Free Arts and Enrichment For Inner City Children

O'Brien and Gere chooses Imagine Syracuse for 2011 Ice Hockey Fundraiser!

2011-02-27T21:22:00.000-05:00

Greetings:
Re: Annual ARCADIS/ O’Brien & Gere Hockey Tournament to benefit Imagine Syracuse www.Imaginesyracuse.com

On behalf of ARCADIS, C&S Companies, Employees of National Grid, and O’Brien & Gere, we invite you to support the 10th Annual Benefit Hockey Tournament to be held on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at the War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse, NY. What started out in 2001 as a friendly cross-town hockey rivalry between environmental and engineering consulting firms (ARCADIS and O’Brien & Gere), has now become an annual event to benefit causes close to our families and communities.

The event’s success has lead to the annual fundraiser becoming an all day tournament. Now in its 10th year, C&S Companies and Employees of National Grid have joined the fun and fundraising event that features teams made up of players from each of the four companies. The Saturday tournament will feature four games including consolation and championship games prior to the Syracuse Crunch game on Saturday March 26th 2011.

IMAGINE SYRACUSE, BUILD-A-BRIDGE

This year’s game will benefit Imagine Syracuse, a non-profit agency who helps Build-A-Bridge to the community by providing free arts and enrichment for underserved children in Central New York. Imagine Syracuse offers programs to help youth become productive and engaged citizens such as:
 Music programs modeled after El Sistema and Tune Up Philly, and in collaboration with Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and Say Yes To Education
 Educational and career-oriented field trips and guest speakers to expand opportunities and find mentors for children
 Art teaching through digital photography and filmmaking, story quilting, and mural painting
 Dance classes in hip hop, Zumba, ballroom dancing, and African dancing.
 Public service projects for teens

What started as serving 10 children in 2008 has grown to 150 youth aging 5 to 13 years old. Imagine Syracuse has expanded its services to the Boys and Girls Club, Vincent House, La Liga, and Peace Inc, to name a few.

The needs of these underserved children are significant and it is through this tournament that we have a goal to raise $20,000 to help sustain their program offerings.

HISTORY OF THE GAME
The history of this event as a benefit game began in January 2001 when John J. LaManche, an employee of O’Brien & Gere and original member of the annual rivalry game, passed away unexpectedly. John exemplified integrity, dedication, perseverance, and character, and his passing inspired the transformation of a rivalry game to a benefit game. Past recipients of the benefit game have included:

Years 1-4: The John J. LaManche Scholarship Fund which provides annual awards to Marcellus High School (John’s alma matter) students that shared John’s qualities.

Year 5: The families of ARCADIS’s Michelle Greene and O’Brien & Gere’s Scott MacKnight, both of whom passed away at early ages leaving behind young families.
ANNUAL ARCADIS/O’BRIEN & GERE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT IMAGINE SYRACUSE

Year 6: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness honoring our survivors & remembering those lost

Year 7: The Make-A-Wish Foundation. Proceeds granted wishes for twin 8-year old brothers who continue to battle Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy.

Year 8: The American Red Cross of Central New York’s Disaster Relief services.

Year 9: Ronald McDonald Charities of Central New York. Proceeds enabled a room naming in memory of five year old Joseph James Marotta (the son of ARCADIS employee Serese Marotta) who passed away from complications of H1N1.
Through the generosity of many, our fundraising results have totaled over $70,000 since our first game in 2001. We appreciate your consideration and hope that you’ll join us in reaching this year’s goal!

Sincerely,

Jason Vogel ARCADIS

Rob Neimeier

O’Brien & Gere
Bill Perrine

C&S Companies
Bill Hopkins

Employees of National Grid
2010 ARCADIS/O’Brien & Gere Teams

ANNUAL ARCADIS/O’BRIEN & GERE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT IMAGINE SYRACUSE
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

2011 Charitable Recipient: Imagine Syracuse
[Registered 501 (c)( 3 )]. Tax exemption code: 27-1857608

Sponsorship Base Package: Pre-game promotion on the Imagine Syracuse website with live links to sponsor’s websites, signage recognition at the games and family reception, scoreboard recognition during the consolation and championship games, and verbal thank you during the games and during the family reception.

 SHUT OUT LEVEL – EXCLUSIVE TOURNAMENT SPONSOR $2,500 Includes Base Package plus organization name on the front cover of the game program, 2’ x 3’ poster board displayed at two game sign-in tables and at the family reception, and company logo displayed on the Press Box LED Lighting Loop.

