Village: Spring 2017

SPRING OUT

16 WAYS TO DRINK IN THE WARMER WEATHER

SCREEN DREAM

A LOCAL AUTHOR LANDS A GIG WITH DISNEY

GET OVER IT?

WHY YOUR KID WON'T STOP OBSESSING

FOR PARENTS WHO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITY HANDY.

SPRING 2017

THE LEARNING ISSUE! From medical science to engineering, school programs are promoting higher learning 1 c-ville village

AWAY THEY GO

CHS' STRING ENSEMBLE HEADING TO IRELAND

ARTS AND LEISURE

NINE SUMMER CAMPS TO BOOK NOW

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Half Day Options:

Full Day Options:

Monday-Friday 1pm – 4pm AND Monday and Friday 9 am – 12 pm

Monday: 9 am to 4 pm Friday: 9 am to 4 pm

Super Kids’ Quest Camp involves a fun, creative storyline that will incorporate opportunities for kids to exercise their muscles, imaginations and their cooperation skills – working together to complete each day’s fun and exciting “Quest!”

June 12-16 June 19-23 June 26-30 July 5-7 (closed 7/3&4) July 10-14 July 17-21 July 24-28 July 31- August 4 August 7-11 August 14-18

Cars, Planes, Trucks and Trains The Search for Rainbow Castle Secret Agent: Gym Bond Mid-Summer Night’s Garden Party Super Hero Training Camp The Race to Outer Space Green Beard’s Pirate Ship Master Builder LEGO Quest Neat Ninja League X-treme Sports of All Sorts

Members: $35/HALF DAY or $170/WEEK Members: $70/FULL DAY or $135/2 FULL DAYS

Non-Members: $40/HALF DAY or $195/WEEK Non-Members: $80/FULL DAY or $155/2 FULL DAYS

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SKILL THRILL CAMPS: Ages 6-12

WEDNESDAYS: 9 am – 12 pm

Grade School Skill Thrill Camp helps children take their gymnastics skills to the next level through a more intense three-hour program. Kids focus on learning specific beginner, intermediate or advanced level skills while reviewing and practicing all-around gymnastics skills. It’s the perfect combination of fun, skill-building, and success!

Pricing::

Members $35/day ers: Non-Memb $40/day

June 14 June 21 June 28 July 5 July 12 July 19 July 26 August 2 August 9

Caribbean Cartwheels & Hawaiian Handstands Amazing Aerials Front Handspring Festival Back Handspring Bonanza Back Tuck Beach!

Vaulting Volcanoes!

Caribbean Cartwheels & Hawaiian Handstands Amazing Aerials Front Handspring Festival

The Shops at Stonefield 2075 Bond Street, Suite #140 • Charlottesville, VA 22901 434-975-5437 • www.tlgcharlottesvilleva.com

**In accordance with the Commonwealth of Virginia Dept. of Social Services, TLG Charlottesville is a licensed child day center!**

Photography by Gene Runion

Discover What’s New in History

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Clifford, We Love You! WVPT invites you to celebrate our love for Clifford, the Big Red Dog.

Saturday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m.

See a Clifford show on the big screen at The Paramount Theater on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall

The first 200 families receive a FREE Clifford book!

See you there!

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Everyone Deserves a Slice of the Pie Special Olympics • JABA • Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Salvation Army • Albemarle HS Chorus • Monticello HS Independence Resource Center • Toy Lift • March of Dimes Goodwill Industries • Thomas Jefferson Food Bank • SARA Make A Wish Foundation • St. Judes • Kluge Children’s Rehab • Habitat for Humanity • Ronald McDonald House Mosby Foundation • Shelter for Help in Emergency Albemarle Fire & Rescue • SOCA • Live Arts • H.O.W.S. Virginia Wounded Warrior Program • Caring for Creatures • ARC of the Piedmont • SPCA

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INSIDE VILLAGE 11 BEGINNINGS 11 Springtime fashions from a

former pastry chef.

13 The Charlottesville High’s

String Ensemble heads overseas.

14 A summer camp guide for nature-lovers, musicians

and smarty-pantses.

15 New SIDS guidelines from

UVA researchers.

17 Planes, trains and automobiles:

Why your child gets obsessed.

19 A local author makes a deal

with Disney.

20 This season’s events.

27 FEATURE

The learning issue! Six programs giving students a hands-on advantage.

27

43 FOR THE KIDS

Can your youngster find all the mistakes in this issue’s photo challenge?

46 LIFE LESSONS

Luke Frank takes the hits.

On the cover: Charlottesville High School junior Tilden Fernandez shows off a BACON creation. Photo by Jackson Smith.

308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 n c-ville.com c-ville.com/village

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46

Village, a supplement to C-VILLE Weekly, is distributed in Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the Shenandoah Valley. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Editor Jessica Luck. Village Editor Caitlin White. Copy Editor Susan Sorensen.

Contributors Samantha Baars, Laura Ingles, Lisa Martin, Susan Sorensen, Lynn Thorne, Eric Wallace.

Creative Director Bill LeSueur. Graphic Designers Tracy Federico, Henry Jones, Max March, Lorena Perez. Advertising Director Erica Gentile. Account Executives Bianca Catta-Preta, Hannah Collier, Chaney Hambrick, Theressa Leak, Justin McClung, Eleanor VonAchen, Beth Wood. Production Coordinator Faith Gibson. Publisher Aimee Atteberry. Chief Financial Officer Debbie Miller. Marketing Manager Anna Harrison. A/R Specialist Nanci Winter. Circulation Manager Billy Dempsey. ©2017 C-VILLE Weekly.

c-ville village 7

NATURE CAMP

at Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies

Capon Bridge, WV • 55th Season Hike the mountains, Swim with newts, Catch butterflies Variety and laughter. Small groups

P H O T O G R A P H Y

2-week sessions Ages 11-15 1-week session Ages 8 - 10 Adult Weekend Ages 21+

434-409-2442 American Camping Association Accredited

For more information: burgundycenter.org 703-842-0470 • michelem@burgundyfarm.org

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MUSIC BRINGS US TOGETHER REGISTER FOR LESSONS TODAY NEW LOCATION ON THE DOWNTOWN MALL 221 E WATER ST. | 434-242-7012

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c-ville village 9

Art this Spring for Children with Lee Alter

Visit our new website mcguffeyartcenter.com for more class/workshop listings and online registration and payment

JOHN HANCOCK

contact: johnahancock@ntelos.net or 434-939-7445 Drawing for Teens: Working Large and Bold Drawing for Teens: Combining Printing and Drawing Drawing for Teens: Telling a Story With Images

BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TOGETHER contact: Info@luaproject.org or website luaproject.org

World Roots Music Summer Camp with Estela of Blue Ridge Music Together

REBEKAH WOSTREL

contact: rawostrel@gmail.com or 434-333-0420 Mud Masterpieces!! Clay for Kids (ages 5-12) Mud Masterpieces Pottery Camp! (ages 4-7) Mud Masterpieces Spring Break Pottery Camp! (ages 7-12) Party Time Pottery! Clay Camp (ages 7-11)

RENEE BALFOUR

contact: reneebalfour@ymail.com www.eneebalfour.com Three Dimensional Painting with Renee Balfour (ages 7 and above) Oil Painting with Renee Balfour (ages 7 and above)

SUSAN NORTHINGTON

contact: Susannorthingtonart@gmail.com or 434-242-5568 Girls Just Want to Have Fun… and Create—Art Camp

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Tuesdays: 3/21-5/16 3:30-5:30 Thursdays: 3/23-5/18 3:30-5:30 Saturdays: 3/25-5/20 2-4 pm 

Spring Art Classes

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Adults:

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Summer Art Camp

Mon-Fri 10-12:30 3 to 12 yr olds June 12-16 19-23 26-30 July 3-7 10-14 17-21 and 24-28 July 31- Aug 4 Aug 7 - 11

Call 434-760-9658

beginnings CHS’ String Ensemble is headed across the pond (p.13)  Nine summer camps worth exploring (p.14)  UVA researchers on SIDS guidelines (p.15)  Your kid’s latest obsession isn’t necessarily a bad thing (p.17)  A local author’s work on the small screen (p.19)  Get out and do something: More than a dozen events for spring (p.20)

Local clothing line Hungie Gungie is named after a dish from the designer’s childhood.

