky faithful given what he has seen of the program over the years.

âOh yeah, like Iâve said, my family - Jaime Moyer and company - live here in the offseason,â Phelps said. âHe is pitching with the Phillies and he was a Mariners pitcher for about 10 or 11 years. So I know this school. Iâve been here for football and basketball games. Itâs one of the great places in the country.â

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Push for fit kids gets a boost (video) - Argus Leader

2010-04-01T22:00:00.001-07:00

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(2 of 2)

These days, the Growing Healthy Initiative is focusing on education, working with childcare providers and schools throughout the state, coordinator Denise Nelson said.

Even though the overweight and obesity rate for kids hasn't changed much in recent years, it's working, Nelson said.

"It's finally starting to, especially in the Sioux Falls public school system," she said. "We've been working with them for years in improving the healthy choices in the lunchroom."

The group also has suggested to schools that they change the physical education curriculum to include not only team sports but activities such as yoga, dance and biking - "things that you never grow out of," Nelson said.

Education is a key component to Michelle Obama's issue, said Dr. Kimberlee McKay, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Avera McKennan Women's Center. She likens Obama's educational initiatives to the DARE program back in the Reagan administration

"We talked about saying no to drugs in school all the time," McKay said.

Now, she is seeing a similar effect with her nieces and nephews, who are starting to learn about healthy eating.

"They'll see me drinking a Diet Coke and they'll say, 'Aunt Kim, you shouldn't be drinking that. You should really choose water or milk.' "

But education goes only so far.

"I think (Michelle Obama) misses the biggest problem to providing a healthy diet, and that's eating on a budget," said Annie Bosler, a mom from Inwood, Iowa.

"For some people, it may be a lack of information, as she calls it. But even with all the information in the world, it's a fact that it's a lot more expensive to keep your kitchen stocked with fresh produce for snacks than it is to buy a few boxes of crackers or generic Pop-Tarts. ... For some families, especially those that don't qualify for any assistance, a mom only has so many choices if she wants to put food on the table. For some families, better information might be the answer. But for many, information is not the answer."

Still, there's hope that with Michelle Obama's backing, at least some people will pay attention - and take action.

"It is so refreshing to know that someone is going to take the lead on this," Nelson said. "With all these small little nonprofits trying to get the word out there, with someone at the national level bringing attention to this, it's going to bring it faster into the lives of everyone who needs it."

Reach Janna Farley at jjfarley@argusleader.com.

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Azalea International Folk Fair returns next weekend - Valdosta Daily Times

2010-04-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

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Published February 27, 2010 06:23 pm -

Azalea International Folk Fair returns next weekend

By Dean Poling

VALDOSTA â" Valdosta Asian Cultural Associationâs Azalea International Folk Fair has always had an eye on bringing the world to South Georgia, and continues doing so this week.

This year, the fair hosts several students from Asia to demonstrate their inventions. Several students from Taiwan and the Philippines are expected to arrive this weekend.

âThese Taiwanese and Filipino students and educators deserve our gratitude for their willingness to travel so far and pay so much (the airfare alone is $1,500 per person) in order to celebrate with us the joys of science, technology and cultural understanding,â says Serena Huang, the fairâs creator.

The fair celebrates the diversity of the Asian world which is alive here in many of Valdostaâs residents of Asian heritage. Local residents, from various parts of the Asian world, present fashions, customs, and tastes of their respective cultures, sharing both the similarities and differences of their native lands with those of their adopted home of South Georgia.

The event has changed through the years with funding not only from local businesses, state agencies and corporations but the National Endowment of the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Asian Cultural Experience has grown into a premier event in South Georgia.

The fair, originally called the Asian Cultural Experience, grew from Huangâs desire to share her native Asian culture and customs with her two children being raised in South Georgia.

Several years ago, Huang started with a few dance lessons for her daughter and sonâs classes at Hahira Middle and Dewar Elementary schools. Huang thought her youngsters may be more accepting of the idea of learning of their parentsâ culture if they could share it as an educational and fun project with their classmates.

Soon, other classes were participating in the program. Then, other schools signed on. And these studentsâ recitals of Chinese-Thai dances slowly became day-long events at Mathis City Auditorium, then more multi-cultural and multi-day events at the conference center.

The event now includes the invention categories, a worldâs geography contest, a dance competition, food, games and more.

FOLK FAIR

The Azalea International Folk Fair.

School field trips are scheduled for 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

When: The community festival is scheduled for 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday.

Where: James H. Rainwater Conference Center, off Norman Drive.

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Colorado Springs Family Wins National Family Dance-off ... - Earthtimes

2010-04-01T16:00:00.001-07:00

ATLANTA, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Primrose Schools, the leader in educational child care, announces the Lopez family of Colorado Springs as the winner of the Family Dance-off, a national campaign to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices. In honor of the Lopez family's victory, Primrose will make a $30,000 donation to their local Children's Miracle Network hospital, The Children's Hospital in Denver.

Calia Lopez, age 2, attends the Primrose School of Springs Ranch, where the Lopez family learned of the Family Dance-off contest. Parents Carlos and Heidi Lopez are both educators ? Carlos an elementary school principal and Heidi a high school choral teacher. The contest was a perfect fit for this family, who understands the value of being active and spending time together. Their video, "I Love You?Primrose," shows the whole family having fun, including 8-month old Caden.

"On behalf of the entire staff here at The Children's Hospital, we would like to thank Primrose Schools and all participating families for their support of Children's Miracle Network through the Family Dance-off," saidÂ Steve Winesett, President and CEO of The Children's Hospital Foundation. "This event was a fantastic opportunity for families all across the country to engage in a fun and healthy activity while raising awareness for pediatric health care. We appreciate not only the financial support but also the community awareness that was raised during this campaign."

About Primrose Schools

For more information, visit www.primroseschools.com.

About Children's Miracle Network

SOURCE Primrose Schools

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Boys basketball: Assistant gets 2nd shot with hoops - St. Cloud Times

2010-04-01T13:00:00.001-07:00

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Like many children of divorced parents, Matt Capelle had to make some tough decisions. Unlike many, one of them was between basketball and competitive dance.

In sixth grade Capelle opted to continue living with his mom, Kay Gunnarson, when she and his stepdad moved from Staples to Brainerd, rather than heading to Upsala where he could play basketball for his dad, Vern, who was the head coach at the high school.

Capelle loved hoops, but he also loved dance and his studio, Music General, was in Brainerd.

"Had I not been in dance, I probably would have transferred to Upsala," he said. "I wanted to play basketball and I wanted to play basketball for my dad."

Flash forward about a decade and Capelle, now 23, is getting the best of both worlds (or at least both Central Minnesota towns). He works at Music General now, both as a audio/visual technician and a dance instructor.

But since last year he's also been living with Vern in Little Falls and helping him out as an assistant coach for the highly-ranked Upsala basketball squad.

He works from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Music General and teaches three dance classes Monday nights, one for boys and two for girls.

His work schedule makes it impossible to make Upsala's after-school practices, but on game nights he can usually be found on the bench with his dad, keeping stats.