 FAMILY RECEPTION SPONSOR (2 OPENINGS) $2,000 EACH Includes Base Package plus organization name on the back page of the game program, and 2’ x 3’ poster board displayed at the reception.

 CHUCK-A-PUCK SPONSOR (1 OPENING) $750 Includes Base Package plus organization name in the middle of the game program, and verbal recognition between Periods 2 and 3 of the championship game.

 GAME PUCKS SPONSOR (1 OPENING) SOLD- AccutestIncludes Base Package plus organization name/logo on one side of 200 pucks with the tournament and Imagine Syracuse information on the other.

 FAMILY SKATE SPONSOR (1 OPENING) $500 Includes Base Package plus organization name on the back page of the game program, company name displayed and announced during the family skate.

 PERIOD SPONSOR (4 OPENINGS Left) 1 sold to Abscope 1 to Mr&Mrs Killorin $500 EACH Includes Base Package plus organization name on the middle of the game program, and verbal recognition during consolation and championship games.

 PLAYER SPONSOR 250 EACH 1 - OpTech, 1 - Avalon Printing 2 - Ashtead, 1 - Mr &Mrs Killorin, 1 - Near West Side Initiative Includes Base Package plus organization name noted with the Team Rosters within the game program.

Please make all checks payable to Imagine Syracuse and send to Allison Schad, ARCADIS, 6723 Towpath Road, PO Box 66, Syracuse, NY 13214-0066.

For more information, please contact:

Jason Vogel – ARCADIS (Jason.Vogel@arcadis-us.com / 315-671-9134)

Rob Neimeier - O’Brien & Gere (rob.neimeier@obg.com / 315-956-6321)

Bill Perrine – C&S Companies (bperrine@cscos.com / 315-455-2000)

Bill Hopkins – Employees of National Grid (hockeydad@ymail.com) / 315-935-5672

8000 DONATED BOOKS!!!!!

2010-11-01T11:03:00.000-04:00

A huge thank you goes out to Brenda and Barry Voll, Chris Voll, Shannon Flickinger and Steven Siano for "Reading It Forward" to Imagine Syracuse! This group of Liverpool High School literacy advocates dropped 8,000 books at Imagine Syracuse this weekend to be donated to Imagine Syracuse children. Some of the books are earmarked for Miss Vanessa Johnson's AfricaBound program this summer to help start a local library in Ghana. Some of the 1000 Pre-K board books collected will help to create a toddler and Pre-K library at The M.O.S.T. And finally, some will go to Stephanie Breed from Books Are Food For Thought, a nonprofit providing free books for all children on the school lunch program.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE NOV. 1-Nov. 5

2010-11-01T10:54:00.001-04:00

Mon: Field Trip to Light Work Galleries and Community Darkrooms
Tues: MUSIC i.s. African Drumming and Dance 4-5 p.m. (Seymour)
Wed: MUSIC i.s. Gospel Choir 4-5 p.m. (Seymour)
Thurs: ART i.s. "ME! Books" (Seymour)
Fri: HIP HOP (Seymour); BOXING (Huntington); ZUMBA (Determination Ctr.)

Imagine Syracuse schedule for week of OCT. 18-22, 2010

2010-10-15T10:18:00.002-04:00

Schedule for week of Oct. 18-22

Monday - no Imagine

Tuesday - African Drumming and Dance 4-5 p.m. Seymour SChool

Wednesday - no Imagine - no school

Thursday - Art i.s. PHOTOGRAPHY Class and ME! Books 4-5:30 p.m. Seymour School room 218

Friday - Hip Hop at Seymour from 4-5, Boxing at Huntington from 3-4, Zumba at Determination Center from from 4-5.

FALL 2010 IMAGINE SYRACUSE PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE IS HERE!

2010-09-27T21:50:00.000-04:00

Dear Volunteers,
Thank you for your patience as we roll out Fall programming at last!

All Imagine programs will run in four, 7-week long blocks throughout the academic year. We are expanding our reach to all Near Westside neighborhood after-school programs this year. Sign-ups for classes will be ongoing with each block. Classes will operate mostly out of Seymour School, across the street from Huntington Family Centers. However, locations are subject to change depending on the needs of the after-school programs we serve. We go where we're needed! Your continued patience is appreciated as we work out the kinks.

