By Linda J. Steiner

If you ask Grace Meehan, student leader of  Mequon High School’s Kids4Kids, why her group is doing a collaborative arts project with children who are in foster care or youth aging out of the system, she’ll tell you it’s because there are a lot more similarities than differences among young people.

“People might have a bad connotation about kids in foster care,” she said, “but they’re still young like us, and they have bright futures.”

Kids4Kids, which raises money for and tries to increase awareness about foster care, has been involved since early this year in an undertaking called Project 3mpower. The project aims to build awareness in the public and camaraderie and self-confidence in the young people involved by artistically telling the story of foster life.

Under the guidance of instructors at the North Shore Academy of the Arts in Grafton, the Homestead students have been working along with children and young adults served by St. Aemilian-Lakeside, a 161-year-old social services organization in Milwaukee.

They have been creating a variety of artworks from painting and pottery to song, dance, drama and poetry. The works will be showcased at a culminating public event May 15 from 3:30 -5 p.m., at the Arts Mill Gallery & Boutique, 1300 14^th Ave., Grafton.

The project hopes to change the way the public understands and responds to the needs of foster youth. The name 3mpower comes from the goal of empowering three populations: foster and non-foster kids and the public.

“This helps them to see it’s not a bad thing to be in foster care,” said Jeanetta Watson, who is part of a St. Aemilian-Lakeside Independent Living Services (ILS) program that helps youth leaving foster care successfully transition to adulthood. Jeanetta worked at the last session, April 10, on a painting that will illustrate many of the emotions she experienced while in foster care.

“They seem like a nice bunch of kids,” she said about the Homestead students. “They want to participate and they wanted to learn about my experiences in foster care and how I felt about it,” she said.

Some of her experiences were met with surprise, said Jeanetta, who was in nine foster homes from the time she was 3 until she was 16.  “But we talked about how you’ve got to not worry about the bad, think of the good, and go from there.”

Another young woman in an ILS program, Kaitlin Harris, said the questions posed to her were good because, “a lot of people don’t know what it’s like to be in foster care, so I pretty much told them everything: going house to house, being in shelters. And everybody’s experience in foster care is different.”

“It’s a great opportunity, because some of the kids (in foster care) still don’t have resources, places to go,” said Jeanetta. “There’s a need to speak out.”

Grant Brogan, a Homestead freshman, said he got involved in the project because it’s fun. “And it’s a way to reach out to a different community and to help others. And you’re making new friends.”

A 9–year-old boy named Julio who is being assisted by St. Aemilian-Lakeside’s Family  Preservation Services, said it was pretty cool working with Grant. “He looks like Justin Bieber!” he said with a laugh.

“No matter where you grow up, we all have common interests, and it’s good to find those common interests,” said Patrick Tucker, also a freshman at Homestead.

As Unique Wilson from the ILS program worked on writing a song, she said, “It’s about hope and faith, not giving up, always having hope for tomorrow being a better day.”

Unique and Joann Hogan, another former foster young person served by St. Aemilian-Lakeside,  worked with Angela Mack, a performing arts instructor, on creating the song. The two young women do lyrics and melody and Angela is putting it to music.

“It takes a lot of vulnerability to write a song like this and it takes a lot of trust,” Angela said. “This is a song of encouragement to all people who feel like giving up.”

All the young people involved in Project 3mpower are looking forward to sharing their creativity with the public on May 15. The event is free and will also feature shopping at the gallery. For more information, contact Karen Johnson, division director of Community Services at St. Aemilian-Lakeside, at 414-465-5734. For more information on foster care and a variety of services to youth who must leave the system when they turn 18, go to www.st-al.org.

North Shore Academy of the Arts in cooperation with Kapco Inc., presents…

Out to Lunch with a Star!

Don’t miss the chance of a lifetime! 15 lucky fans and aspiring actors will have a pizza party lunch with High School Musical’s Olesya Rulin.

Olesya is a star of both TV and film, but is best known for her role as “Kelsi” in all three High School Musical movies.

With your reserved seat, you will have the opportunity to sit down with Olesya, get autographs and plenty of pictures. Olesya is happy to share advice about becoming an actor, auditioning and give other helpful tips.  The lunch will be generously donated by Joey Buona’s Pizzeria & Restaurant.

Perfect for a few friends, or be the special one to reserve the entire event for a birthday party or any celebration!

When: Sunday, April 3, 2011, 12:00p.m.
Where: Joey Buona’s Pizzeria, 500 N. Water St., Milwaukee
Cost: $40/person or $600 for the entire event

Call NSAA to reserve your space now! 262.377.3514

Join NSAA and Merlynn Kimmel for ZUMBA NIGHT on Sat. March 26th from 6:30 to 7:30pm!

If you have heard of the Latin inspired fitness phenomenon but have never tried than this is your opportunity!  Zumba fuses Latin rhythms with easy to follow steps that make for a dynamic movement experience. You do not have to have dance experience. The instructor has taught many dance styles, from Ballroom to Jazz, but she loves teaching Zumba because everyone can join in and every class feels like a celebration.