He also tags along occasionally when Vern goes to scout future opponents.

It's a lot of driving and a lot of busy nights, but Capelle wouldn't have it any other way. He's still involved with dance and he's getting a second chance to share the Upsala basketball experience with his dad.

"It's absolutely fantastic because I'm doing three things right now with my work and my leisure time that are the things that entertain me the most â" things I love to do and be involved with," he said. "I couldn't ask for anything more right now."

It's a good deal for Vern too. He's got another set of eyes on the bench, but having his boy there with him is much more than that.

"It's a great experience," Vern said. "I think any father that's involved in coaching would say that. It's great to have your son sitting there sharing in both the ups and downs that go with the game."

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'Guys and Dolls' staged at Laurel Highlands Area High School - PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

2010-04-01T10:00:00.001-07:00

Laurel Highlands High School Auditorium won't be filled with boys and girls, but "Guys and Dolls" Thursday through Saturday.

"Guys and Dolls," a musical that takes place in New York City in the 1940s, is this year's Laurel Highlands' production.

The musical is the story of a small-time gambler, Nathan Detroit, who bets his big-time gambler pal, Sky Masterson, that Sky cannot make the next woman he sees fall in love with him.

As the story goes, the next doll that Sky and Nathan see is Sarah Brown, the sergeant of the neighborhood missionary, who preaches the dangers of drinking and gambling.

While the musical is older than the students who will be performing it, all the actors are excited about the weekend production.

Nicole Cipriani and Jennifer George are co-directing "Guys and Dolls."

"In the past we've done fun and crazy shows," Cipriani said, adding that they fell in love with the show after reading the script and watching the movie. "This year, we wanted to do something classy."

Cipriani said the show has amazing music with 22 songs and dancing routines for the cast of 53 to perform.

Auditions started the first week of December. Rehearsals started when the students returned from Christmas break; however, nine rehearsals were canceled because of last month's snow.

"The kids have put extra time into this," Cipriani said. "They've been working really hard."

The hard work will not be wasted on a show like "Guys and Dolls" because Cipriani said while the musical is vocally demanding, it also has bigger sets, bigger costumes, bigger lights and bigger sounds.

"So, it's all bigger," she said. The cast is made up mostly of sophomores and juniors.

One of those in the younger cast is sophomore Vanessa Frank, who's playing the role of Adelaide, Nathan Detroit's fiance and nightclub singer.

Frank, who's been acting in community theater since she was 10 years old, was excited to discover she landed one of the lead roles.

"The choreography is great," Frank said. "My fellow cast members are awesome."

Senior Matt Macar is playing the role of Sky Masterson. This production will be his first time as a lead.

"I was excited when I landed the role," Macar said. "I saw it before."

"I think this is going to be a really good show," Frank said.

The Laurel Highlands High School will present "Guys and Dolls" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the high school auditorium.

Tickets are $9 and can be purchased through the high school office and at the box office on the days of the show.

There will be a dinner beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday. It is sponsored by the Laurel Highlands Academic Foundation. Meal and show price are $20.

For more information, call 724-437-4741, ext. 1125.

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Pageant winners crowned - Journal & Sunday Journal

2010-04-01T07:00:00.001-07:00

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Pageant winners crowned

By Erienne Greene, Journal Staff Writer

MARTINSBURG - Seven local women showcased their poise and talent in front of a large audience at the Apollo Civic Theatre Saturday night, but only two lucky contestants wore the winning crowns home.

Spenser Wempe was named the 2010 Miss Berkeley County, while Amber Miller earned the title of Miss North Eastern.

The local ladies competing in the 35th annual Miss Berkeley County and Miss North Eastern Scholarship Pageant were required to compete in different areas, including swimsuit and talent.

"Living in the Moment" was the theme of this year's pageant, and it appeared that all of the women competing were doing just that as they gave it their all to impress the panel of judges.

The talent portion of the evening included different dancing and singing performances.

Following the swimsuit and talent competitions was the interview portion of the evening, when the girls donned eye-catching evening gowns.

Mistress of Ceremony Allison Renee Williams, the Miss West Virginia 2003, praised the contestants in this year's event.

"These young ladies don't realize how much they're influencing young girls to pursue their dreams," Williams said.

Prior to the start of the night's entertainment, Shelley Nichols-Franklin, executive director of the pageant, said she was excited that the pageant was featuring a number of former Miss Berkeley County contestants back on the stage in honor of the event's anniversary.

One of those former queens, Dawn Rix, Miss Berkeley County 1991, sang for the crowd, and when asked by Williams about her own experiences as a winner, Rix said it was "great."

"My experience was very nice," she said. "To the public, it's all glitz and glamour ... but it takes a lot of courage for these women to do what they do."

Wempe is the daughter of William Wempe, and the 17-year-old currently attends Jefferson High School. Her platform is "Spreading the Love - Promoting Community Action for the Less Fortunate."

Miller, 23, is the daughter of William and Angela Miller. She graduated from Shepherd University and is currently attending West Virginia University. Her platform is "Make a Difference - Become a Mentor.

Wempe and Miller will each receive a $750 scholarship, an official crown and crown pin, a $500 in-kind scholarship to Shepherd University, $250 in clothing allowance for the Miss West Virginia pageant, a $100 scholarship donated by the Church of Martinsburg, flowers by Flowers Unlimited, and gift certificates from Serenity Day Spa and Gold's Gym in Martinsburg.

In addition to Nichols-Franklin, on the 2010 Miss Berkeley County Committee is Jennifer Barcinas-Miller, Donna Custer, Ruby Avey, Alison Everhart, Stephanie Payne, Marilyn Blaylock, Jima Sherard and Leslie Beightol.

- Staff writer Erienne Greene can be reached at (304) 263-8931, ext. 183 or at egreene@journal-news.net

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St. Louis American receives top honors at annual Dance St. Louis Gala - St. Louis American

2010-04-01T04:00:00.001-07:00

Living It

St. Louis American receives top honors at annual Dance St. Louis Gala

By American Staff
Thursday, April 1, 2010 1:58 AM CDT

âNobody deserves this more,â Dance St. Louis Executive Director Michael Uthoff said about The St. Louis American.

The words couldnât come out fast enough â" even before the question was completely asked â" as he explained why he felt The American was worthy of his organizationâs most prestigious award.

âAt Dance St. Louis, we live in a world that depends on the graciousness and generosity of institutions, and The St. Louis American has been at the forefront with pushing forward what Dance St. Louis is all about,â Uthoff said.

âThey have been continually lending us a hand with getting the message of what we do to out the community â" and that is what we are grateful for.â

Two weeks ago, for the Dance St. Louis annual Ballet Ball at the Palladium in Lafayette Square, The St. Louis American soaked in the love from more than 100 supporters of dance and the arts.

It was a formal gala â" ball gowns and all â" but there was a laid-back vibe that eliminated the formality of the formal.

Folks discussed their comings, goings and worthy causes. But the pre-gala reception also felt like a simultaneous congratulations session for The American.