High School Volunteers! I know many of you have service hours to fulfill. As always, check the website for class updates and locations, then come on down. We welcome general volunteers in all areas except ART - ART VOLUNTEERS are by application only.

Mondays: LIFE i.s. (Career and Community Connections) - Field trips, field trips and more field trips. Check here for the monthly schedule and meet us at the location. The more hands, eyes and chaperones, the better!

Tuesdays and Wednesdays: MUSIC i.s. (Imagine Syracuse Young Musician's Project) - We need your voices, musical talents and lack thereof, but mostly we need your friendship and mentoring abilities for the children involved in Imagine The Music. Think African drumming meets gospel choir meets Mozart meets Glee :)

Thursdays: ART i.s. (Imagine Me) Art programming is open only to selected volunteers with a keen interest and technical ability in each designated project...digital photography, sculpture, filmmaking and editing, mural painting, graffiti as art, etc... read more about it below.

Fridays: DANCE i.s. (African dance, hip hop, ballet) Workin on a partnership with some amazing teachers from One Village Dance Center in the Westcott neighborhood. Join the fun!

FALL BLOCK SCHEDULE: OCT. 4- NOV. 19 2010

Mondays: 4-6 p.m. LIFE i.s. - Career and Community Connections. (Educational field trips with Jessie Keating in and around the Syracuse community. Huntington children/youth only as we work out insurance and transportation issues).
Ages 9 and up
CLASS SIZE: 15

Tuesdays: 4-5 p.m. MUSIC i.s. - Imagine Syracuse Young Musician's Project (African drumming with Etse Nyadedzor/Bob's Bucket Band with SSO Children's Director Bob Allen)
Ages 9 and up
CLASS SIZE: 25

Wednesdays: 4-5 p.m. MUSIC i.s. - Imagine Syracuse Young Musician's Project (Gospel Choir/Show Choir with SSO Children's Director Bob Allen, Brian Moore and gospel sensation Markita Collins)
Ages 9 and up
CLASS SIZE: unlimited

Thursdays: 4-6 p.m. ART i.s.- Imagine Me: Creating self portraits through digital photography, movable murals (life size portrait cut outs), Pop Art and Wire Sculpture to express and explore identity via the clothes they wear, the music they listen to, the things they love and hate, the messages they write and receive. Student Artists learn to create a museum exhibition to show their artwork at various galleries in Syracuse. Led by Imagine Art Directors Becky Jackson and Betsey Sipple, with visiting artists and art-focused field trips scheduled in all four blocks.
AGES 9-12
CLASS SIZE: 15

Fridays: 4-5 p.m. DANCE i.s. - HIP HOP / AFRICAN DANCE / BALLET
AGES 9 and up
CLASS SIZE: 15 in each class

CONTACT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JESSIE KEATING AT jessie.keating@imaginesyracuse.com, or 315.243.6204 with questions.

PEACE!

Imagine Syracuse Summer Field Trip Schedule is here!

2010-06-22T22:28:00.003-04:00

Imagine Syracuse's summer program runs July 9-August 13.

We primarily run educational and fun Field Trips during Summer programming. Please join us anytime, anywhere! No sign-ups necessary; however, we do ask that you meet us at our destination as van space is precious!

Call Executive Director Jessie Keating, 449-2017, or 243-6204, with any questions!

Friday, July 9th, Summer Artist Series at the Zen Center of Syracuse (1-4 p.m.); 266 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. Presenter: Jackie Warren Moore (poetry)

Monday, July 12th, Summer Artist Series at the Zen Center (10 a.m.-1p.m.); 266 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. Presenter: Clint Shenandoah (painting)

Thursday, July 15th, Reva Rollerdome Rollerskating Party (10-12:30 p.m.); 357 West Genesee Street, Auburn. Then, Harriet Tubman House tour (1 p.m.); 180 South Street, Auburn.

Friday, July 16th, Summer Artist Series at the Zen Center (1-4 p.m.); 266 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. Presenter: Cultural Eclectic (Performance Art)

Monday, July 19th, Summer Artist Series at the Zen Center (1-4 p.m.); 266 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. Presenter: Tom Huff (Soapstone Carving)

Tuesday, July 20th, News 10 Now Newsroom Tour (noon); 815 Erie Boulevard East

Monday, August 2nd, Summer Artist Series at the Zen Center (10 a.m.-1 p.m.); 266 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. Presenter: Ellen Blalock (Photography and Videography)

Thursday, August 5, Museum of Science and Technology (9:30 a.m. - ?); Armory Square, Syracuse.

