J is for...

J is for:

 The J. Paul Getty Museum and Trust!

The J. Paul Getty Museum has two locations, one in L.A. and one in Malibu. To find out about visiting either museum click here.  The goal of the museum is to "further knowledge of the visual arts and to nurture critical seeing by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of art of the highest quality."**I took this quote directly from their mission statement, to read their full mission statement and find out more click here**

The Museum and Trust also has programs to help teachers help coordinate visits and bring them back to the classroom with lesson plans.  They also offer various resources for the classroom.  Click here to find out more.
They also have the TeacherArtExchange Program.   This online community provides a way for teachers from around the country and the world to exchange lesson plans and share resources. Registration is free.

They also offer various programs to help teachers learn about various new ways of integrating   arts into the classroom, and also how to further their own knowledge of the arts.  Click here to see a list of currant programs being offered and to find out more.

They also have resources for art students as well.

If you are an art teacher or even just a general curriculum teacher looking for a way to bring art to your students definitely check them out!

This post is part of The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2012

E is for

is for:

Early Act! 

If you've followed my blog you know that earlier last year I did an interview with Mrs. Waters, a teacher in charge of the Early Act program at Sundance Elementary School.

Early Act is a program sponsored by The Rotary Foundation. It helps to encourage students to become involved in their local community.

The students involved with Early Act at Sundance   help raise money for different charities, host dinners for the local Rotary club, hold car washes, dance, and dinners to raise money for their different programs, and also take the time to organize the Box Tops and Campbell's Soup Labels that are brought in by other students to help raise money for the school.  At the end of the year they host a special dinner for their parents.(not a field trip to an amusement park)   What a great way to teach children to become involved in the community!  They learn that helping others has its own rewards, not obvious ones like prizes or toys, but
the sense of pride in ones work, and the satisfaction of helping someone else.   How even the smallest gesture can make a difference.

Does your local elementary have an Early Act program?  Why not stop in a find out?  

This post is part of The Blogging From A to Z April 2012 Challenge.

Recyclebank Green Schools Program 2011-2012

So I found this great way to help donate money to some very deserving schools and help the planet at the same time!  Recyclebank is this great site where you can earn rewards points by learning about and doing things that help the environment. I earned 70 points within approximately 10 mins., and I still have tons more I can get, by simply pointing and clicking.  You can exchange the points for various rewards, including donating to schools that are participating in their Recyclebank Green Schools Program.

The schools involved have created green plans that they wish to implement.  Recyclebank will give $1 to the school for every 250 points donated.  So what are you waiting for?  Go click, donate, help out a school.  Even if you are only able to donate a small amount every little bit helps, right?   And be sure to go soon they end the donating period on March 15th, 2012!

Labels For Education

Ok, so Labels For Education  is offering a chance to earn 100 bonus points for your local school!  

Just click here to print out their special Valentine collection sheet!  You want to hurry though, since these need to be turned into the school before April 30th!

So what are you waiting for?  Hurry on over and print out a sheet and help earn some extra points! 

Box Tops for Education

Just wanted to give a friendly reminder about different Box Tops for Education programs. Right now, not only do they have a lot of double box top rewards on certain products, they also have a lot of online specials as well. Haven't signed up for any online program yet? What are you waiting for?

Click here to sign up for Box Tops 4 Education.  They have a complete list of which products have Box Tops on them (and it's printable).  You can also shop online and receive eboxtops for your school. (no clipping required)  There are over 100 different online stores you can earn box tops in, and not just stores that are strictly online, you can also shop Kmart, Best Buy, Kohls, just to name a few. Plus they have printable coupons that you can use to save money on items with box tops. They also have recipes, tips, and contests to win more box tops.  You can also check out what your schools goal is and how far they have to go to meet it.
 Click here to sign up  for Reward Your School with Bonus Box Tops and you'll receive an extra 5 bonus tops. (I know, I know that's only .50 cents, but that's more then nothing right?) This program lets you choose from 15 different stores, and then enter your corresponding store card number. Then it will load your card with bonus box top offers. Such as when you buy 3 of a certain item you can receive 10 bonus box tops. You can also create your own personalized shopping list that you can take to the store so you remember what you can buy that will help you get those extra box tops.