âSelecting The St. Louis American to receive this yearâs honor was a unanimous decision,â Uthoff said of the paper joining the ranks of organizations such as AmerenUE, Emerson and The Whitaker Foundation.

âI mean, anyone there saw that the response to Donald and the appreciation was genuine.â

The feeling was indeed mutual as St. Louis American Publisher and President Donald M. Suggs anxiously approached the podium amidst a standing ovation following a compelling presentation by Dance St. Louis Board President Richard Winter.

âI am grateful, but I wouldnât be up here if it werenât for the amazing individuals and the wonderful work that they do on behalf of The St. Louis American,â Suggs said. âOur organization truly appreciates this award.â

He then called up staff members Dina M. Suggs and Kenya Vaughn to share in the accolades â" which were quickly handed back to Suggs for his diligence in assuring the paperâs extensive coverage of the arts, dance in particular.

âPlenty of times, the coverage we provide with respect to the arts is first exposure to culture that our readers receive,â said Kenya Vaughn.

âAnd it is an awesome responsibility. Thanks to The St. Louis American and Dr. Suggs, who is a warrior for the arts, I have the privilege of introducing organizations like Dance St. Louis to an entirely new audience. To have the opportunity to be a part of that is truly a humbling experience for me.â

As The American exited the stage, the crowd â" which also included Better Family Lifeâs Malik and Deborah Ahmed and 2010 Ballet Ball co-chair Susan Buford â" once again rose to their feet.

âThis award is our Oscar â" itâs our way of saying, âThank you,ââ Uthoff said. âVery seldom do we get the opportunity to say that publicly and bestow our gratitude on those who have shown a love towards us.â

Dancing towards youth development

âBelieve it or not, this is about more than just a love for dance,â Dance St. Louis board of directors member Kent Reynolds said. âThis is also about helping children succeed and giving young people from all backgrounds opportunities.â

While the event honors the organizationâs âSwans,â it also has the dual purpose of fundraising.

And as a video eloquently expressed, Dance St. Louis is about more than dance just for danceâs sake. Their residency program which pairs professionals with dancers-in-training in area schools helps youth move towards becoming successful, productive adults.

âPerforming arts is a fantastic gateway for young people to really understand discipline focus, determination,â said Christina Johnson Vojvodich, a teaching artist for the Dance St. Louis Residency Program and founding member Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Students discussed how their experiences as participants of the program left a lasting impression. And while most of their comments were specific to dance, the tools they receive through the unique experiences can â" and most likely will â" be applied to their lives.

âThe program itself is special because it gives the young people a message,â said Marilyn Sheperd, Dance St. Louis Board member. âAnd the message is, âYou can do this too. You can do this.ââ

Â

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LGBT community rallies in Cedar City - Salt Lake Tribune

2010-04-01T01:00:00.001-07:00

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Cedar City Â» A rally about a need for laws to bar discrimination against members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community drew about 50 people Saturday in this southern Utah city.

Benjamin Smith, president of the Queer Straight Alliance at Southern Utah University (SUU), told the crowd legislators should be encouraged to pass such legislation.

"Now there is no legal recourse for the [LGBT] community," Smith said. "We can be openly fired or denied jobs and housing."

He said he planned the rally in response to comments by Utah Senate president Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, who is opposed to further anti-discrimination legislation at this time.

"Utah should start looking at the facts," Smith said. "They should listen to the LDS Church when they say what is good for one people is good for all people."

He also quoted Matthew Arnold: "Free thinking in one age is the common sense of the next," he said.

Russell Kennedy, a member of the student senate at SUU, told the crowd he wrote a resolution adopted by the school that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. "Our time is now. We deserve to live our own truth with respect for who we are and others for who they are," he said.

In an interview, Kennedy recalled growing up in Delta and being afraid to reveal he was gay. He shared the fear he felt after the torture death of Matthew Shepherd in Wyoming
in 1998.
"We're here for every Matthew Shepherd," he said.

Chris McArdle, a former president of the gay activist group Southern Utah Pride, stood on Main Street with a sign promoting equality and waving to drivers. He said acceptance of LGBT is gaining momentum in southern Utah.

"Especially in St. George, it's amazing," said McArdle. "There are gay-straight alliances in the high schools and students can now be tested for sexually transmitted diseases. ...We're building a foundation [of tolerance] for the future."

Sala Tumanuvao traveled from St. George for the rally, which she described as "awesome." She said she helped start a gay-straight alliance at Desert Hills High School despite resistance from school administrators.

Andrea Robinson, a former dance major at SUU, stood out at the rally with her rainbow cap and cape. She wants to see the Legislature act more aggressively to protect the rights of gays, lesbians and others.

She was also impressed and encouraged by Saturday's turnout. "It gives you faith in this state," she said of the crowd.

Douglas Gubler, a student at Dixie State College in St. George, said equality is a human right.

"It's right in the Pledge of Allegiance. We all say 'Liberty and justice for all,'" Gubler said. "There is no small print that says 'unless you're gay.'"

mhavnes@sltrib.com

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Message to Modesto School Board: Don't cut programs - Modesto Bee

2010-03-31T22:00:00.001-07:00

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The surveys told trustees what's important to parents, such as keeping sports and music programs.
But trustees have a long way to go in balancing the budget, and some of those attending a special school board meeting Thursday were concerned that the surveys did not reflect the full range of views among the public.
In January and February, people were encouraged to fill out two online surveys Â one for district employees and one for the public. Surveys were open to staff for a week and to the public for a month, with 776 people filling out the staff survey and 1,085 completing the public survey.
Trustee Nancy Cline asked whether the public survey did anything to separate community members who work for the district or have other district ties. The staff said nothing was done. According to the results, 22 percent of respondents said they were community members, 73 percent were parents of students and 5 percent were Modesto City Schools graduates.
"So we don't know how many people with no ties to the district filled this out," Cline said. "I really want to hear tonight from people who are from the public."
No one from the public spoke.
Dana Filippi, a teacher at Tuolumne Elementary School, said the public survey was a small sampling of the city's residents. "You are looking at about 2 percent of the households responded," he said. "There is some value in this, but not a lot."
When it comes to programs the public wants officials to keep, counselors, music, campus supervisors and custodians topped the list.
"The survey indicates many ways that (Modesto City Schools) could be cutting costs that many businesses have already implemented. I believe that sports, dance, the arts and career ed remain very important. Parents need to be focused on assuring our children are attending school and prepared, and value their educational opportunities. We are each adjusting to local and state cuts," one public respondent said in the survey's comment section.
The only question about sports on the public survey asked whether officials should maintain freshman sports Â 39.5 percent said "yes." Other items that ranked high with parents and community members were school busing, yard duty, class-size reduction and the Gifted and Talented Education program.
Most staff members favored cuts to field trips, buying new textbooks, consultant contracts for staff training and clerical positions. The majority of respondents favored keeping custodians and counselors.
Trustee Ruben Villalobos said the survey was a good start. He encouraged more input from people through e-mail or the comments section of the district Web site.
View the survey results at www.monet.k12.ca.us under "budget watch."
The next Modesto City Schools board meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday in the district office boardroom, 425 Locust St. However, the location could change if officials think they'll need a site with more room for the public.