Monday, August 9, Crane-Making Workshop (1 p.m.) at Huntington by Syracuse Peace Council and Peace Action of Central New York; 405 Gifford Street, Syracuse

Monday, August 9, Vacation Bible School (9 a.m. - noon); St. Lucy's Church, Gifford Street, Syracuse.

Monday, August 9, Summer Sports Camp (2:30 - 4:30 p.m.); Skiddy Park, Syracuse

Tuesday, August 10, Vacation Bible School (9 a.m. - noon); St. Lucy's Church, Gifford Street, Syracuse.

Tuesday, August 10, Summer Sports Camp (1-4 p.m.); Skiddy Park, Syracuse

Wednesday, August 11, Vacation Bible School (9 a.m. - noon); St. Lucy's Church, Gifford Street, Syracuse.

Wednesday, August 11, Summer Sports Camp (1-4 p.m.); Skiddy Park, Syracuse

Thursday, August 12, Vacation Bible School (9 a.m. - noon); St. Lucy's Church, Gifford Street, Syracuse.

Thursday, August 12, Summer Sports Camp (K-3rd graders ONLY) (1-4 p.m.); Skiddy Park

Thursday, August 12, Summer Artist Series at the Zen Center (1-4 p.m.); 266 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. Presenter: Etse Nyadedzor (Master drummer from Ghana)

Imagine Syracuse is LEGAL!!!!!!!

2010-04-28T10:23:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 we received notice from the IRS that our 501c3 tax exempt nonprofit status has been approved! We can now accept tax deductible donations in Imagine Syracuse's name. Thank you Peggy Ogden! And thank you Buster Melvin of Costello Cooney & Fearon, PLLC!

SPRING BREAK!

2010-04-16T09:34:00.000-04:00

There will be no program at Imagine Syracuse next week. Enjoy your vacations and get ready for our final Syracuse Stage Backstory performance - "Hip/Shake" - in the coming weeks. Date to be announced!

Imagine Syracuse, Inc.!!!!

2010-01-26T22:45:00.001-05:00

As of today, Tuesday, February 26, 2010, Imagine Syracuse, Inc. is officially a not-for-profit organization in New York State! Thank you everyone!!! We did it!

January and February Schedule!

2010-01-21T18:41:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone!
Here is the tentative schedule for January and February. Please remember to check the website, email and facebook before program to ensure there are no cancellations or changes!

January:
Tuesday Jan. 26th : Imagine Language Institute
Wednesday Jan. 27th: Poetry Workshop
Thursday Jan. 28th: NO TIME FOR ART PROGRAM! Parent meeting
February:
Tues. Feb. 2: Imagine Language Institute
Wed. Feb. 3: Poetry Workshop/Career Night Guest Speaker: Syracuse City Police
Thurs. Feb. 4: Imagine Time For Art

Tues. Feb. 9: Imagine Language Institute
Wed. Feb. 10: Poetry Workshop
Thurs. Feb. 11: NO PROGRAM - PARENT MEETING

Feb. 16 - 18 - NO PROGRAM WINTER BREAK

Tues, Feb. 23: LOOKING GLASS ALICE SYRACUSE STAGE - Backstage tour plus free show!
Wed. Feb. 24: Poetry Workshop
Thurs: Feb. 25: Imagine Time For Art

DeWitt Community Church Mission of the Month Speech

2010-01-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

DeWitt Community Church graciously allowed Imagine Syracuse to be their January Mission of the Month! These generous folks were the angels funding our entire first year of programming. If you missed the speech this Sunday, here it is:

My name is Jessie Keating and I am the Executive Director of Imagine Syracuse, a free arts and enrichment resource for inner city children. I would like to start by thanking DeWitt Community Church’s Christian Caring Committee for selecting us to not only own a coveted space on the annual Mission of the Month list, but to put us FIRST on the list this year!