Dress to impress

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A kids’ clothing line with Hungarian roots

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COURTESY HUNGIE GUNGIE

COURTESY CHS ORCHESTRA

WHEN ERIN MAUPIN was little, her mom used to make a version of Hungarian goulash she called Hungie Gungie. All these years later, she chose that name for her Etsy shop, where she sells her homemade (mostly) little girls’ clothing.

Always the creative type, Maupin was a pastry chef before she chose to stay home and raise her children. She discovered the kids’ naptime was a perfect window for her to get crafty.

“I had friends who’d asked me to make things for their daughters. Then they encouraged me to make things to sell,” she said. And Hungie Gungie was born.

Besides enabling her to sell adorable outfits, the small online shop supports her addiction to textiles.

“I love fabric!” she laughs. “If I can make enough throughout the year to cover the cost of fabric, I don’t feel so bad buying it.”

Erin has a few favorite designers and buys most of her fabric online. She uses many others’ patterns, but her signature “bloomers” for older girls are her own design. She averages sales of five dresses per month between her Etsy shop and requests from locals who know her products.

She’d like to do more, she says—maybe even teach a sewing class for kids—but wants to keep expansion plans in perspective. After all, her 8-, 6- and 4-year-old keep her plenty busy.

“I don’t know about the future,” she says, “but for the time being, it’s exactly what I want to be doing.” LYNN THORNE

beginnings  music

World class CHS String Ensemble is Ireland bound “IF YOU’RE BROUGHT up in Charlottesville, this city is the center of the universe,” says Laura Mulligan Thomas. “It’s a great town; a wonderful place,” the long-time conductor of the Charlottesville High School Orchestra quickly adds. But when her young musicians perform further afield (in France, Italy, England and Switzerland, for example), she says it broadens their perspective and opens their eyes to the possibility of living somewhere else and getting to know “people who have a different mindset than you.”

In June, the 55 members of Thomas’ CHS String Ensemble will have an opportunity to expand their worldview when they travel to Ireland, where, in addition to serving as ambassadors for Charlottesville and the United States, they will perform in ancient castles and join local musicians for an Irish music jam session.

“Traveling overseas is an incredible experience,” says senior Cameron Ciambotti, who’s played the violin for 12 years, three of them in the string ensemble. “But traveling overseas with musicians to both share and experience music is a unique experience that most are unable to have. In Ireland, we will be able to understand the culture in much more depth by making

The string ensemble kicked off its fundraising efforts in September with a performance on the Downtown Mall.

connections using the world’s universal language: music.” She says that by bringing their music to Ireland, CHS students will be exposed to the unique sounds the country offers, and “learn more about the culture than we ever could have without music.”

Before heading to the Emerald Isle, though, the group still has some fundraising to do (the trip will cost almost $200,000). The kids have held car washes and sold concessions at University of Virginia events. A March auction will feature 14 violins painted by local artists, including Meg West, Christy Yates, Sharon Shapiro and Judith Eli, as well as CHS and UVA students. The instruments are currently on display in the windows of several downtown shops, like Tuel Jewelers, The Shoe Store Next Door, Angelo Jewelry and Lynne Goldman Elements, before moving to Studio IX, where they’ll remain until March 25.

For Ciambotti, being part of Thomas’ orchestra, which now has 139 members and has won numerous awards and honors, comes with the gift of making music with people she has known for a long time. She sits next to a student with whom she plays in the Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia and sings with in the school’s a cappella choir.

“We know each other’s musical tendencies extremely well and we are able to play as one,” she says. “This is definitely a pattern throughout the entire orchestra—we are so close that, no matter how the technical parts of the pieces sound, we will always be one cohesive unit.” SUSAN SORENSEN

Wanna help?

Contributions to the CHS String Ensemble’s June 23-30 trip to Ireland can be made at chsorchestra.org.

c-ville village 13

Summer smarts Nine educational camps your kids shouldn’t miss WHEN SCHOOL LETS out, capitalize on Charlottesville’s amazing camp offerings to make this summer one your kids will remember.

From outdoor survival to modern dance to computer programming, the following camps are guaranteed wins.

PHOTOS COURTESY CAMPS

beginnings  activities

Living Earth School

Nature and outdoors Living Earth School Located at the foot of Afton Mountain, owner Kate Hubb describes LES as “a nature-based educational organization with programs drawing from both ancient and modern wisdom.”

“We help students connect with the natural world and empower them to become better caretakers, mentors and leaders,” she says. Featuring a variety of summer programming for children ages 4 to 17, LES offers pre-school, day camp and overnight options. Its trademark overnight camp, Earth Roots, allows kids to explore forests, swim in mountain streams and, Hubb says, discover “the magical world of nature through building natural shelters, making fires without matches and preparing wild edible plants for food.” livingearthva.com

ID Tech Summer Computer STEM Camp

Mountaintop Montessori Summer Seed Camp

Light House Studio Summer Camp

Triple C Camp An area favorite for 25 years, TCC has options for day and overnight campers ranging from ages 2 to 14. With the bulk of the camp’s counselors being former attendees, that lengthy history breathes, begetting cool legends—like rumors of an underground cave where the resident wizard lives—that are passed down from year to year, decade to decade. Situated on over 40 acres, activities emphasize the outdoors and include pony rides, sports, swimming, inflatable obstacle courses, art and crafts and weekly field trips. triplec.camp

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Wilson School of Dance Summer Camp

Virginia Outside’s Charlottesville Outside Camp Specializing in week-long adventure camps and conducted in conjunction with the American Canoe Association, the COC offers an intensive outdoor experience for fourth- through eighth-graders. “From fishing, to mountain biking, to kayaking, to snorkeling, to just picking up rocks in the river to see what’s there,” says camp instructor Josh Hage, “we encourage our campers to explore.” virginiaoutside.com/ summer-camps

Science and learning Mountaintop Montessori Summer Seed Camp

Mountaintop’s educational camp seeks to connect kids to the food they eat in a fun and adventurous way. The program has a variety of two-week-long offerings catering to a broad range of campers from pre-K to high schoolers. “Attendees will enjoy the special flavors of food cooked with friends,” says Patricia Colby, head of school. “Seed campers will explore topics in zoology, botany, art and geography.”

Counselors, Colby says, “offer gentle guidance that comes from years of experience.” mountaintopseedproject.org

Space Explorers Residential Camp A program of James Madison University’s John C. Wells Planetarium, camps are three weeks long and geared toward students in second to 10th grade. “We seek to inspire and excite the next generation of scientists and engineers,” says Shanil Virani, the planetarium’s director. “The goal is to demonstrate to students that science is constantly changing, constantly uncovering new clues about why our universe is the way it is...We’ll ask questions and then use the scientific method to try to answer them.” jmu.edu/ planetarium/space-explorers-camp

ID Tech Summer Computer STEM Camps Hosted jointly with the University of Virginia, this summer’s camp will mark its 13th anniversary. ID Tech offers elementary schoolers and older students with a passion for technology the ability to explore structured courses in coding, game design, app development, web design, videography, photography and

much more using brand-name products like Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Google and Microsoft. With a student-teacher ratio of 8:1, the camps emphasize hands-on instruction. idtech.com

Arts Light House Studio Summer Camp Founded in 1999, this award-winning filmmaking education center offers summer workshops for 8- to 18-year-olds as well as a weeklong intensive camp for high schoolers interested in film and videography. The workshops range from basic to advanced techniques and provide access to skilled professionals and top-notch equipment.