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Playhouse presents tween show, about tweens - Houston Community Newspapers

2010-03-31T19:00:00.001-07:00

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Playhouse 1960 brings audiences face to face with real teen issues while having fun with music and comedy.

Playhouse presents the Broadway musical 13. 13 will run Feb 26 â" March 21.

13 is the story of a 12 year boy who is turning 13. His parents are going through a divorce and also finds out he is moving away. The story follows several characters and the trials and tribulations of being a tween.

âIt really is a story that has the true issues our youth are dealing with full of struggles, peer pressure and conflict and them working through them,â said Director Tish Gant. âI think it puts a spotlight on the problems kids have and shows them that the world acknowledges that these things are not okay and it really is wrong. It also has lots of great humor and will take you back to your own childhood memories and the awkwardness of becoming a teenager.â
The show is choreographed will up-to-date dance numbers and great music.

âThe choreography, done by Chelsea Gant, is full of modern dance along with some fun and recognizable spoofs from the decades,â Gant said. âThe music written by Jason Robert Brown is so refreshing and youthful and has been described Rent and High School Musical all rolled into one.â

Gant hopes that more than just enjoying a great show, teens and preteens will take something with them as the leave the theater.

âOne thing we always try to do at Playhouse 1960 is give a little more than just a show,â Gant said. âWith the content being so much about teenagers and stereotyping, I felt like it was important to give the kids a chance to learn about the world around them; to show that they should care about more than just the latest styles and gossip and give back to the community.â

In addition to putting the production together, the cast and crew of 13 are all putting together that they are calling â13 Good Deeds.â

âWe are determined to accomplish 13 ways to help others,â Gant said. âSo far we have done a teddy bear drive for the local police department which collects them to give in a situation where a child may need to be comforted. We are collecting magazines for the MD Anderson Cancer Center to give to their patients that are undergoing treatment. We are collecting shoes and pennies for another organization that is building schools in third world countries one penny at a time.â

Although they have already done a lot to help the community Gant said they wonât stop until they reach their 13.

âWe will keep looking for more opportunities over the coming weeks,â Gant said.

Playhouse 1960 is a nonprofit community-based theater. It is located at 6814 Gant Road. More information can be obtained by calling 281-587-8243 or by visiting www.playhouse1960.com.

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Schools watch dance, science - Spectrum

2010-03-31T16:00:00.001-07:00

ENOCH - Elementary school students throughout Iron County have been treated to performances and interactive workshops this week by the Ririe Woodbury Dance Company of Salt Lake.
The company visited Parowan, South, Three Peaks and Fiddler's Canyon Elementary Schools, as well as hosting a "parent and children" workshop Thursday evening at Iron Springs Elementary.
Gigi Arrington, education director for the company, said she and the six full-time company dancers were doing lectures and demonstrations at the schools to teach children about the elements of dance - space, shape, time and energy. She said the lesson is fun for the children because they are allowed to participate.
She also talked to the students about what dancers do because dance is not just an art form, but an occupation.
Arrington told students at the Three Peaks workshop the Ririe Woodbury Dance Company has been around for about 50 years and travels all over the world.
"It's important for you to know this is their job," she said.
The children learned about improvisation and got a chance to participate with the dancers during demonstrations of shape and energy.
Debbie Melling, fifth grade teacher at Three Peaks, said her students enjoyed the movement, which was "very eye-catching."
Principal Tim Taylor said the dance company comes to the school every couple of years, and the demonstrations give the children a deep appreciation for the fine arts and dance.
"It gives them culture so when they grow up they will appreciate these things," Taylor said.
Arrington said the company, which performs contemporary dance, took up residence in Cedar City this week as they did the school workshops as well as appearing in a show Tuesday night at the Heritage Center.
The show featured the work of Alwin Nikolais whose choreography was very prominent from the 1950s through the 1980s. Ririe has been reviving Nikolais' work and is the only dance company that has the rights to perform his work.
Carrie Trenholm, assistant professor of elementary arts education at Southern Utah University, said the school demonstrations by the dance company were tied into a dance and science project in which SUU dance students, who were performing Nikolais dance routines with Ririe this week, went to eight county schools in one day. They taught fourth grade students about the water cycle of evaporation, condensation, precipitation and water collection through dance.
The students learned about the dance concepts of time, space and energy along with the scientific concepts of the water cycle.
"It's really been fun to team up with Ririe," Trenholm said.
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Meet roller-derby dame, Bruise Control - Burlington Free Press

2010-03-31T13:00:00.001-07:00

Nicole Losch, 31, of Burlington is better known as Green Mountain Derby Dame Bruise Control. She helped create the league in 2007. By day, she works locally in public works, planning bicycle and pedestrian projects and managing environmental programs. She can also be seen skiing, biking, curling and swing dancing around town, but she also likes to relax at home with her dog and fiance, she said. We spoke with her Feb. 24.
What is a Green Mountain Derby Dame?
A Green Mountain Derby Dame is a woman between the ages of 21 and 121, or older if they can manage to pull that off, who commits an absurd amount of time and energy into strapping on old-school, quad roller skates, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, a helmet and mouth guard three nights a week with 30 other women who turn left on an oval track and throw themselves, hips or shoulders first, into the other women on the track.
What does it take to be a Derby Dame?
Dames win bouts with perseverance and training, not with cheap shots or bad attitudes. Dames push themselves to be team players and athletes, even if they had no athletic background before skating with us. And Dames commit to attending practices and other events because the league relies on every single skater to help keep the organization moving forward.
Whatâs the hardest part?
For me, the hardest part is seeing skaters retire or leave the league. Weâre an odd kind of family, so when someone leaves itâs kind of like losing an arm.
Whatâs the best part?
I still get a huge thrill out of seeing new recruits come in all shaky on their skates and trying to find their place in the league. Then one day you look at them and think, âShe can skate! When did that happen?â Theyâll be struggling with crossovers or whips, and then one day you look and see theyâre throwing themselves into any drill, lapping veteran skaters on the track, and becoming really active in behind the scenes work. Itâs an amazing thing to watch.
What should people know about the Green Mountain Derby Dames that they might not know?
I like people to know that weâre much more than just skaters. Weâre our own media campaigners, production assistants, merchandisers, recruiters, trainers. We do it all, and I think we do it pretty well. Weâve sold out of most of our bouts, which are some of the largest sporting events in the state. And, weâre on our way to being eligible to compete in regional and national events as an apprentice member of the Womenâs Flat Track Derby Association. WFTDA is like the NFL, so after our apprentice year is up and we become full members of the WFTDA, weâll start competing in sanctioned bouts. Weâll play to be ranked regionally, and weâre ultimately vying for a chance at nationals.
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Pavement transforms into art during Lake Worthâs street painting ... - Pbpulse

2010-03-31T10:00:00.001-07:00

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See photos from the festival

The spectacle of watching art being created, the lure of food and todayâs bright blue skies brought an elbow-to-elbow crowd to the cityâs 16th-annual Street Painting Festival.