Most of you know who we are, but let me give you a brief history of how we came to be. As your former Youth Minister, I started this organization nearly a year ago with a very special group of young people – your very own daughters and sons, granddaughters and grandsons – right here in the basement of your very own church. I stood at this podium nearly a year ago with the seed of an idea, and YOU, the members of DeWitt Community Church, were the angels who funded it. Without you, we could not have accomplished all that we have. God had a plan for us. You see, He took us to the Dominican Republic two summers in a row where he took hold of our hearts. And then he turned our hearts toward a place less than 5 miles away – the Near West Side of Syracuse. The 10th poorest neighborhood IN THE COUNTRY. Where we woke up to the fact that a very unequal playing field exists for the most innocent of humans – his Children. Inner city children face a 50% dropout rate in the Syracuse City School District. And while many reasons exist for this sad statistic, there is a glaring omission in their education: access to arts, enrichment and athletics. These key aspects to growing children into productive young men and women are left out for one simple reason – economics. And we, as the“haves’ have nothing short of an OBLIGATION to force change and right a social and unjust wrong. These kids deserve the same opportunities as ours.

DeWitt Community Church and its members stood up a year ago and said YES to God. BECAUSE OF YOU, Dottie and Bob Clark, and YOU Kim Zook, And YOU Maggie Dennis, and YOU, Joe Hall, and YOU Sarah Hall and Grammy Hall and the Roney Family, and Peggy Ogden and Dan, Maggie and Lila Keating and Carol Russo and Rene Marchak and Greg Avellino and Rose Avellino and Jessica Straub and Rebecca Ferguson and Mark Sommers and alllllll the rest of You who volunteered and opened your hearts and your checkbooks and took leaps of faith … here’s what we – YOU AND US - accomplished together in less than one year:

We now run a program for 35 children 4 days a week on the Near West Side. On Tuesdays it’s the Imagine Language Institute, teaching Spanish, French, Italian and soon Mandarin. On Wednesdays it’s Imagine Careers, bringing in guest entrepreneur role models in the African and Latin American communities, taking children on field trips, exposing them to art, culture, business and educational opportunities, teaching monthly poetry and writing workshops. On Thursday we run TIME FOR ART, teaching 44 diverse artists from Frida Kahlo to Zen Gardening. On Fridays we run Dance programs. YOU have taken our children horseback riding at Arise at the Farm, to Matthew 25 Farm in Tully to learn agriculture, to CNY gymnastics, to Waste Management to plant wildflower fields, to Syracuse Stage, to the Turner to Cezanne exhibit at the Everson Museum, to the DOME to be on the field across from Martin Luther King III to witness the renaming of the football field to the Ernie Davis Legends Field. YOU bought a hot, nutritious meal for every child every night at Imagine. This list goes on.

Every day, we aspire to one goal: to ignite the minds of these children so that they, themselves, can light their OWN way out of the dark cycle of poverty. Every day, before program begins, our children recite the Imagine SYracuse promise—it’s the only thing we ask of them in return: I promise to dream out loud, I promise to hold my head up proud, I promise to never be another face in the crowd. I WILL graduate high school. I WILL graduate college. I WILL become my best possible self.

WE now stand at a crossroads. Our nonprofit status is pending. Our board of directors is forming. And we need our own space. We’ve been blessed by our partner, Huntington Family Centers Inc., with a space and a group of children to pilot year ONE. Now we need room to embrace every middle-school aged child in that neighborhood. We are looking at a ridiculously low cost, 25000 sq ft space in the neighborhood. The SU School of Architecture has agreed to design it. We just need the funds to buy it, to gut it, and to open its doors. Our vision is a funkier, artsier version of the Y, or maybe even the Jewish Community Center. We need dedicated space for dance, classrooms, a tech lab, a children’s art gallery, an athletic facility with work out equipment and elementary level gymnastics equipment. And it has to be beautiful, urban, modern, inspiring…no more dingy basements, tiny windowless rooms, grey walls. Phase by phase, we will become the one-stop shopping answer to prayers for families and for after school programming in the neighborhood desperate for resources.

Yeahhh, we need a million or two. Yeah, I know that’s a big number. We also need a hundred or two, to keep the hot meals coming, to pay for field trips, to pay our teachers, to buy art supplies. I’m not afraid to put the numbers out there. God has had us in the palm of his hand since moment one, and he’s not letting us off the hook now. Nothing good comes easy, but we will stay in the trenches until it’s upon us.

Let me close with a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that I’ve now pasted to my bathroom mirror – I’ve taken the liberty to be gender inclusive here. “"It is not the critic who counts: not the person who points out how the strong person stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the people who are actually in the arena, whose faces are marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strive valiantly, who err and come up short again and again --because there is no effort without error or shortcoming -- but who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spend themselves for a worthy cause; who, at the best, know, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if they fail, at least they fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Thank you, DCC, for stepping into this dusty, sweaty, bloody arena with us. This triumph is as much YOURS as it is Ours. If we fail - and I don’t think we will - we fail daring greatly, together.
Thank you.