“We seek to develop students’ artistic vision,” says education director Amanda Patterson. “We believe in fostering collaboration and community, the creativity of young minds and the benefits of a hands-on, mentor-based approach.” lighthousestudio.org

Wilson School of Dance Summer Camps Founded in 1977, WSD features summer offerings for kids ages 3 and up.

“Whether students hope to become professional dancers or are looking for a fun physical outlet, we offer excellent instruction in a friendly, inspiring atmosphere,” says founder and director Juanita Wilson Duquette.

The camp’s teachers offer individual attention at all levels of experience, with dance styles including jazz, ballet, tap, pointe, lyrical, Broadway, hip-hop, contemporary and princess ballet. wilsonschoolofdance.com

The Virginia Consort Choral Academy Summer Camps This weeklong camp offers high schoolaged students the opportunity to study and explore musical opportunities at a professional level. Guided by local choral directors, students will prepare and perform a choral masterpiece with soloists and an orchestra under the direction of veteran music director and conductor Judith Gary. According to Gary, the staff is “dedicated to creating an exciting and enriching educational experience that helps students more fully understand music theory, vocal production, music history and conducting technique.” virginiaconsort.org ERIC WALLACE

beginnings  health

Sleeping habits How to reduce the risk of SIDS APPROXIMATELY 3,500 BABIES die suddenly and unexpectedly in the United States every year. In an effort to decrease that number, UVA Children’s Hospital physician Dr. Rachel Moon took the lead in authoring new national recommendations published by the American Academy of Pediatrics last fall.

“As I learned more, I became more and more interested in it,” she says. “As a pediatrician, I’m interested in making sure children are healthy and safe, and this kind of grew out of that.”

Dr. Fern Hauck, a colleague at UVA, helped write the guidelines that appear online and in the academy’s November issue of Pediatrics.

“Studies have shown that babies that are breastfed have a lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,” Moon says. “We think it could be a combination of things— we know that SIDS is largely a failure of arousal—that babies don’t wake up as easily and don’t wake up as they need to—and we know that breastfed babies wake up more frequently and don’t sleep as heavily.”

Additionally, a number of babies who die of SIDS have had a recent illness and breast milk offers the immune protection they may be lacking, she adds. SAMANTHA BAARS Other guidelines include:

Always place your baby on his or her back for every sleep time.

Keep soft objects or loose bedding such as pillows, blankets and bumper pads out of the crib.

Always use a firm sleep surface. Car seats and other sitting devices are not recommended.

The baby should sleep in the same room as the parents, but not in the same bed.

Offer a pacifier at naptime and bedtime.

Infants should receive all recommended vaccinations.

Avoid covering the infant’s head or overheating.

Supervised tummy time while the infant is awake is recommended daily to facilitate development and minimize the occurrence of positional plagiocephaly (flat head).

The full report can be found at aap.org.

c-ville village 15

Discover your inner child.

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292YYEEAARRSS 3 Come out for a trail race along the Rivanna River. Learn how to fix water leaks in your home and win prizes too.

Bring the whole family, there will be a DJ, kid activities, & conservation tips!

March 26th 10:00am Pen Park Nature Trail Price for Adults/Children: $10/$7 (City Residents) $15/$12 (Non-Residents)

For Info & Registration:

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beginnings  wellness

A kid’s obsession Should they be encouraged?

IF YOU CAN’T put your daughter to bed without her favorite dolly, or if your son won’t go anywhere without his toy train, you’re not alone—this could be classified as an extremely intense interest, which research finds that one third of children develop in their early stages.

“This was one of my favorite pieces of research I ever did,” says Judy Deloache, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, who published a study in 2007 called Planes, Trains, Automobiles—and Tea Sets. “In part, because it was inspired by my young son’s extremely high level of fascination with animals.”

But what causes these extremely intense interests, or EIIs, in very young children?

Scientists don’t quite know. One gender, however, is more affected than the other.

“Extremely intense interests are much more common for young boys than for girls,” the study says.

processors, mixers, toasters and coffee-makers.

He started making up to 25 drawings a day of blenders and kitchen appliances, many with faces on them. Eventually, his parents replaced his toy with a real one (less the motor and blade) that they found at a garage sale. This boy’s parents knew their son’s interest was quirky and unusual, but they thought it was cute and were supportive of it for the two years it lasted.”

When asked if parents should encourage these types of obsessions, Deloache says “should” isn’t quite the right question and there may not be an answer.

Deloache says that 92 of 177 parents interviewed went along with their kid’s interest by buying toys that supported it or providing opportunities to engage in relevant activities. And for the vast majority of young children, Deloache says these obsessions aren’t undesirable, unhealthy or problematic, “probably only when an EII could be dangerous or destructive,” such as a fascination with fire, she adds. SAMANTHA BAARS

And while young girls are most often interested in pretend play, like playing school, dress-up or other art-related activities, boys tend to gravitate toward an interest in one particular category of objects, like dinosaurs, according to the study.

Some of the most common obsessions Deloache has witnessed, she says, are with balls, dolls, live animals, dressing up and vehicle toys such as cars, trucks and trains, but some can be highly idiosyncratic, such as one described by the study: “One boy’s intense interest in blenders first emerged around 18 months, when he insisted ‘at least 10 times a day’ that his parents lift him up so he could see the blender on the kitchen counter,” the study reads. “When his parents bought him a toy blender, it became his ‘constant companion.’

He took it everywhere and even slept with it.

He began asking to see blenders when visiting friends’ homes. At the peak of his interest, around 2.5 years of age, it broadened to include other kitchen appliances—food

The EII study, by the numbers

177 PARENTS INTERVIEWED

61

CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 11 MONTHS AND 6 YEARS HAD EXTREMELY INTENSE INTERESTS

46 OF THEM WERE BOYS

c-ville village 17

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beginnings  reading

FOR THE PAST 15 years, Charlottesville children’s book author Anne Marie Pace’s life has been marked by a series of leaps. First, she made the move to leave her job as a high school English teacher and become a full-time mom for the first of her three children. Then, in 2001, after her husband had an unexpected kidney transplant, confronted by life’s ephemerality, she decided to pursue her passion: writing.

In love with the stories she’d read her small children, Pace began working on children’s books. Eventually, after penning a couple of custom titles for Scholastic Books, in 2010, she sold the first of an original series, Vampirina Ballerina, to Hyperion Books, an imprint of the Disney Book Group. Six years later, the series’ wily, succeed-against-all-odds female protagonist has become a fantastic success. So much so that, earlier this summer, Pace got a call from her agent—Disney Junior had decided to transform Vampirina into an animated television series.

With the show set to premiere this spring, we asked Pace to tell us more about what’s in store. ERIC WALLACE How did the Disney Junior series come about?

Originally, after the first Vampirina book was published in 2012, Disney Junior approached my agent, Linda Pratt, asking about the option to develop it into an animated series. However, just like publishing a picture book, these things take more time than you might expect—it’s a business of waiting. Linda and my film agent, Eddie Gamarra, handled all the details over the years, and the deal was finally announced this past spring.

How did it feel to get the news?