"You gotta push the chalk into the cracks to get the colors to meld," said Kelly Mock, rubbing her fingers into the pavement of Lake Avenue. She was mixing the yellow and brown hues in her 10-foot-by-10-foot rendition of Andrew Wyethâs "Christina."

Nicole Flaig from Wellington works on her chalk drawing Sunday morning during the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival (Brandon Kruse / The Post).

The 16-year-old Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts visual arts sophomore was one of about 250 knee-padded artists using toothbrushes, foam and their gloved fingers to craft creations. There were dancing dolphins, sultry sunsets, dusty da Vinciâs and multi-colored Monets.

Last yearâs estimated 100,000 spectators was likely exceeded this weekend, said Javaid Iqbal, interim director of the Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce.

Lucerne and Lake avenues, between Federal and Dixie Highway, will reopen after the two-day festival closes today at 6 p.m.

Susan Brown, a Fort Lauderdale artist and 12-year veteran of the festival, said drawing with people peering over your shoulder is fun. On each hand was a white chalk-covered sock protecting the sunburn she received on the back of her palms Saturday while working on her drawing titled "Barges Under Pont des Art."

"I like being in the spotlight. I like to finish early and walk around and look at the other drawings. Thereâs really talented people here," said Brown, 38. Her cheeks, feet and clothes covered with chalk.

Business was brisk for most vendors pushing Philly cheese steaks, chicken on a stick, kettle corn and ice-cold beer. The line was steady in front of Chris Wernerâs "Wild Billâs Old Fashioned Soda Pop."

"Yesterday, business was slow. Today, it really picked up," said the Lakeland native, marking a customerâs hand with a red X that entitled him to a refill.

Mark the popularity to the laid-back atmosphere of the event, said Bob Weintraub, 62, a West Palm Beach resident checking out the drawings on Lake Avenue.

"I like the Key West feel. Plus, who can resist a corn dog," he said.

Drawing in public has a special benefit, said Dina Clingman, whose daughter Cassidy was working on the Wyeth painting.

"They hear people say things negative about their art," she said, watching her daughter at work. "That makes them humble."

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Review: Prince Charmingâs heart on display - Herald-Bulletin

2010-03-31T07:00:00.001-07:00

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Published February 18, 2010 07:51 pm - ANDERSON â" A particular 18th century French prince sees no reason to attend another regal ball. He will only be heartbroken again.
Review: Prince Charmingâs heart on display

By Scott L. Miley, Herald Bulletin Associate Features Editor

ANDERSON â" A particular 18th century French prince sees no reason to attend another regal ball. He will only be heartbroken again.

But in Jules Massenetâs opera âCinderella,â Prince Charming makes one final appearance at another ball and finds his forever love. We all know the story and thereâs no surprising changes in this weekendâs Anderson University efficient production.

However, in Massenetâs opera, known as âCendrillon,â the prince becomes an equally-strong character to Cinderella; his struggles are developed deeper and his role is more rewarding.

The prince is played by AU senior Theo Hicks, a Farmington, Mich., native who has been a joy to watch over six productions. Now in his last show at AU, it is clear Hicks understands his craft.

His duets with the sweet dreaming Meaghan Sands (a senior from New York who sang last weekend with the Anderson symphony) as Cinderella that must sell the entire opera. They click; she with a sprite, sometimes trembling, innocence and he with a brooding tenor.

As impressive is music professor Fritz Robertsonâs properly understated control of a 32-piece romantic orchestra, the largest ever for a theatrical show in Byrum. The musicians bring each character onstage without pushing. Youâll wonder how they all fit under the stage.

On the floor above them, the stage shimmers with a tall set of windows that reflect the main action inside the palace and Cinderellaâs home as well as presenting snapshots of the activity going on outside the audienceâs view. But when Act 3 requires Cinderella and Charming to wander through a fairy-filled forest, the stage is covered by cheap-looking plastic sheets â" something youâd see in your home garage. School productions have to be cost-effective but maybe a camouflaged net from the armory could have been borrowed.

If the audience focuses on Sands, Hicks and the dancing spirits, the scenery tends to fade away.

The coupleâs relationship (add a definitive, sturdy performance by senior Alvin J. Morrison as Cinderellaâs father) makes this two-hour, smoothly-paced opera a heartfelt fairy tale.

Contact Scott L. Miley, 648-4230, scott.miley@heraldbulletin.com

If you go

âCinderella,â music by Jules Massenet. Directed by Laurel Goetzinger; music director is Fritz Robertson.

When: 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Byrum Hall, Anderson University.

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International Dance Festival Takes Place in Bath ... - 24-7PressRelease.com

2010-03-31T04:00:00.001-07:00

Â Â Â Â BATH, ENGLAND, March 31, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The countdown has begun for the 2010 International Dance Festival in Bath, which will bring star performers from around the world to the city.
Running from Saturday May 1st to Monday May 3rd, the event is both a major celebration of the art of dance and a chance for local students to add new steps to their repertoires.
One of the most eagerly anticipated aspects of the programme this year is a world record attempt, with the organisers hoping to arrange the biggest ever Umbrella Dance from Singing in the Rain.
This event is open to children aged between five and 18 from affiliated dance schools and will be held in Laura Place, Great Pulteney Street on Sunday May 2nd.
In the evening, the festival's masked ball is set to take place in the Georgian Assembly Rooms, providing an excuse of people using hotels in the Cotswolds to get dressed up and hit the dance floor.
Featuring three live bands playing music for salsa, Argentine tango and ballroom dances, this event runs from 19:30 to 01:00 local time and tickets are priced at GBP25.
The festival concludes with more dance classes and a closing cabaret show on Monday May 3rd.
Editors notes
LateRooms.com is the UK's leading online accommodation site offering late availability deals in over 30,000 properties worldwide, ranging from bed and breakfasts to five star luxury hotels.
LateRooms.com offers customers a saving of up to 70 per cent off the normal room rate for a variety of independent and branded hotels. Customers can book online or by phone 24/7, whether booking 12 months or 12 minutes in advance - whatever time, whatever day. No other accommodation site offers this flexibility.
LateRooms.com arms customers with information to help them choose the right hotel. Users can read from over 520,000 true hotel reviews, written by customers who have booked through LateRooms.com and actually stayed at the hotel.
LateRooms.com is the first online site to use VisitBritain's official national classification system to rate its hotels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses. This ensures customers know the standards of quality they can expect when making a reservation.
caroline.bell@laterooms.com
0161 831 1000
Website: http://www.laterooms.com

---
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Enfield students strut their stuff in Strictly Dance ... - Enfield and Haringey Independant

2010-03-31T01:00:00.001-07:00

Enfield students strut their stuff in Strictly Dance festival at Millfield Theatre

10:35am Thursday 25th March 2010

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HUNDREDS of nimble-toed youngsters will take to the stage next week to show off their dance moves.