The class will be held in the theatre space at NSAA, 1111 Broad St. Grafton. Children must be accompanied by adults. All ages are welcome. Any questions, please direct to Mkimmel@earthlink.net. $3.00 at the door. RSVP by Thurs. March 24th would be appreciated.

Our academy, over the years, has provided learning and growing opportunities for countless individuals. We are proud to offer the canvas, the stage, and the page, for the painters, the singers, the dancers, the actors, and the writers. We take that responsibility seriously.

But as NSAA has grown, and our family of supporters has, too, I’ve personally watched the silent artists create, as well. The silent artists are those who do not put their signature at the bottom of a painting, but instead stay late into the night building scenery, take small hands into theirs to teach them how to sculpt clay, give resources so a velvety blue curtain can be bought and hung, nail raw wood into a brand new stage, put together a brochure, a playbill, a website, or a blog, write a grant, take out the garbage, pay the bills, type endless emails to parents, and work on boards and committees…. 

 
American scholar Warren Bennis said it well, “There are two ways of being creative. One can sing and dance. Or one can create an environment in which singers and dancers flourish.”

I am grateful to all of those who have and continue to create the amazing environment for others to flourish. Starlight Night was a success thanks to the hard work of our staff and the dedication and leadership of Jodi and Steve Heston and their committee.

Together, we’ll enjoy the next decade. As our Broad Street location continues to buzz with activity of young and old artists, we’ll open our new doors at the Arts Mill for people to have a place to experience inspiration, imagination, and creation.

North Shore Academy of the Arts. Imagine, Discover, Create, Dream.

I hope to see you on March 11 at the Arts Mill Grand Opening.  Thanks for your continued support.
Sheri

WE THINK THAT YOU SHOULD GET TO KNOW HER TOO!

Miss Kathleen was featured in the News Graphic’s “Get-to-Know” section on February 15, 2011.  Read about  all of the great things that she has done for her students including performing at the Orange Bowl half-time show! WATCH VIDEO!

Contact kathleenf@northshoreacademyofthearts.org for more DANCE DEPARTMENT details.  Now enrolling! 

Also be sure to mark your calendars for June 24-26 Annual Showcase Event! We are the ONLY dance studio who offers students the opportunity to dance two routines per class for the price of one in our End-of-the-Year Showcase!

View PICS of her NSAA Dance Students!

“Circle of Friends” A Special Holiday Message

“Our Trip To New York City”  

A Thanksgiving message from NSAA Founder/President Sheri Bestor

Read our February newsletter edition of Arts Mill and Boutique OPENING SOON!

In 2010, Becca Mulenburg received her first sold-out show with her miniature, agricultural-themed, Wisconsin landscapes at Cedarburg Cultural Center’s The Little Show. In January, 2011, she was again awarded for her miniatures in The Little Show and received the second-place award among forty-one artists.  Becca’s work has been sold internationally, and she is a member of Wisconsin Visual Artists, Cedarburg Artists’ Guild, and the Plymouth Arts Center.

The Arts Mill Boutique is pleased to announce that it will be completely up and running by March 1st on the 2nd floor of the Arts Mill Building!

The entire Arts Mill will have it’s GRAND OPENING on Friday March 11th. 

Arts Mill GRAND OPENING POSTCARD (front)

Arts Mill GRAND OPENING POSTCARD (back)

Located at 1300 14th Ave Grafton, WI, 53024

For more information on the Arts Mill Boutique, please contact the boutique manager Adria Willenson at adriaw@northshoreacademyofthearts.org

“Silk Scarves” by Adria Willenson

adria@adriawillenson.com
www.adriawillenson.com
www.etsy.com/shop/adriarose
www.adriawillenson.ecrater.com

I’m so proud of the cast and crew of Beauty and the Beast, both the CPAC team and the Schauer Center Team! When I see everyone working together I’m reminded again about the impact of our mission– to reach even beyond the arts. 

We are nearing our grand opening of the Arts Mill. I look forward to our community enjoying this new division of NSAA. We still have opportunities to volunteer and donate. There are two naming rights still available. (Send me an email if you are interested in learning more about this sherib@northshoreacademyofthearts.org). 

Our Kids4Kids project will be launched soon. Kids4Kids is a program where Homestead High School Students work together with the mission of helping foster kids. We will be joining them in an exciting venture that will culminate in a presentation for the community. Stay tuned for more information. 

Camp Rock and Hairspray are beginning within the next two weeks. I’m looking forward to being more involved in these shows as our focus at NSAA continues to be on programming through enriching opportunities. 

Visual Arts, Imagine Me, Dance Classes, Zumba, upcoming UBM and Yoga, CCC and Paul McGill.   (He’s coming this Monday–you won’t want to miss it)….we strive to offer you a wide array of opportunities in the arts so that there is something for everyone! 

As winter continues to blow its beauty, I hope you are able to find the moments to appreciate your unique creativity and how it helps you to see the world in vivid light. 

“When we are writing, or painting, or composing, we are, during the time of creativity, freed from normal restrictions, and are opened to a wider world, where colors are brighter, sounds clearer, and people more wondrously complex than we normally realize.”– Madeleine L’Engle