A LIGHTER TOUCH
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THE NEXT GEN
TWO LOCAL TEENS WITH BIG IDEAS (AND HEARTS!)
YES, PLEASE
PRACTICING POLITENESS— AT THE TABLE AND BEYOND
FOR PARENTS WHO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITY HANDY.
WINTER 2017
Bring it on! GETTING ACTIVE How some area kids are fighting for a more inclusive future (for all of us)
Make Your Pet Feel Like A
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Everyone Deserves a Slice of the Pie
• Albemarle Fire & Rescue • Shelter for Help in Emergency • Blue Ridge Area Food Bank • Thomas Jefferson Food Bank • Ronald McDonald House • UVA Cancer Center • Make a Wish Foundation • Wildlife Center of Virginia • Caring for Creatures • Music Resource Center • ARC of the Piedmont • Habitat for Humanity • Salvation Army • Special Olympics • Mosby Foundation • Live Arts • H.O.W.S. o et ad er M rd • SPCA O • SARA • SOCA
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INSIDE VILLAGE 13 BEGINNINGS 13
Need a winter outing? Go underground.
15
Give up a coat for someone else’s warmer winter.
17 Cale Elementary’s two-way immersion program. 20
Teaching dos and don’ts for holiday festivities.
21
Sensory-friendly theater.
23
A cleaner clothes project from a local teen.
24
This season’s events.
23
29 FEATURE
Leading by example: After the events of August 12, a few local families sought a way to get involved in positive change.
24
38 LIFE LESSONS
Drew Chaney’s grass is blue. Cover photo by Andrea Shirey.
308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 n c-ville.com c-ville.com/village
17
29
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. Creative Director Bill LeSueur. Graphic Designers Tracy Federico, Henry Jones, Max March, Lorena Perez. Advertising Director Erica Gentile. Account Executives Hannah Evans, Theressa Leak, Katie McCartney, Cindy Simmons, 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
Oakland School is a small co-ed boarding and day among THE school that enables bright children who benefit from TOP a small class size and individualized program to reach Special education their academic and personal potential. Oakland’s schools in the country 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 • Our academic summer program includes daily one-to-ones in reading as well as traditional camp activities such as horseback riding, science and nature, swimming, archery, sports and more
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128 Oakland Farm Way • Troy, VA 22974 • 434-293-9059 oaklandschool.net •admissions@oaklandschool.net
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beginnings Local coat drive with heart (p.15) Cale Elementary’s dual language program (p.17) Teaching etiquette for the holidays (p.20) Sensory-friendly theater brings relief (p.21) A local teen helps the underserved with a clean start (p.23) Get out and do something: More than a dozen events for winter (p.24)
Adventure underground
COURTESY LURAY CAVERNS
Giant’s Hall contains the tallest formation— 47 feet!—at Luray Caverns.