Well, the way in which I found out the deal was a go just might be the craziest coincidence of my entire life. It was my 50th

KEITH ALAN SPROUSE

Screen dreams A local author gets a nod from Disney

The “Vampirina” animated TV series debuts this spring on Disney Junior.

have a room full of friends watching me scream and jump up and down. And the best thing was, we already had champagne and cake there to celebrate!

birthday, but my husband had to work, so we didn’t have any particular plans. As the day went on, I felt a little bummed not to be celebrating, so I put a notice on Facebook for any of my friends who could make it to come over and have some cake. I spent the afternoon baking and, that evening, as my friends were literally preparing to sing “Happy Birthday,” my agent called with the news. I wouldn’t have answered the phone except that, considering she never calls outside of business hours, I figured it was something big. And it was. It was absolutely amazing—and not too embarrassing—to

What’s the process of the show’s development been like?

The show develops independently of the book series, so I can’t really give you a full picture. Even though I don’t know many details, the team working on “Vampirina” is stellar. Chris Nee is the executive producer, and she’s working with the Oscar-winning animation studio, Brown Bag Films, the folks behind Disney Junior’s show “Doc McStuffins.” I have great confidence they’re making something wonderful for kids. I haven’t met or talked to Chris, but she drops intriguing details on Twitter every once in a while. I follow her there, and I’m always anxious to read the newest tidbit.

What does this mean for both your career and the Vampirina series?

I know that the third Vampirina book, Vampirina at the Beach, which comes out this spring, will have a sticker on it that says, “Soon to be an animated show from Disney Junior.” I love doing school visits and book festivals where I can meet readers and we can talk about wonderful books—either mine or any other books they love. So if the show affords me more opportunities to connect with kids and readers, that’d be terrific.

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beginnings  events

Spring fever Sun’s out, fun’s in! Here are 16 events to help your family make the most of spring.

McCormick Observatory Public Nights

First and third Fridays View celestial objects through the historic 26-inch McCormick Refractor, tour the observatory and see exhibits. Free, 9-11pm.

530 McCormick Rd., 924-7494. astronomy. as.virginia.edu

Every Tuesday Try your hand at this locally created strategic board game: Break a flock of chickapigs free while dodging opponents, hay bales and an unruly pooping cow. Kidfriendly! Free, 7pm. Kardinal Hall, 722 Preston Ave. facebook.com/chickapig

Harlem Globetrotters

COURTESY HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS

March 2 Watch the Harlem Globetrotters during the Charlottesville stop on their 90th anniversary tour. Nab a ticket to the Magic Pass Preshow ($25) and try your hand at shooting and tricks, and get autographs and photos with the stars. $22-94, 7pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com

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COURTESY TOTS AND DOTS

Chickapig Tuesday

Tots and Dots

March 7, April 4, May 9 Jump-start your child’s art education with a lesson in basic visual elements, followed by multisensory art play. Free for kids 6 months to 4 years old; 10am, 11am and noon. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum, 400 Worrell Dr., 244-0234. kluge-ruhe.org

James River Expedition

March 10 (application deadline) Hey, high school students: Paddle to the Chesapeake Bay with other kids from the James River basin. This educational six-day adventure will afford skills in paddling, camping, team-building, wildlife identifications, water quality monitoring, history, river ecology and policy. Applications due

by March 10; expedition June 25-30, July 9-14 or July 16-21. $150 if selected. Contact Ben Watson at bwatson@jrava.org or (804) 788-8811 ext. 215 with questions. jrava.org

Toddler Time

March 18, April 15, May 20 Kids ages 18 months to 4 years old spend

Tots and Dots

time looking at fossils, exploring plants and animals and taking time for free play around the Griffin Discovery Room. $10 per child, registration required. David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org

Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat

March 26 Dr. Seuss’ beloved tail, er, tale, comes to life on the Paramount stage, as the cat in the red-and-white-striped hat comes to visit Sally and her brother, Conrad. $15.75 adult, $10.75 youth (12 and under), 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Charlottesville Marathon (Kids Mile)

April 1 If you’re already running the marathon, let your children in on the action with the Kids Mile. Know a kid who wants to try the whole 26.2? Anyone age 12 and up is allowed to run the entire course. $15 per child, 9am. Court Square. charlottesvillemarathon.com

Annual Rockfish Valley Foundation Kite Festival

Priya Mahadevan

Paint the Playground: Charlottesville Color Run

April 15 Charlottesville runners, walkers and families are invited to the Burnley-Moran Elementary School PTO’s first annual color run. The 1-mile race will feature color powder stations throughout the accessible loop. Your complimentary white race shirt will be a masterpiece by the time you cross the finish line. $15-50, 8-10am. Burnley-Moran Elementary School, 1300 Long St. painttheplayground.eventbrite.com

The Firebird

April 29 A classic Russian fairy tale with a handsome prince, a beautiful princess, an evil sorcerer and a magical bird, performed by Charlottesville Ballet. Upgrade your ticket for access to “Into the Wings,” a special event for kids ages 3 to 8. They’ll decorate a craft, learn a dance from The Firebird and take pictures with the characters from the ballet. $20-40, 1pm and 4pm. V. Earl Dickinson Building at PVCC, 501 College Dr. charlottesvilleballet.org

Discovery Dash

May 6 Part of the Kids Triple Crown, a series of four races sponsored by Ragged Mountain Running Shop, the 27th annual Discovery Dash features wraces from 100 meters to a mile, with family-oriented relays on the track. Registration prices vary, 7am.

Monticello High School, 1400 Independence Way. vadm.org

JEN FARIELLO

April 9 Bring a kite and a picnic and let’s go fly a kite! There will be instructions, demonstrations with the Richmond Air Force, games, the Rockfish River duck race, parachute races, a children’s magician and music. Plus, free kites to the first 200 kids. Free, 11am-3pm. 1193 Glenthorne Loop, Nellysford. rockfishvalley.org

Page by page There are more than 40 kid-oriented speakers at this year’s Festival of the Book (March 22-26), from illustrators to writers. Here are three free can’t-miss events on the program. Head to vabook.org for more info.

From Killer Robots to Evil Emperors: Tom Angleberger & John Claude Bemis

March 25, 4-5:30pm at Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (201 E. Market St.)

Tom Angleberger (Rocket and Groot) and John Claude Bemis (Out of Abaton) discuss the captivating tales of betrayal, fantastical adventures and other hijinks that make up their popular novels and illustrated comics.

Storytime Marathon March 25, 2-4:30pm at JMRL

Catch Priya Mahadevan, local author of Princesses Only Wear Putta-Puttas, and others read their stories aloud.

Everywhere, Wonder: Bookmaking for Kids March 25, 4-5:30pm at Village School (215 E. High St.)

Join author and illustrator duo Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr as they discuss their new book, Everywhere, Wonder, and lead a hands-on bookmaking workshop.

Plus: On March 25, The Paramount Theater (The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall, theparamount.net) is showing (for free!) Clifford on the big screen at 9:30am.

The first 200 hundred families to arrive will receive a free copy of Clifford We Love You.

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Oakland School is a small co-ed boarding and day school that enables bright children who benefit from a small class size and individualized program to reach their academic and personal potential. Oakland’s mission is three-fold: • To provide students with the tools to learn • To instill in students the confidence required to reach their academic and personal potential, and ultimately • To enable students to successfully transition to a traditional classroom at their appropriate grade level

OPEN HOUSE

Monday, April 10, beginning at 10 a.m.

Come for an overview of our year round school and summer program and take a tour of campus.

128 Oakland Farm Way • Troy, Virginia 22974 434-293-9059 •oaklandschool.net

Action for All Helping share the action sports.

Help Us Build a Stronger Community!

Creating a safe, positive environment for today’s youth is essential to developing strong communities and productive future citizens. Action for All is a sports-driven nonprofit serving children of Central Virginia, ages 5-17. We are focused on developing discipline, dedication and effective leadership skills through rewarding team building and goal setting—skills that benefit them at home, in school, at work and beyond.

