Sunflower Creative Arts
Notes from the Garden

October 2011  

In This Issue
Parenting Support
On the blog
October Films
Important Dates
Theatre Update
Playful Yoga!
Thank You

 
Susan Caruso
Artistic Director 
  Jennifer Ligeti
Managing Director
Jaime Greenberg 
 Communications Director
Victoria Green
Social Media and PR Manager
Dorota Salas
Bookkeeper
Carol Vogt
Quickbooks Consultant 

Ellen Stone 
Cultural and Environmental Consultant
 
 
Sunflower Board of Directors
 

Crystal MacLean

President
Ani Smith 
Vice President 
Claire Teller  
Secretary/Treasurer
Sharon Baker
Bill Epstein

Lora McCoy

Edgar An

Keith Richardson

Russell Parker

Susan Caruso

2601 Saint Andrews Blvd.
Boca Raton, FL 33434

561 482-3412

Parenting Support
Sunflower offers several opportunities for parent support during the month...

Parent Toolbox
Fridays
3:00--4:30 pm
at Sunflower

$15 per class, childcare included.
Call 561 482-3412 to resister.

Individual, personalized support for your parenting challenges. The group shares ideas and real tools you can add to your parenting toolbox.

Share & Learn Park Playdates
Third Fridays
9:30--10:30 am
local parks--check calendar for details

Next playdate coming up Oct. 21!

Free. Susan leads parents in a discussion based on Richard Louv's Last Child In The Woods while the children play.

For more information on Sunflower's Parenting Support offerings, visit our website.

 

On the Sunflower Blog : Peace... and Risk 
Some of the things we've been writing about this month:

Seeding Peace - 10-10-2011 Susan and Sunflower Roots & Shoots coordinator Ellen Stone tell about a project that's popping up all over our local community

Experiencing Risk - 10-07-2011 Jonathan's thoughts on experiencing risk and the possibility of physical danger and why it's okay--even beneficial--to let our kids do that (with our presence and support, of course).

Improvisation - 10-05-2011 Jaime writes about improvisation in theatre and life and how taking risks on stage can help children gain confidence and find their voice.

Recipe for Peace - 09-30-2011 Want peace? Make some! Jonathan shares his recipe.  
 

topGreetings!
 

October Films
We'll be screening two films in October that show interesting, unique views of education.

To Be and To Have movie posterSunflower Share & Learn Pizza and Film
"To Be and To Have"
Saturday, Oct. 22, 3:00--5:00 pm
$10/adult
Limited childcare available $10/child, $7 each additional child. Call 561 482-3412 to RSVP

A fascinating glimpse into how children spend the year in a fairy tale rural setting in central France. Features a one room school house with just one soft spoken male teacher for the dozen children ages 3-12.

The discussion following should be very interesting as we dissect what we think works and what doesn't, what is truly important for our children's education, the differences in our cultures and the similarities of children the world over.

August to June film logo
Reel Politique and Sunflower present
"August to June"
Saturday, Oct. 29, 7:00--9:00 pm
$5 suggested donation

This film explores an alternative school vision in practice right here in the US. This remarkable film documents an amazing public school program in California that glimmers with hope and creates a model for educating our most precious resource.

I challenge everyone to take from each film what inspires you and work together to make even the tiniest change for the better in our Florida schools for the benefit of all children. Amy Valens, the teacher featured in the film will be present to answer questions and offer insight.

A limited number of copies of the film are available for sale for home viewing only. Call 561 482-3412 to reserve a copy.
More Important Dates
Check our website calendar often for updates! We update this page each Monday.

Roots & Shoots Pearl City Community Garden Service Day 
Saturday, Oct. 15
9:00 -- 10:30 am
Pearl City Community Garden, Boca Raton

Call 561 482-3412 for directions and to RSVP.
We need wheelbarrows! Please bring one if you have one.

CPR Training (for parents and teachers) 
Saturday, Oct. 22
*CPR Heartsaver + First Aid class: 9:00 am --12:30 pm
OR
*BLS certification (more advanced): 8:30 am --12:30 pm
at Sunflower

*Either program is $25, paid directly to CPR Etc.
For more information or to register, call 561 482-3412.

Sunflower Theatre Skit Shows
Sunday, Nov. 6
4:00 -- 7:00 pm
at Sunflower

$7 for adults. $5 for children ages 4-18, free for ages 3 & under.

The evening will include a kids' flea market (all ages bring a beach towel's worth of items to trade with other kids), family potluck dinner, and performances by all of our theatre groups: Storytime Drama, Theatre Workshop, Shakespeare for Everyone, We Love Shakespeare! and Teen Improv.

Share & Learn Family Pizza and Film
Saturday, Nov. 12
3:00 -- 5:00 pm
"August to June"
at Sunflower


$5 per person. Limited childcare available: $10/child, $7 each additional child. Please call 561 482-3412 to RSVP for childcare by Wed., Nov. 9. 

 

Sunflower Theatre Update
We Love Shakespeare!We Love Shakespeare!
In honor of our twelfth full year of Shakespeare classes here at Sunflower, We Love Shakespeare! is working towards a spring production of Twelfth Night.

For the very first time, this group will present a play without scripts. Susan will use tools and exercises gained during her recent training at Piven Theatre Workshop in Chicago to build the play scene by scene and make each scene really ring with truth, while holding on to the fantastic character development and emotional intensity that is the trademark of Sunflower Shakespeare performances.
 
We are looking for one or two more members to join our cast this year. Call 561 482-3412 for an interview and to visit the class.

Shakespeare for Everyone
Sunflower is happy to announce our collaboration with Achievement Centers for Children and Families Beacon After-school Program at Village Academy in Delray Beach. Many thanks to Target, Miss Rose Newbold Blackett and Miss Linda who assists Susan at Village Academy each week.

Our troupe is working at Village Academy to prep for our debut performance at the Sunflower Skit Show on Nov 6. We are pulling together scenes from Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream along with some monologues and famous speeches from some other plays.

The first half of the year will end on Nov. 14 with a performance at Village Academy followed by a cast party! In the second half of the year we will perform at a senior citizen center and present our second annual Shakespeare Mini Fest complete with fairy circle dancing, newspaper sword fighting and Shakespeare character dress up and photos followed by a performance by Shakespeare for Everyone.

Playful Yoga Afternoon
Save the date! Jan. 29, 2012, 2:30 pm, Sunflower is holding a two-hour Yoga Event fundraiser at Yoga Sol studio in Delray. Cost: $30, includes Yoga, tea, meditation, goody bag, and more.

Looking for the perfect Holiday Gift? Gift Certificates to this event are available for purchase now! Contact Jennifer Ligeti in the Sunflower office, Jennifer@sunflowercreativearts.org or 561 482-3412
Thank You Friends!
Thank you to Marisa Nesse, Denise Carreau and Kim Guelig for organizing fundraisers so far this year.

Thank you to Lowes and Debbie McAllister for giving us a great price on a great little fridge.

And a big thank you to everyone who spreads the word about our classes. We couldn't do what we do without your support!

Join our community on Facebook, Meetup, YouTube and Twitter.

 
Visit our blog There's always good reading on the Sunflower blog!

 Love Sunflower? Spread the word!

All the best,


Susan Caruso
Sunflower Creative Arts