Holidays at Imagine

2009-12-23T18:33:00.000-05:00

Our amazing Imagine Clubs have gone above and beyond this season. A huge thank you to Imagine FM for putting together Christmas goody bags for every one of our students. Rose Avellino, Jess Straub and others worked hard to put the gifts together, and it made our children soooo happy! Also, a big thanks to the Spaghetti Warehouse for giving us a great discount on our Holiday Dinner excursion. The children were able to practice manners and etiquette which they learned the evening before with Miesje Havens of the Refined School of Protocol and Etiquette. Finally, Imagine JD is doing a winter coat drive and will deliver the jackets to future IMagine students at the Spanish Action League! Thank you, Joe Hall for all you do!!! We are on break and will resume regular programming on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010. See you then!

JOIN US TUESDAY, NOV. 24th FOR THANKSGIVING AT IMAGINE

2009-11-14T16:25:00.002-05:00

MAMA ZOOK will be preparing a Thanksgiving Dinner for our Imagine students on Tuesday, Nov. 24th. All volunteers are invited to come and share in this special dinner!

Imagine JD Volleyball Tournament/Fundraiser HUGE success!

2009-11-11T17:37:00.001-05:00

Imagine JD rounded up more than 100 students to participate in a volleyball tournament Friday, Oct. 30th, raising more than $400 for Imagine Syracuse! A huge thank you to Joe Hall, Nickole Wickham, Austin Davis, Austin Roney, Sally Zheng, Natalie Frank, Teacher/Advisor Mrs. Glauber and the Imagine JD club for making this happen. MY TEENAGERS NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME. They inspire me every single day. In other fundraising news, Imagine FM is planning a Christmas gift drive for children in the program, and Imagine Nottingham is officially up and running and scheduled to volunteer each month for the remainder of the school year. Every month they do a 50/50 teacher/student raffle, and are saving to join the DR Trip this summer. Thanks to Teacher/Advisor Lisa Orlando and all the awesome kids in her Spanish classes who jumped on board after our presentation at their high school last month. Let's keep the momentum going!!

Imagine TALK!!!

2009-10-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

Our newest addition to the Imagine Syracuse curriculum starts on Wednesday evenings: It's called Imagine Talk. Imagine Talk is small group mentoring, chatting about school, life, boys, girls, personal issues our children might be having, etc. Run by Natalie Frank and Rose Avellino, this new program fits perfectly into our program goal of building a strong, safe community for Imagine children to become their best possible selves. Thank you Natalie and Rose!

Imagine Schedule Week of October 26th

2009-10-26T15:20:00.001-04:00

Tuesday: 5 to 7:30 Imagine Language Institute team taught by Stevi Wilson, Joy Kelleher and Traci Brady for Spanish and French, and Rosann Perla begins the Italian section next Tuesday. Syracuse University Fraternity students are now regular volunteers each night, and will be working alongside our high school volunteers as mentors and teachers.

Wednesday: 5 to 7:30 Imagine Careers -- join us for Children's Fiction Writing 101, and Drama and Theater Night with Melissa Bebernes.

Thursday: 5 to 7:30 Imagine Time For Art IS CANCELLED THIS WEEK! Huntington's Parent Meeting is Thursday. We will reschedule the Everson trip in the next few weeks.

Friday: NO PROGRAM!!!!! It's a 1/2 day in the Syracuse City School District.

See ya next week!

OCTOBER SCHEDULE

2009-09-30T18:27:00.000-04:00

We are open for business!
October 6-9
October 13-16
October 20(NO CLASSES), 21, 22, 23
October 27-29, NO CLASS OCT 30

OCTOBER 30: Don't miss Imagine JD vs. Imagine ESM Devil's Night Volleyball Tournament Fundraiser at JDHS. Details to come!

October Imagine Syracuse!!!

2009-09-21T12:07:00.000-04:00

Find our monthly schedule here! Kim Zook is our new Volunteer Coordinator, so if you have any questions or would like to set up regular volunteer visits, email her at kim.zook@imaginesyracuse.com. She will be keeping the schedule of volunteers!