Volunteers We are looking for high energy people who love both action sports and kids, to volunteer as instructors and guides. Share your passion for the outdoors and make a difference is a child’s life. Please visit our website for more information.

Winter Ski Trips

Scholarships Each winter we award scholarships to aspiring participants ages 7-17 who wish to join our winter festivities on a regular basis. Please check our website for more details. · Action for All Ski/Snowboard Team Scholarship (Deadline: November 4th) Choose a Race or Freeride Team and Receive an Award up to $500

· USASA Appalachian Series Essay Contest (Deadline: December 5th) Win Free Entry into USASA Appalachian Series Contests

Learn the Fundamentals of skiing and snowboarding at a local ski resort! We offer variable pricing for accessibility and discounted rates for groups and lift tickets. · Wintergreen Resort Feb 11, 2017 | 5pm-8pm

· Massanutten Resort Feb 27, 2017 | 5pm-8pm

Contact us: P.O Box 352 Waynesboro, Va, 22980 I actionforall.org I info@actionforall.org I

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Insta

Riverfest Saturday April 29, 2017 Waynesboro, Virginia

10 am to 4:30 pm

•

FREE admission

0pera

C H A R LOT T E SV I L L E

Ash Lawn Opera Transformed

2017 SCHEDULE

Middlemarch in Spring March 23,24

Join us for a day of river fun!

Rigoletto

July 9,14,16,19

Oklahoma!

Canoe Rides • Cornhole • Reptile World Show • Face Painting Stream Safari & Electro Fishing • Fish n’ Fun Rodeo Wildlife Center of Virginia • South River Duck Race MORE Presentations as well as Food, Games, & Exhibits!

For more information: www.riverfestwaynesboro.org

Celebrating our

40th

July 29,30 & August 2,4,5 MORE INF O:

SEASON

CharlottesvilleOpera.org | (434) 293-4500

434 973-5640

Learn more about our staff @

www.VCFR.us

for “Solutions for life”

 Licensed Mental Health Professionals

Larry L. French, M.A., LPC, LMFT Peter J. Schmidt, M.A., LPC, LMFT Peggy R. Rudnick, LCSW, BCD Adrienne Consylman, M.A., LPC Rodney D. Kibler, Ph.D., LSP, LPC Merrilee Peske, M.S., LMFT Felicia M. Aliano, M.A., LPC John J. Cotter, M.A., LMFT Annette Rood, M.A.

(Occasionally we have Residents in Counseling)

Licensed Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, Clinical Social Workers

 Two convenient locations: Charlottesville & Staunton  Faith Based World View Integrated with an Evidence Based Treatment Strategy  Health Insurance – Providers with most health insurance companies

“from a Christian perspective since 1986” c-ville village 23

For more information visit www.charlottesville.org/parksandrec

join boar’s head sports club by march 2017 & receive complimentary summer camp.

CONTACT SAMANTHA STRONG, MEMBERSHIP SALES MANAGER 434.972.6031 | Samantha_Strong@boarsheadinn.com Tennis | Kids Camps | Sports Camps | Squash | Golf | Private Lessons & Clinics Rock Wall | Fitness Center | Aquatic Facilities | Swim Team www.boarsheadinn.com

Owned and Operated by the University of Virginia Foundation

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APR IL 10—16, 2017 Charlottesville, VA

The Founders Festival is a weeklong celebration that empowers artists, entrepreneurs & civic leaders who shape communities across the nation.

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FOUNDERS SUMMIT April 13—15, 2017

Paramount Theater

KIM JORDAN N ew B el g i u m B r ew i n g

An outstanding assembly of the most innovative founders share their personal account of what it takes to launch great ideas, build successful companies, and create global impact. $79 until March 1.

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April 13—15, 2017

April 13, 2017

A convening of leaders in small cities who have spearheaded some of the nation’s most creative campaigns for community change.

A student-planned, student-led celebration of young entrepreneurs.

+50 more!

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Block Parties | Competitions Concerts | Talks | Public Art Performances | Workshops Food Truck Rallies | Murals Farm-to-table Programming

USE CODE “CVILLEREADER” FOR 15% OFF TICKETS AT TOMTOMFEST.COM c-ville village 25

17 0 2 S P M A SUMMER C

Whether you love music, lacrosse, soccer, skateboarding, basketball, or another pursuit, summer camp at Liberty University is an adventure you won’t forget.

Sharpen your talents and learn new skills as you train at one of our many academic or athletic camps.

26 c-ville village

SPACE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTER TODAY! Liberty.edu/SummerCamps | events@liberty.edu | (434) 592-3511

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“HUMANITY DOES THINGS that have never been done before just by sitting around and thinking about it.” That’s educator Matt Shields on the lesson he tries to teach students in Charlottesville High School’s BACON (Best All-around Club of Nerds). The group meets weekly to imagine and create—they program virtual robots and build physical machines.

They explore, they experiment. It’s one of a handful of science-related programs offered in local high schools, each designed to give students a hands-on experience they might not otherwise have in standard classes. In Albemarle County, eighth-graders can apply in January to one of the three high school “magnet academies”: Math, Science and Engineering (Albemarle), Environmental Studies (Western Albemarle) or Health and Medical Sciences (Monticello). The opportunities the academies afford students are numerous, ranging from internships with physical therapists and professors to investigations of spy movie technology. In this issue, we take a look at these and other programs, and what they offer—both in and out of the classroom. SAMANTHA BAARS, ERIKA HOWSARE, LAURA INGLES AND LISA MARTIN

c-ville village 27

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Digital daughters Tech-Girls aims to bridge the computer science gender gap With programs for girls in kindergarten through 12th grade, Tech Girls is smashing stereotypes.

KIM WILKENS

KIM WILKENS WAS always good at math. As a young student at Texas Lutheran University in the mid-1980s, she planned to pursue a degree and a career in a math-related field, but the perfect storm of an intro to computer science class and a sexist comment from one of her math professors led her to the world of technology. After switching majors, she’s spent her three-decade-long career teaching computer science and advocating for girls to find their place in the maledominated world of technology. Even as a teacher at St. Anne’s-Belfield School, she wants to do more—which is precisely why she founded Tech-Girls.

“I wanted to try to do something on the grassroots level,” Wilkens says.

“The overall goal is to get girls comfortable and confident not only using but creating technology.”

Girls in particular tend to lose interest in technology by the time they reach middle school, Wilkens says.

According to a 2015 report by the gender equality nonprofit American Association of University Women, only 26 percent of computing jobs in the U.S. in 2013 were held by women—down from 35 percent in 1990.

Tech-Girls offers programming for girls as young as kindergartners all the way through 12th grade. For elementary students, Girls’ Geek Day events provide hands-on learning in schools, where each participant can choose three of 10 activities available. Last year more than 425 girls participated in the seven events around Charlottesville and Albemarle County—in 2015, about 250 girls attended.

And now that the event has been around for a couple years, Wilkens says girls who are currently in middle school are coming back as volunteers to lead activities and be role models for the younger girls. Middle school girls also have the opportunity to collaborate with UVA’s service organization, Girls Excited About Math and Science, for after-school programming, and Wilkens says she wants to beef up the programming for that age group.

The five-day Bio-Med Tech-Girls program gives high schoolers the opportunity to meet with students and faculty from the UVA Department of Biomedical Engineering. The program includes behind-the-scenes lab tours, KIM WILKINS guest speakers, a design challenge and a pitch presentation to the community, and participants get to see things like a 3-D bio-printer up close. Last year 13 students from eight different high schools attended, and the program has grown from three days to five.

Wilkens wants girls to know that technology and computer science is about more than just coding. Wearable technology like LED lights and accelerometers sewn into clothing, light-up stuffed animals and game controllers made out of fabric are just a handful of the projects that her students have worked on.