The 1,300 pupils from 57 Enfield schools will perform at Millfield Theatre, in Silver Street, Edmonton, for the borough's annual "Strictly Dance" festival.

All the students signed up for the "Essentially Dance" course at their schools, developed by BBC Strictly Come Dancing stars Lilia Kopylova and Darren Bennett.

At these sessions the students learned ballroom and Latin American dance as part of their PE classes.

Jan Hickman, Enfieldâs PE and sports development manager, said: âDance is a fabulous way to exercise, but it is also much more, demanding precision, imagination, speed and elements of fun and interpretation.

"It is extremely popular and in Enfield we have built up a reputation over ten years that exceeds all expectations every year.

"This yearâs festival will be a real treat.â

During the four-day festival, from Monday to Thursday next week, the students will perform routines influenced by dancers ranging from Bob Fosse and Darcy Bussell to Michael Jackson and Diversity.

Ms Hickman added: âThere are so many styles to perform, so many top choreographers to study, old and young, from all over the world.

"The challenge was to try something new, and yet again the schools have responded magnificently.â

Anyone wishing to take up dancing in the borough can visit www.active-enfield.co.uk for an up-to-date list of classes available for all ages.

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Same Sex Prom Dates: School Cancels Prom Because ... - Gather.com

2010-03-30T22:00:00.001-07:00

It's hard enough being a teenager.Â It's even harder to be true to yourself as a teenager. Good for Constance McMillan to step up for herself. The teenager is a lesbian, who wants to go to her prom.
Her message is "Be true to yourself."Â Senior Constance McMillen, 18, was ready for the prom. She even had a date. But the problem at Itawamba County Agricultural High School, says Strassmann, was her sophomore -- girlfriend.
McMillen told CBS News, "I just want to go to the prom and bring my date, just like everyone else gets to."
The prom is cancelled and McMilliam said she's been told by classmates that she's ruined their senior year.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is seeking a court order to force a Mississippi high school to hold its senior prom. On Wednesday, school officials cancelled the event afterÂ McMillan asked to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo.
CBS News reports that, in Fulton, Miss., charges of discrimination and violation of a teenager's rights have derailed the prom plans. But in Fulton the idea of a lesbian prom couple was a problem. The school board said it violated their policy against same-sex couples at the dance.
So McMillen couldn't bring her girlfriend or wear a tuxedo. Lawyers on all sides got involved. The school board cancelled the dance, saying in a statement the decision was "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events."
McMillen said on "The Early Show"Â that, when she spoke with her school's principal in December about her intentions to bring her girlfriend to the prom, he told her it wasn't allowed. When she asked why, he gave her some story that it was about the tickets for the event.
But McMillen said, "I explained to him that you can't pretend like there's not gay people at our school, and if you tell people they can't bring same-sex date, that is discrimination to them."
McMillen said the feeling at school is "hostile" and "silent" since it was announced the prom has been cancelled.
Students are mad.
McMillen said, "But you'll have people that are going to be like that," she said. "It hurts, but there's nothing I can do about it, but just hope they understand that was never my intention. Now I'm fighting for prom for everybody now."
On a national level, McMillen said, "I just want other kids to know that it's not right for schools to do that and I want them to be able to know that they can get a hold of the ACLU â¦ and they help people through stuff like this. Because schools, they shouldn't be able to do that."
McMillen added that kids need to be true to themselves.
"That's how I was raised," she said. "I don't know how everybody was raised, but that's how I was raised, to always be yourself and be proud of who you are. And it's like they're asking you, like for prom, you can be gay, just don't be openly gay, just hide it for a little while."
Is this fair to Constance McMillen?Â
Source:Â CBS Early Show

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ASU Loss Essentially Ends Arizona Wildcats' NCAA Tournament Streak - Bleacherreport.com

2010-03-30T19:00:00.001-07:00

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After Arizona's win over ASU in January, many fans (myself included) thought that this would be the game that the Wildcats needed to push them forward.Â This would be the game where it clicked for this young squad and they would string together a run to make it to their 26th straight NCAA tournament.

For a week that was true.Â Arizona went on to sweep the Northern California schools at home and push them into sole possession of first place.

Then the second half of the Pac-10 schedule hit them. Arizona has gone 1-4 since February started.

Call it the freshman wall, call it whatever you want.Â With the exception of the Oregon game, the Wildcats have not played inspired basketball since the Cal game.

They come out looking flat with only one or two players looking to step up while the other players just sit back waiting for someone else to make a play.

The loss to ASU was no exception.

Arizona made high school mistakes, such as stepping out of bounds while making bad passes and turnovers at crucial points in the game.Â Just when it seemed like the Wildcats were about to make a run, they fell back into their old ways.Â Each player seemed to be waiting around for a teammate to start making plays.

If the Wildcats are going to stand any chance of making a last stand in the Pac-10 tournament, this will have to change.

This season, the Wildcats have had a tendency to let one of the other team's player score career highs.Â BYU's Jimmer Fredette had 49 points and Washington's Quincy Pondexter had 30.Â ASU's Ty Abbott fell two short of his, scoring 28 points on a day where he couldn't seem to miss.Â This trend is troubling as the season wears on and the Wildcats seem to be worn out.

It is a sad day that this realization comes with a loss to Arizona's rival. If it had happened against one of the better teams in the Pac-10 (ASU is one of the better teams in the Pac-10 for the record) it might be an easier pill to swallow.

Arizona had played big brother to ASU for 23 years, toying with them and letting them win one every once in a while just so it would seem like a rivalry to them.

Now it has become a real rivalry. ASU has won six of seven over the past three years and now their fans can, legitimately, bring up basketball in arguments.

If the Wildcats want to have any chance of seeing the tournament they will have to pull it together during the Pac-10 tournament. The winner of the tournament is likely to be the only team from the Pac-10 invited to the "Big Dance" this year.

With only four games remaining before the Pac-10 tournament, these games will show what kind of team the Arizona Wildcats really are.Â Will they weather the storm and overcome adversity?Â Or will they drown amid the premature hype about going to the tourney?

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Hendrick Construction Completes Butter NC - Earthtimes

2010-03-30T16:00:00.001-07:00

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Hendrick Construction has completed Butter NC ? an 8,300-square-foot night club at the NC Music Factory that recently celebrated its grand opening with appearances from the Black Eyed Peas and Nicky Hilton. This is the second location for the renowned New York celebrity hotspot.

The two-story night club, which is partly owned by top NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, features two dance floors, three main bars with multiple video projections, outside seating and an intimate VIP area.

"What started as just a vision has now become a reality, and I couldn't be happier with the end result," Hamlin said. "Hendrick Construction put in countless hours making sure Butter NC was a success. I can't thank those guys enough for their hard work and determination. Butter NC is in a league of its own, and I'm proud to consider myself a part of it."

Like its Manhattan counterpart, Butter NC was built to be a popular nightspot with world-class DJs, celebrity sightings and an upscale entertainment experience.