Boxtops

People are always asking me what items come with boxtops. Well just recently I got this list from one of the local schools.   Also you can go to boxtops4education.com  and sign up for their program online.   It takes about a minute to sign up. Then you just put in your zip code and find schools in the area who are signed up for the program.  Some of the great things you can do?  Help earn Box tops online, Sign up for contests to win box tops for your school, and they also have coupons you can print out to use for brands that carry boxtops. You can also see what your schools goal is, as well as what they have currently earned for the year.

Sundance Elementary: Early Act, Mentor Programs

So a while back I wrote a post regarding Box Tops, Campbell's Soup labels, and those little metal tabs from the tops of soda cans. One of the people I spoke with regarding these items was Mrs.Waters from Sundance Elementary.  The thing I thought was especially cool about the whole can tabs collecting was that it doesn't really do anything to benefit the schools who participate in it.  It is a perfect example of  how even though teachers are struggling to provide for their own classrooms, and even  though students are suffering because of lack of funding they still are willing to do things to benefit others. (The tab program benefits The Ronald McDonald House)

Mrs. Waters and Mr. Bowers

Mrs. Waters is also in charge of Early Act.  Early Act is a group of students, that is sponsored by the local Rotary Club. Early Act looks for various programs that they can provide service for or help donate too. The Early Act group at Sundance is made up of approximately thirty 4th and 5th grade students.  They help organize the Box Tops and Campbell's Soup labels brought in by their fellow students. They have raised money for Relay for Life,  hosted different dinners for the local rotary club,  helped with the local city wide clean up, and they hold car washes, as well as after school movies and school dances to help raise money for their programs.  In fact the year end goal for these students isn't a trip to a theme park, or a party.  They hold and serve a dinner for their parents. 



Inside a Power Box



Today they were helping out Side by Side Humanitarian . This is a local food bank that among other things helps "to resource and distribute food in the San Gorgonio Pass communities of Calimesa, Beaumont, Cherry Valley, Banning and Cabazon, California. Future plans include expansion into eastern Riverside and surrounding desert communities." It's founder, Kevin Bowers, came to the school with food and boxes and the kids eagerly helped make power boxes to give to local homeless.  Power Boxes are boxes that contain one meal for one person.  Within roughly over 30 mins they had made 100 boxes. The kids don't get any reward for this, no medals, no special prizes. Yet none of them complained and they were even looking forward to helping again.

 If you are a local group that would like to become involved with Sundance's Early Act feel free to email Mrs. Waters at twaters@beaumontusd.k12.ca.us.

Not part of a local program or group but would like to be involved?  Sundance also has a Mentor program.  A Mentor adopts a class and once or twice a week goes in to help out.  For example they help read to students, or work one on one with the students. You don't need to have a child in the school to help out, but you do need to get fingerprinted.  Interested? Just go in to the school and speak with the secretary at the front desk.

Gosh, as I said before, isn't it amazing that with currant economic problems and everything else, the teachers at this school are still making the effort to instill a sense of compassion in their students.  Huh, really makes you think. I'm not saying all teachers are super heroes, or that all teachers go above and beyond, but in that same reasoning not all teachers are lazy and apathetic only working so they can have off for summer vacation.  That being said maybe you don't have time to spare helping out at the school itself, but how hard would it be to clip a box top or two and drop it off at your local school? Maybe a soup label? These programs help bring in funds that the schools can use to help continue such programs like Early Act. 

To find out more about Side by Side Humanitarian click here.

Act clubs sponsored by Rotary clubs aren't just limited to elementary age children if you are a teacher and interested in starting your own Act club click here for more info.

San Gorgonio Middle School Dickens Festival and "Scrooge a Christmas Carol"

If you've been reading my post 60 potholders in 60 days, then you're well aware of the Dickens Festival that San Gorgonio Middle School will be holding. Well I now have definite dates and times. So if your in the Beaumont, Ca, area, be sure to stop in and show you support for one of your local schools. They will have food, crafts, and much more.  The Dickens Festival itself is open from 6-8 on December 3rd and noon to 6 on December 4th. The play "Scrooge a Christmas Carol" will be performed at 7pm on the 3rd and at 2pm and 5pm on the 4th. Hope to see you there!