“Getting the girls in the door is the hardest thing,” Wilkens says. “Once they can get past those stereotypical barriers and they see what a wide variety of things they can do with technology, then we have their interest.” LI

“What we try to do is connect the girls with others, connect them with mentors, give them people to look up to, things like thatw, so they can see there are others like themselves.”

“A lot of that has to do with stereotypes, and feeling that being involved in computer science or technology is not for them but for a nerd,” Wilkens says.

“What we try to do is connect the girls with others, connect them with mentors, give them people to look up to, things like that, so they can see there are others like themselves.”

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Like minded MESA students thrive on friendly competition A NUMBER THAT especially interests Tony Wayne, director of the Math, Engineering and Science Academy (MESA) at Albemarle High School, is one-third. That’s the percentage of students in the program who plan to pursue something other than engineering after high school—English, biology, math, philosophy. Why enroll in MESA, then?

“They tell me it’s the best part of their day,” says Wayne with a smile.

“They enjoy the classes, the speakers, their groups, the problems. Most of all they like having a cohort.”

Nora Dale, a MESA junior, agrees. “I really like the opportunity to work with people whose interests are similar to my own, as well as the interactive projects. Right now we’re working on a forensics unit, and my group is investigating whether spy movie technology is plausible.”

Now in its eighth year, MESA was the first specialized academy launched for county residents and currently hosts 262 students.

Admission to the academy is competitive—this year there were 165 applicants for 72 freshman spots. Most of those admitted were straight-A students, many already taking geometry in eighth grade, but Wayne says the faculty particularly looks for evidence of drive. “We want students who can find an answer independently, then bring it back to the group and work collaboratively,” he says.

That “collaborative independence” leads to learning from, and relying on, each other. The students love in-class competitions where teams brainstorm solutions to complex problems, TONY WAYNE but they all root for success.

“Everyone is so supportive, cheering each other on,” says Wayne. “If your idea doesn’t work, the whole class goes, ‘Awww!’”

Fun and games aside, the pace is brisk. To be ready to tackle calculus-based engineering problems by their junior year, students take Algebra II, trigonometry and math analysis compressed into two classes, and physics, earth science and chemistry within two courses of science. Beyond being “good at” these subjects, MESA kids revel in them.

Upperclassmen follow a college-level engineering curriculum, which focuses heavily on application: Find a problem and solve it. Senior Doug Kulow says the atmosphere is relaxed and fun. “I’m looking forward to the senior project, when we get to choose something that interests us and manifest it in the real world.” The projects are diverse, from computer applications to machines with moving parts, often employing one of the seven 3D printers on site to create physical reality from pure imagination.

No matter what the future brings, Kulow says the experience has been amazing. “I learned a lot of skills that will help me with the rest of my life outside of engineering.” LM

“Everyone is so supportive, cheering each other on. If your idea doesn’t work, the whole class goes, ‘Awww!’”

AMY JACKSON

c-ville village 31

MOUNTAIN KIM MARTIAL ARTS

SUMMER CAMP It will be unforgettable summer with Fun, Exciting, Field Trip, Educational, Build Confidence, Learn Self-defense, Improve Concentration, Increase Self-discipline, and “YES I CAN” attitude.

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*Register Prior April 30th for BIG SAVE

Hours:

Drop-off: 7:30 – 9:30am Pick-up: 4:00 – 6:00pm

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The Dickinson Fine and Performing Arts Center at PVCC Saturday, March 11 • 7:30PM Sunday, March 12 • 2:00PM

SPRING BREAK MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP Godspell, Jr. Grades 2-12 • April 3-8 at the new DMR Adventures Academy 221 Carlton Road

SUMMER MUSICAL THEATRE CAMP 2017 Register now for our summer camps at www.DMRAdventures.com/summer

Broadway Adventure Production SHREK JR! Gleeked Out Kids Broadway Adventure (Aristocats Kids) Technical Theatre Camp 1 Cinderella’s Adventure On Camera Acting Intensive DMR Dance Intensive Alice’s Adventure Broadway Bound with Brad Bass Acting & Improv Camp Charlie’s Adventure Musical Theatre Intensive Broadway at the Paramount

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Kids Broadway Adventure 101 Dalmatians KIDS Technical Theatre Camp 2

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HMSA student Lindsay Gunsallus interns at UVA Hospital through the program.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Academy (ESA) building at Western Albemarle High School houses a 1,200-square-foot greenhouse, and there’s always something growing. Even in winter, there are trays of seedlings for spring crops, a sprawling tomato plant set in a bed of gravel and supported by hydroponics and dozens of herbs in pots.

A tech-integrated classroom plus additional lab space make the building a perfect gathering place for the growing ranks of the academy, now at 105 students in its third year of operation and expected to top 150 next year when the program is full.

Junior Ty Huneycutt, who joined the program at its inception, is interested in environmental law and values having a background in the sciences. “It’s just nice to be informed,” he says, “and to know what the environmentally friendly decisions are. We’ve had a lot of great extracurricular trips, too, like [working with fourth-graders at] Naturally Nelson and helping out at the International Rescue Committee gardens. It’s amazing how science can help with connecting to the community.”

Director Adam Mulcahy says the emphasis is on environmental “studies,” not just science. This means offering innovative courses such as a first-year geography class that blends both human and physical geography topics.

“We want kids to learn how the environment shapes the people, and how people have historically shaped their environment,” he explains. Students take as many as eight science classes including ecology, horticulture, geology and two specially developed environmental CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

AMY JACKSON

A study in green ESA students not afraid to get their hands dirty

Medical attention Health sciences students get a taste of the profession FOR ABOUT 180 students at Monticello High School, their classroom looks less like a traditional one and more like an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” or “CSI.” Administrators from the University of Virginia School of Medicine have helped design the curriculum for their Health and Medical Sciences Academy, in which students learn subjects like math, science and engineering through real-world applications and case studies.

“They actually get to see what’s happening on the other side of the door,” says director Katina Dudley on the topic of each student’s required internship. Some have observed surgeries, emergency KATINA DUDLEY procedures on animals and have interacted with neurology patients who required intensified assistance.

In Dudley’s AP biology classroom, small groups of students are gathered around a number of workstations. They’re finishing a lab on gel electrophoresis, a method used to separate mixtures of DNA, RNA or proteins according to molecular size. Molecules are pushed through a gel by an electrical field.

“It’s basically a fingerprint for DNA,” one student is overheard explaining. Offering his expertise to another student, he says the method is often used in forensics and paternity tests.

Says Dudley, “I think the best part is that kids are in a cohort of students with similar interests, which charges the conversations in our classrooms.” SB

“They actually get to see what’s happening on the other side of the door.”

c-ville village 33

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830 Monticello Avenue in Downtown Charlottesville

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

JACKSON SMITH

biology and chemistry classes. Next year a new environmental art elective will use biological structures as the medium for artistic expression, another step toward integrating arts and humanities into the program.

Mulcahy marvels at the generous community support. When a local landowner offered to donate a starter bee hive and training from a professional beekeeper, the academy was abuzz with ideas. “We can grow a pollinator meadow to support it, and we’d weigh how much honey is being produced by mass,” he says. “We’d have a camera inside so students could monitor activity, and maybe put it online for other schools to see. It’s all part of getting kids exposure to stuff outside the standard curriculum.”

Junior James Keese chose ESA because he’s interested in both the effects of humans on the world’s climate and the diversity of ecosystems. He likes the hands-on, interactive projects and his interests have expanded with each class. After high school, he says, “I may study marine biology, or possibly astronomy. I’m still exploring.” And for that, Keese is in just the right place. LM

Bring it, BACON CHS’ nerd club brings power to the people

The recently built ESA building includes a tech-integrated classroom and lab space.