"Butter NC is a great addition to the pulse of our region, and it enhances Uptown Charlotte's draw as a memorable destination," said Michael Smith, president and chief executive officer of Center City Partners, which promotes the economic and cultural development of Charlotte's urban core. "It will be a celebrated venue offering a really unique experience not found anywhere else in the Carolinas."

Distinguished by its eclectic decor and elegant artistry, Butter NC was converted from a historic mill, and much of the original 1963 brickwork remains. The venue's unique finishes include massive ceiling displays, velvet walls, oval-shaped oak dance floors, hand-painted bamboo, LED rope lights, chrome suspension lights and a custom-made crystal chandelier.

International touches include large front doors upholstered with cowhide from Argentina, intricate wallpaper from the United Kingdom, Brazilian cherry wood flooring, Indonesian picture frames, and Chinese curtains and light fixtures.

"This has been an exciting project for us," said Roger Hendrick, president of Hendrick Construction. "Butter NC is a one-of-a-kind night club that will enhance the entertainment landscape in Uptown Charlotte."

Butter NC is also owned by Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano. The partners opened New York's Butter location in March 2002.

Located in a fully restored textile mill on 37 acres in Uptown Charlotte, the NC Music Factory is home to more than 20 world-class live music venues, pubs, clubs and restaurants, as well as many of Charlotte's most creative-minded businesses. Visit www.ncmusicfactory.com.

Hendrick Construction, Inc. is a Charlotte, N.C.-based general contractor that provides commercial construction services throughout the Southeast. The company's portfolio includes facilities for corporate headquarters, manufacturing, industrial, health care and bio-tech companies, as well as schools, government buildings, churches, entertainment venues and restaurants. Visit www.hendrickconstruction.com.

SOURCE Hendrick Construction

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Fringe teams battle for Big Dance tickets - NBC Sports

2010-03-30T13:00:00.001-07:00

Coach Bruce Weber's answer to Illinois' recent decline was to push the Illini harder in practice instead of worrying about conserving their legs. The result was an impressive 58-54 victory over No. 13 Wisconsin.
Weber also delivered the ideal answer when asked if he expected that win to get Illinois (19-13) into the NCAA Tournament:
"I know we're in the Big Ten tournament."
Illinois can bolster its case for an at-large bid â" or continue on toward an automatic spot in the tournament in Saturday's semifinal game against No. 1 seed Ohio State.
Illinois isn't alone on the NCAA Tournament bubble:
Washington
Record: 23-9
vs. RPI top 50: 2-2
The case for the Huskies: UW has kind of a mid-major profile. They've beaten a couple quality teams (Texas A&M, California) but lost twice to teams that are .500 or worse (UCLA, Oregon).
Verdict: Without much to disqualify them, there's going to be room for the Huskies on the bracket â" and they're good enough to force their way in by claiming the Pac-10 title.
Rhode Island
Record: 23-8
vs. RPI top 50: 1-4
The case for the Rams: They're among the few bubble teams with a winning mark (7-6) against the top 100. It's such a weak year this has become a badge of honor.
Verdict: The Rams play Temple in the Atlantic 10 semifinals. They might not need a win, but they can't afford to be blown out.
Mississippi State
Record: 22-10
vs. RPI top 50: 1-4
The case for the Bulldogs: A sweep over in-state rival Ole Miss helped them to an 8-6 record against top 100 opponents.
Verdict: When you play in the SEC and your highest-ranked opponent is Old Dominion, it's hard to make the case you're a strong contender.
San Diego State
Record: 24-8
vs. RPI top 50: 3-5
The case for the Aztecs: Friday's victory over New Mexico is their second over UNM and first significant accomplishment away from home.
Verdict: They're 4-6 against the top 100 and have two losses to teams rated in triple digits, but a spot in Saturday's Mountain West final was probably what they needed.

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Schools embrace snow as teaching tool - Chicago Tribune

2010-03-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

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Physical education teacher Cindy Jeffries was prepared to seize the moment when a January snowstorm left several inches of powder covering a 40-acre wilderness area next to Fremont Intermediate School in Mundelein.
She pulled out 25 pairs of snowshoes purchased with a grant from Fremont School District 79's education foundation. An aerobic activity on par with running and swimming, snowshoeing was a perfect complement to the fitness curriculum.
"It's up there as far as getting your heart rate up," Jeffries said.
That mixture of ingenuity and flexibility helps educators around the suburbs find ways to incorporate unpredictable winter weather into the learning process, as well as keep kids active during even in the coldest weather.
Jeffries' classes of third- through fifth-graders strapped on snowshoes at one of several exercise stations. Other activities were indoors and included the school's rock-climbing wall, a game of basketball and a turn at a Dance Dance Revolution video game.
Outdoor field trips are another way schools take advantage of winter weather. When children from Evanston's Chiaravalle Montessori School visit Wayside Woods in Morton Grove, they not only get some physical activity away from their classrooms and in a natural landscape, but they also, educators hope, gain a better understanding of and appreciation for the environment.
Chiaravalle is one of several schools that participate in the Mighty Acorns program, a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and the Cook County Forest Preserve District. Participants work year-round on stewardship projects like removing invasive plants from the forests.
To incorporate snowshoeing into the fitness unit at Fremont Intermediate, teachers monitored the weather and waited for an adequate snowfall. They gave students and parents a one-day warning to wear proper shoes and warm clothing.
The children "were excited to bundle up and get outside and be in the snow," Jeffries said.
Eleven-year-old Matthew Lima of Mundelein said the snowshoes were "kind of a little hard to walk" in at first but, after a while, "it got pretty easy. I would like to try it again."
Phoebe Crabtree, 10, of Wauconda, said her family might add snowshoeing to their winter activities after learning about her experience at school.
Several times a year, students in the first- through third-grade class at Chiaravalle Montessori, along with several parent chaperones, walk six blocks from school to a Pace bus stop, which takes the group to Wayside Woods.
"For a 6-year-old, that's a pretty big adventure," school spokeswoman Beth Caldwell said.
Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 incorporates winter activities in its field trips to the nature center at the grounds of Frost Junior High School in Schaumburg. The center is equipped with snowshoes, said District 54 spokeswoman Terri McHugh.
Spending time outdoors in freezing temperatures is not necessarily a special occasion at area schools. Most schools will send children outdoors for recess as a matter of course, except during the most extreme cold temperatures or unsafe conditions such as icy blacktops.
"For the most part," McHugh said, "we like to get them out as much as possible."
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Schools chief Randy Dorn apologizes for drinking and ... - Seattle Times

2010-03-30T07:00:00.001-07:00

Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn apologized Thursday for drinking and driving, saying in a written statement he is deeply sorry for disappointing his family, supporters and staff, and for failing to set a good example for schoolchildren across the state.

"I will work hard to earn back your trust, and I pledge that I will never make this mistake again," Dorn wrote.

In the statement, Dorn also gave more details about what he had been doing in the hours before his arrest early Sunday for investigation of driving while under the influence of alcohol.