October:
Tuesday 6, Wed 7 ,Thurs 8 ,Friday 9
Tuesday 13 ,Wed 14, Thurs 15, Friday 16
Tues 20, Wed 21, Thurs 22, Fri 23
Tues 27, Wed 28 ,Thurs 29, (no class Friday, the 30th)

See you soon!

Teaching Tips and General Info For Volunteers

2009-09-12T18:15:00.002-04:00

DAILY SCHEDULE:
CLASSES BEGIN OCTOBER 6th, 2009 at Huntington Family Center
405 Gifford Street, Syracuse. Rides are available if requested!

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Friday: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Imagine Language Institute – Spanish, French, Mandarin classes
Wednesday: Imagine Careers: Culinary, theater, guest speakers, field trips
Thursday: Imagine Time For Art™
Friday: Hip Hop/Dance with Sarah Gualtieri and Melissa Bebernes

SO, HOW CAN YOU HELP?

1. VOLUNTEER! We are looking for high school-aged and older lead teachers, assistant teachers and classroom helpers. All classes have been planned ahead for you. We’ll get you the curriculum before your scheduled teaching day.
2. GET CREATIVE! If you have a personal skill or gift to teach, let us help you design a customized class.
3. HELP DESIGN CURRICULUM! If you are a certified teacher, help us design relevant enrichment courses.
4. FUNDRAISE! We run on private funding alone at this time. Build up Imagine clubs in your high schools by talking to your principal and recruiting a few friends. Meet monthly to discuss and put on fundraisers like Imagine Syraucse rubber bracelet sales, carwashes, bake sales, dance-a-thons, talent shows, etc.
5. FUNDRAISE SOME MORE! Have a birthday party or dinner party and ask guests to donate to Imagine Syracuse.

TEACHING TIPS:
1. Talk slowly and loudly when teaching.
2. Act everything out as you say it, especially when teaching a foreign language.
3. Always put kids in line yourself during transitions.
4. Everyone needs to help get kids quiet and seated during opening, closing and during transitions. Please don't sit and watch the chaos! Hands ON!!!
5. Enforce hand-raising.
6. Constantly circulate and manage kids to get them to listen and pay attention to the "lead" teacher. A tap on the shoulder, a shhh finger to lips, point to teacher, zip your lip motion, eyeballs up, whatever works! But be vigilant. When it's your turn to lead teach, you'll appreciate the group effort so much!
7. Read books, teach lessons, etc. loudly and slowly and make it interactive with questions.
8. For arts and crafts, demonstrate FIRST what they will do and use a model.
9. When explaining games, act out the game yourselves first!
10. Leave your cool at the gate! Be larger than life, be goofy, be fun, be loud, ignore the rolling eyeballs and looks of disinterest on the faces - inside, they are loving learning!!!!

CLASSES START OCTOBER 5th

2009-09-02T21:26:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Imagine Syracuse 2009-2010! Classes begin on Tuesday, October 5th from 5 to 8 p.m. at Huntington Family Center, 405 Gifford Street, in Syracuse. Come in, come downstairs to the youth department, and join us for Tuesday's Imagine Language Institute! Wednesday we run Imagine Careers, featuring monthly culinary, theater, and practical life skills classes as well as a field trip to a local business. Thursday is TIME FOR ART®! This amazing art history/art project curriculum takes us deep into the lives and works of 44 artists of all ethnicities from all over the world. And Friday is Imagine Dance with Sarah Gualtieri and Melissa Bebernes - from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Our first week will mostly be introduction for volunteers and students. We also will be offering several opportunites for Diversity Training this year that all volunteers will be expected to attend.

Finally, Nottingham High School is gearing up to start the latest Imagine Club, and language teachers are beginning to incorporate Imagine Syracuse volunteerism as part of their AP curriculum! Keep pushing to expand Imagine Syracuse in your local high school, and start planning your first Imagine fundraiser! ESM Spanish teacher and Imagine Co-Founder Stevi Wilson is researching a fundraiser selling those rubber bracelets that say Imagine Syracuse. Stay Tuned!

Imagine Syracuse Training and Vision Conference!

2009-08-21T22:48:00.000-04:00

Join us Wednesday, August 26th, from 10 a.m. to noon at Huntington Family Center, 405 Gifford Street, in Syracuse's Near West Side Neighborhood. Come and see! Learn about our vision for the Fall, and our long term vision for the future. Also, get trained in teaching techniques that will give you the confidence and ability to lead a class to success.