ANSEL OLSON

A TECHNO MICHAEL Jackson remix pours out of the speakers in the Charlottesville High School Sigma Lab as students involved in the Best All-around Club Of Nerds gather for their weekly meeting.

Between 80 and 100 students of all grade levels team up every Thursday after school to imagine and invent under the direction of engineering teacher and head honcho Matt Shields.

“We really do let the kids run the show,” Shields says about the studentcentered organization that attracts kids of all backgrounds to participate in about a dozen different programs. Three of the post popular are the Zero Robotics, First Tech Challenge and Science Olympiad teams.

Year after year, the Zero Robotics team—which competes in international coding matches that involve programming virtual robots to do a series of tasks more efficiently than their opponents—fights its way to the finals at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where team members remotely watch their code run on the International Space Station. And yes, you read that correctly.

The First Tech Challenge is similar, except the competition consists of running the students’ invented code on physical robots. And the Science Olympiad team members compete in a series of STEM-based events, Olympics-style, against kids from other schools across the nation. These could range from anything between engineering events, where competitors have to build something, or strictly knowledge-based events, where a quiz could be administered.

“Baked into the DNA of BACON is just this weird confidence.

They know just enough that they can do just about anything,” Shields says, adding that his goal is to send a message to students that says, “Humanity does things that have never been done before just by sitting around and thinking about it.”

Megan Bird, a senior and co-president of the club, is on the Science Olympiad team, which has actually hosted its competition at CHS for the past few years. So here, while students are competitors, they’re also in charge of running the show. But she says that’s part of the fun for herself and her peers who are passionate about their extracurricular activity.

“We do things that they don’t always touch on in school,” she adds. “I find that in BACON, people are really exciting about what they’re doing.” SB

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2017 summer @ Live Arts camps & productions

‘17

Half & Full Day Camps (Pre-K through 12th grade) • Musical Theater Showcase

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream

• Comedy Camp: It’s All in the Timing

• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

• Comedy Camp XXL

• (Pre-K through 2nd) Superheroes Camp, Fantasy Camp, Elephant & Piggie’s Adventures

• Playwrights & Playmakers Intensive • Disney’s Peter Pan Jr.

Don’t Miss the Live Arts Musical Theater Production Camp…

And the Live Arts Teen Theater Company (TTC) production...

Musical Auditions 4/8 & 4/9 Performances 8/4 & 8/5

Musical Auditions 4/8 & 4/9 Performances 7/14-7/30

Register summeratlivearts.org

Questions education@livearts.org

Pippin

TIME WAS, WHEN students at Charlottesville Catholic School wanted to do a science experiment, they’d have to contend with the elements.

“Students would be heating minerals over an open flame,” recalls Principal Michael Riley. “They’d use a Petri dish with an alcohol flame. They’d be doing it outside”—because there wasn’t a properly ventilated spot indoors—“and the slightest breeze would blow it out.”

With the winds of education shifting toward what Riley calls “inquiry-based, hands-on learning,” CCS wanted to equip students to excel in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects, and it was clear that the school needed a dedicated facility to do so. Safety was a priority when the school began working on a STEM addition with Train Architects, the firm that has designed each phase of the school since it was founded in the late ’90s.

As planning progressed, STEM turned to STEAM (A is for arts) and then to STREAM, as the new facility would also support R for religion.

How? By keeping students’ presentations and performances out of the school chapel. “We weren’t having a sacred space in our chapel,” says Riley. With the addition featuring a dedicated public-speaking room on its lower level, the chapel could be used for religious activities only.

Essentially a long bar extending at a right angle from the rear of the existing school—which serves 330 students in grades kindergarten through eight—the addition sits on a slope that necessitated two stories. The upper floor contains two STEM classrooms connected by a central core, housing much-needed storage space and a fume hood for ventilation.

The classrooms, meanwhile, are modeled on typical high school chemistry classrooms, divided into

The new addition to Charlottesville Catholic School provides a learning facility for STREAM students.

STEPHEN BARLING

s

From STEM to STREAM Charlottesville Catholic School expands the possibilities

lecture and experiment areas. Kids can listen to their teachers explain a concept, then move over to small-group workstations to look through a microscope and see science for themselves.

Architect Kirk Train says his firm’s aesthetic task was to make the addition conversant with, but clearly differentiated from, the older portions of the school.

“Kids will understand that this is special, this is different,” says Train.

Subtle cues signal a shift when students pass into the STREAM wing. The window pattern gradually “breaks down,” Train says, as one moves further into the addition, as does the pattern of brick and concrete block on the addition’s exterior.

“We kept a simple vocabulary and rhythm,” says Train.

The floor, too, changes from linoleum to concrete, an economical and green option.

Two new stairwells ease student traffic to and from the lower-floor lunchroom, and their railings are crayon-red to signal a place of movement. Warm brown walls and cherry ceiling panels delineate the “lobby” within the addition, where an elevator, stairwell and hallways come together.

The new performance space—located next door to a sound-dampened music classroom—features a low stage under a sloped ceiling, a clear sign to students that when they’re standing there, it’s time to speak up, something that might have been counterintuitive in the chapel. “If they have a part that’s loud or funny,” says Train, “they can ARCHITECT KIRK TRAIN do it and not feel restrained.” EH

“Kids will understand that this is special, this is different.”

c-ville village 37

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Welcoming a Puppy Home Tips for new puppy parents on transition, toys, food and more (Family Features) Nothing is more heartwarming than the first warm nuzzle from a new puppy. With new pets, however, come new responsibilities and opportunities, which can often lead to New Year’s resolutions involving new furry friends.

“No matter the season, it’s always a moving and emotional experience when a puppy finds a new home,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer at PetSmart. “Our passionate associates are available to help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives.”

To help puppy parents welcome their pets home – and keep New Year’s commitments – PetSmart, the largest specialty pet retailer across North America, offers this expert advice on nutrition, socialization, essentials and health care

Cat & Dog Vacuum

by Miele

to help keep pets happy and healthy.

Find a Veterinarian A veterinarian should be your first call if your puppy gets into something that could potentially harm him or her. Vets are also great resources to keep you up-to-date on puppy care, like vaccination timing. Use a tool like the free askPETMD app, available in the Apple App and Google Play stores, to find a veterinarian near you.

ID Your Pet While pets are getting acclimated to their home, and with people going in and out, it can be easy for them to slip out a door. Be prepared in case they embark on an unplanned journey around the neighborhood. To ensure you are reunited, outfit your pup with proper ID, including a personalized ID tag.

shoes or something more dangerous like wiring or extension cords. To protect them and promote positive chewing experiences, use toys or treats to occupy their time and allow them to chew safely, such as a Puppy Bone Starter Toy Kit. It’s also important to place household products like trash, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies out your pup’s reach.

Give Puppies Their Own Space According to a survey commissioned by PetSmart and conducted by Wakefield Research, 47 percent of U.S. dog owners let their puppy sleep in bed with them seven nights per week. However, when it’s time for puppies to rest on their own, a puppy crate can perform double duty, providing puppies their own area away from stressors to nap and serving as a structure that promotes potty training.

Pup-Proof Your Home Dogs love to chew, whether it’s on

Show Pet Hair Who’s Boss.

Pick up the hair and the odors with Miele’s Cat & Dog vacuum cleaner!

CHARLOTTESVILLE SANITARY SUPPLY CORPORATION

1327 E. High St. &296-8131 8cssvac.com Monday — Friday, 8:00am-5:30pm

38 c-ville village

Purrfect Place for Pets, LLC

Providing Excellence in Veterinary Medicine Since 1959

We offer full service pet sitting and daily dog walking in your home.