He said he was with his family at an annual crab feed and dance at the Swiss Sportsman Club Park in Bonney Lake, a club he said they have long supported. Because they are members, he said, they stayed late to help clean up the hall.

"I drank beer during the event," he said, "but I thought I was capable of driving home. I now know that drinking any amount of alcohol before driving is an extremely poor choice."

According to police records, an officer in Orting initially stopped Dorn at about 1:15 a.m. for investigation of speeding and for a defective taillight. But then the officer smelled alcohol. The report said Dorn took two sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test at the scene, and failed all three.

When Dorn got out of the car, the officer said he could smell a "strong odor of intoxicants" and observed that Dorn's "eyes were watery, droopy, bloodshot and his face was flushed."

In two breath tests done at the police station about an hour and a half later, Dorn's blood alcohol was reportedly 0.11 percent, higher than the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Much of the delay in administering the last two breath tests was due to Dorn's attempts to contact an attorney, the officer wrote.

Dorn's wife had been in the car with him, according to Tom Ellington, his attorney. Dorn's three sons are all adults.

Dorn, 56, was charged Wednesday with a single count of driving under the influence of alcohol. He was also given a speeding citation for allegedly going about 45 miles an hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone.

The allegations have raised questions about Dorn's judgment as a public official, especially as the state's top schools official.

In his statement Thursday, Dorn said his attorney has asked the city of Orting to release all the documents related to the case, and that his first court hearing will be next Friday.

He said he continues to go to work, although he will take a long-planned vacation next week.

Dorn was elected superintendent in 2008. He oversees everything from state school funding to teacher certification and state exams. He also enforces education laws and advises the Legislature on education issues.

Some elected officials have weathered drunken-driving charges or convictions and remained in office. Political consultants say a lot depends on the details of Dorn's case and how he handles the matter.

Linda Shaw: 206-464-2359 or lshaw@seattletimes.com

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Former Mo. development official killed with another man when plane ... - Minneapolis Star Tribune

2010-03-30T04:00:00.001-07:00

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ST. LOUIS - A small plane that slammed into a southwestern Illinois house and hangar in a subdivision built for aviation enthusiasts never sent out a distress signal before crashing, killing the two flyers who included a banker who once helped guide Missouri's economic development, officials said.
No one on the ground was injured when the single-engine Piper Malibu apparently occupied by Donald Estell went down in the rain Sunday evening while approaching St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia, Ill., just east of the city, St. Clair County Sheriff's Capt. Steve Johnson said.
County Coroner Rick Stone said the victims tentatively have been identified as Estell, a 65-year-old Clayton man who once headed the former Missouri Division of Commerce and Industrial Development, and Robert Clarkson, 68, of Belleville, Ill.
Stone said the intensity of the fiery crash hampered efforts to confirm the victims' identities, meaning genetic testing that could take months may be necessary to make it official. "Right now, we're using common sense" and identifying through circumstantial evidence, including that Estell and Clarkson have not been heard from since the crash, Stone said.
Johnson also said authorities believe two people were on the plane, based on the pilot's flight plan, which listed a passenger. Relatives of that passenger â" presumably Clarkson â" have told investigators that person was to have been aboard the plane, Johnson said.
Stone said the plane was being flown by Estell, a licensed pilot who often having volunteered his services for and served as a board member of Angel Flight Central, a nonprofit agency that arranges charitable flights for humanitarian causes.
The cause of the crash remained unclear. The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it was assisting the investigation but directed questions to the National Transportation Safety Board, the lead agency handling the probe. A Chicago-based NTSB investigator was headed to the crash site and was to brief reporters later Monday, a spokesman for the agency's Washington headquarters said.
Estell had been board chairman of Stern Brothers & Co., a Clayton-based regional investment banking firm, before becoming Commerce Bank's director of public finance last summer.
A man who answered Estell's home telephone Monday declined to comment. Stern Brothers said in a statement it was "deeply saddened" by the death of the former chairman remembered as "a mentor and true gentleman. He touched many and will be missed by all."
Bob McDaniel, the Cahokia airport's director, said the plane, which can seat up to six passengers, was based at the airport and was flying from Vero Beach, Fla.
McDaniel said FAA records show that the plane left Vero Beach at 3:19 p.m. CST Sunday â" about an hour behind schedule â" and was approaching the Cahokia airport in light rain about three hours later when the crash occurred.
"The weather was well within (the pilot's) capabilities," McDaniel said. "It's just somewhat of a mystery."
Johnson said it was a miracle that no one on the ground was injured, noting that the home's occupants were dining out at the time. Neighbors broke out windows to rescue two dogs that were inside the burning house, Johnson said.
Houses in the subdivision have hangars and private runways.

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Yokohama Chinatown Announces Its 24th Spring Festival, the Biggest ... - Consumer Electronics Net

2010-03-30T01:00:00.001-07:00

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Â

February 15, 2010 -- YOKOHAMA, Japan, BUSINESS WIRE --
Chun Jie, or "Spring Festival", represents the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year, and Yokohama Chinatown celebrates it in style. Over 4000 fortune blessing flags and Lion Dance lanterns are illuminating the streets of Chinatown. The Symbolic Tree of Yamashitacho Park is radiating the light of countless illuminations, proclaiming the start of the New Year.

During this festive season, Chinatown celebrates the New Year with various performances. "Gorakuhyouen" temple concerts will be held in Yamashitacho Park on the 20th and 27th of February and will consist of two sessions each. The acrobatic performances of Chinatown's famous Lion Dance and Dragon Dance will start at 1pm, with the second half of the show featuring the first collaboration performance of four female Chinese artists. These performances entail the traditional art of Chinese dancing, singing, and classical instruments. Moreover, as the special guest of honor of this event, Chinatown will welcome the artist amin, goodwill ambassador of this year's Shanghai World Expo, to make a grand performance in Yamashitacho Park on the 27th from 12:00 noon.

The highlight of the Spring Festival is the parade of "shukumaiyukou", which will be performed on the 21st from 2pm. This parade is the best acknowledged event of the festival due to its grand scale and extravagant national costumes. This year, Chinatown proudly announces that the number of participants has doubled in comparison to the previous year, entailing over 220 members joining efforts to commemorate to this holiday. Lion Dance performers will include children from local nurseries, kindergartens, and students from junior high schools, all within Chinatown. Many people gather for this event for the performances, as they are famous for bringing luck when the Lions imitate nibbling the heads of the spectators.

The finale of the festival is marked with the candle light service in the sacred temple of Guandimiao on the 28th from 5:30pm. The ceremony also features Chinese spiritual dance performances to rejoice the New Year, symbolized by approximately 500 candles placed around the temple. Messages are written on these candles, to call upon the blessing of good harvest and happiness in the New Year.

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Dance School

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The Champion of the Pac-10 as Its Sole Entry?

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Bullying raises questions about schools' vigilance

Parent, student voices swell as more 'bullycides' reach media, courts

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What happens to schools that close

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By Bill Iddings | The Muskegon Chronicle

April 04, 2010, 5:39AM

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Annual benefit dinner, dance

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