We cover Crozet, Ivy, western Charlottesville and areas in between. www.purrfectplaceforpets.com sandy@purrfectplaceforpets.com 434-989-5004

Nancy Handley, DVM Donald Peppard, DVM Mike Fietz, DVM Heidi Stone, DVM

The Pony Academy Where pony dreams come true The Pony Academy offers the ultimate horseback riding experience in Charlottesville...

200 Georgetown Way • Charlottesville

434-977-4600

georgetownveterinayhospital.com

• English Saddle, Hunt seat, Trail riding • Practical instruction for the care and maintenance of horses • 1 and 2 week summer half-day camp sessions • Individual and group training for children and adults • Open to visitors outside Virginia • Please call for Camp Availability www.theponyacademycharlottesville.com 2149 Browns Gap Turnpike, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901 • 434-823-6929

FIND US ON FACEBOOK!

c-ville village 39

The Daily Progress named SPCA Rummage one of the best secondhand stores in Charlottesville in 2016. SPCA Rummage offers a wide array of unique treasures, home goods, clothing and more.

Store Hours:

10AM-6PM Daily

Donation Drop-Off Hours:

1PM-5PM Daily

40 c-ville village

SPCA Rummage 199 Zan Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901 434.293.8475 | caspca.org

Donate clean, like-new and gently used items.

CHILDREN’S CHOIR OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA DEDICATION, EXCELLENCE, & BEAUTY

REASONS TO JOIN THE CHOIR 1.

Choir is a fun and engaging way to serve the community.

2. Choir is an easy way to make lots of new friends and feel part of a group.

3. Choir teaches lifelong beneficial posture and breathing techniques.

4. Choir helps develop better habits of good enunciation.

5.

Choir develops poise under pressure and self-esteem.

6. Choir teaches a sense of responsibility and of setting priorities.

7.

Choir teaches the value of teamwork.

8. Choir reminds singers that there are no short-cuts to excellence.

9. Choir teaches the importance of careful preparation in reaching goals.

10. Choir develops a sense of culture and sophistication.

11. Choir provides the foundation for a lifetime of enjoyment in music.

12. Choir trains participants to be future supporters of the arts.

13. Choir provides a healthy cultural and creatively artistic balance in these days of heavily data-based education.

14. Choir conveys that leadership, demeanor, and good attitude make a significant contribution to the success of a group.

15. Choir reminds us of the positive, exciting impact a dedicated group can make beyond that which is possible for an individual.

16. Choir can be a college “hook” in the application process, showing well-balanced experience and education.

For more information about current programs and offerings please visit our website at

www.ChildrensChoirCentralVA.Com

c-ville village 41

Give your child an academic advantage in school and beyond!

F

Schedule a FREE Parent Orientation today!

OR AG

Kumon of Charlottesville 225 Connor Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22911

434.973.9040 • kumon.com/charlottesville-va

Spring Concerto Concert

Performing will be The Youth Symphony, Rita M. Evans Orchestras & Jr. Strings and the Flute Choirs

Featuring the 2017 Concerto Competition winners: Maggie Archer, Flute Concerto in D major-1st mvt. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ari Han, Violin Concerto in E Minor-1st mvt. Felix Mendelssohn

TUESDAY, May 16, 2017 7:00 p.m.

St. Anne’s-Belfield’ s Greenway Rise Auditorium 2132 Ivy Road, Charlottesville, VA $15 adults/Students & Children 18 yrs & under: Free Tickets are available at the door the evening of the concert.

AUDITION DATES for the 2017-2018 Season for Youth Symphony and Evans Orchestra will be: May 30, 31 and June 1 Please visit yocva.org for more information

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42 c-ville village

There’s no place like

home.

Inside. Outside. Home.

Central Virginia’s No. 1 home magazine has never looked finer. ABODE has given readers an inside look at the region’s most interesting homes for nearly a decade.

Look for ABODE at over 100 locations across Charlottesville, Albemarle, Orange, Lovingston, Crozet, Staunton, Waynesboro and Fishersville at major grocery stores, gyms, restaurants and retail locations and online at c-ville.com.

ES

©2017 Kumon North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

WE MAKE YOUR SMART KID EVEN SMARTER!

c-ville village 43 1. Swapped goats. 2. Gave the little girl glasses. 3. Changed the color of the outbuilding. 4. Added an extra outbuilding.

5. Added deer to the background. 6. Removed the blue object in the background. 7. Removed one of the logs.

We’ve made seven changes to the bottom photo. See if you can find them all!

Picture and picture for the kids

Ag

es

Looking for Adventure?

5-1

Come be a part of our Vacation Bible School!

We are going deep under the sea in an old submarine to discover the True Source of joy, happiness, peace, hope, and love.

2

Albemarle Baptist Church July 10-14

6:00pm-8:30pm

Don’t Miss Out!

For more information or to pre-register your child contact Tiffany King at kingfamof5@outlook.com or call 434-964-9225.

Transportation IS Available!

*

and get a free backpack lled with lots of goodies!

ORTHODONTICS

DENTISTRY

335 Greenbrier Dr #204, Charlottesville, VA 22901 434-296-5250

434-990-5722

BlueRidgeFamilyDentistry.com

VETERINARY

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O

PEDIATRICIAN

V SER ING S

IORS

P RO U D

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25 Y

ruckersvilleorthodontics.com

EN

Service Guide

Pre-Register by May 15

R R 2 5 YEA

Residential Living • Assisted Living Memory Care • Nursing Care

434-973-1155 our-lady-of-peace.com 751 Hillsdale Drive • Charlottesville

Downtown Hollymead Ivy

434-296-9161 434-974-9600 434-296-8300

www.CharlottesvillePeds.com

434-977-4600

www.gvhvets.com

c-ville village 45

life lessons

It’s a hit!

MOVING FROM NEW YORK City to Charlottesville in

2011 afforded 11-year-old Luke Frank and his family a new opportunity: more tennis.

“We loved the fact that tennis was more accessible than

it was in NYC,” says Luke’s mom, Lauren Foster. “There are lots of free public courts and affordable coaching.”

Luke started taking lessons with SuperStarters, a local

sports-based youth development company, in the summer of 2012 after his dad started playing. “Then we found out a school friend of his also played tennis and was taking

lessons with [SuperStarters founder] Ellen Markowitz,” Lauren says, “so that was added incentive.”

SuperStarters offers after-school programs, summer

camps and community tennis programs, partnering with 10 elementary schools in the city and county, plus Albemarle

County Parks & Recreation and the Crozet YMCA. “We were drawn to SuperStarters because of the quality of the

coaching and the nurturing relationship Coach Ellen has with her players,” Lauren says. “There are many things to

remember about technique, and she helps kids think about one thing at a time so that it doesn’t feel overwhelming.”

And why does Luke stick with it? He likes the challenge.

“In the summer of 2016, Luke played a match against

Coach Ellen at Western Albemarle High School courts,” Lauren says. “He loved the idea of being the ‘apprentice’

who was now able to play competitively against the teacher.”

AMY JACKSON

46 c-ville village

After a lesson about nomads sparked her curiousity about prehistoric homes, she researched and built a wattle & daub shelter behind her classroom.

Having found the square of 5,736 using the Montessori peg board, they can teach their younger classmates how to use this compelling Montessori material.

Thanks to his work in the garden this summer, his friends will enjoy a bountiful harvest throughout the fall.

Learning is creative in our open and exploratory environment.

Learning is leadership mixed-age classrooms.

Learning is messy (but delicious) in our gardens and kitchens.

in

our

Parent-Infant Classes, Preschool, Elementary, & Middle School Call 979.8886 to schedule a tour.

mountaintopmontessori.org