Winter is prime time for spelunking
AS WINTER SETS in caves offer surprisingly balmy family adventures. With temperatures hovering around 53 degrees, a subterranean visit provides hours of active outdoor fun sans the cold. From paved walking tours to rigorous guided explorations through wild caverns, the following resources will help you take advantage of the region’s many spelunking opportunities. CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
c-ville village 13
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Luray Caverns (Luray)
Discovered in 1878, Luray has the largest series of caverns on the East Coast and is the granddaddy of American grottos. Featuring massive cave formations like stalactites, stalagmites, columns, mudflows, flowstone and mirrored pools, a 1.5-mile hike through the caves offers eye candy galore. Don’t miss the Great Stalactite Organ—a lithophone that taps stalactites of various sizes to produce tones similar to those of xylophones, tuning forks and bells. Adults $27, children $14. luraycaverns.com
PHOTO: CRAMER PHOTO
Outdoor Adventure Experiences (Dayton)
In addition to rafting, fishing, hiking, canoeing and climbing, OAE offers guided tours of various wild caves throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Options vary in intensity and tend to include some degree of crawling, squeezing through narrow passages, rappelling and climbing into and/ or out of pits. Tours are scheduled both day and night, with the most intense experiences featuring wading or even swimming through underground streams and lakes. Adventures are open to everyone over 4 feet tall. Starts at $160 for groups of two to four. outdooradventureexperiences.com
Skyline Caverns (Front Royal)
Opened to the public in 1939, Skyline Caverns is one of the only caves in the world where you can view anthodites. Made of calcite, the rare clusters of perfect, six-sided crystals blossom like sea urchins from the cave’s ceiling. Tours are offered daily, and feature about 1.8 miles of subterranean walking. Adults $22, children $11. skylinecaverns.com
Lost World Caverns (Lewisburg, West Virginia) Offering both standard walking tours and wild caving experiences, LWC is great for families with wide age gaps. The walking tour is just more than a half-mile long, with the highlight being the 30-ton Snowy Chandelier, one of the nation’s largest compound stalactites. Meanwhile, wild tours take four to five hours to complete, feature a picnic lunch and carry visitors through more than a mile of fantastic chambers and passageways. Gear is provided and participants should be prepared to get muddy. Walking tours are $6 for kids under 6 years old, $12 for anyone over 13. Wild excursions run $79 a person. lostworldcaverns.com ERIC WALLACE
beginnings good work
Six years ago, 16-year-old Ashton Ryan started a coat drive for those in need. To date, he’s given out more than 7,000 coats.
Warm wishes A local teen celebrates his birthday with coats—lots of coats MOST TEENAGERS HAVE pretty predictable birthday wish lists … video games, iTunes cards, maybe money to use toward buying a car. Charlottesville’s Ashton Ryan is different. He wants coats. Lots and lots of coats. It all started six years ago, just before his 12th birthday. “I saw a kid in school without a coat and I wanted to give him mine,” Ashton says. “When my mom picked me up from school that day, I told her I wanted to have a huge birthday party and invite the whole town, but everyone had to donate a coat as my present.” Each year since, Ashton and his mom, Kim, have organized Ashton’s Wish. He celebrates his November 11 birthday by collecting and then distributing donated jackets. “We sort them all by size, and then we make sure they’re clean and the zippers work, and then we give them away” to those in need. Recipients have come from schools, churches, Region Ten, Jefferson
Area Children’s Health Improvement Program and other local organizations. To date, he’s distributed more than 7,000 coats to those who need one. He’s a kid with a big heart—one that has been through a lot. When Ashton was a baby, he was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease—an illness that can cause longterm damage to the heart. Fortunately, doctors caught it early. Ashton’s donations extend beyond Charlottesville; he’s given coats to those in need in Harrisonburg, Lexington and Richmond, too. He wants to expand his program across Virginia and then nationwide, ultimately to start a nonprofit organization to continue the mission. But first, there’s college and studying computers—right after his next coat drive. “I guess I just hope that other kids will hear about it and maybe they’ll want to do it too,” Ashton says. LYNN THORNE
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City of Charlottesville
Did you just call it a vacuum?
This is a custom performance machine.
Make a difference and have a career in your community! The City of Charlottesville is accepting applications for full-time and temporary positions. For a list of current openings and directions on how to apply, visit: www.charlottesville.org/jobs Questions? Contact the HR Office: 434-970-3490
From bare floors to rugs to upholstery to the air itself, nothing cleans your home like the Miele HomeCare Collection. Customize a Miele for your home at Charlottesville Sanitary Supply. CHARLOTTESVILLE SANITARY SUPPLY CORPORATION
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The City of Charlottesville is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports workforce diversity.
Admissio Open Ho ns use 11/11, , 10-noon Full language-immersion schooling in French or Spanish for ages 2-6 Flexible full-day full-day and and part-time part-time Flexible preschool programs programs preschool All are are welcome welcome at at the the ISC! ISC! All Previous exposure exposure to to Previous French or or Spanish Spanish isis not not French required for for our our programs programs required
For information, an application or to 2017-'18 slots filling fast! Now accepting applications! schedule a tour, call or email us today For information, an application or to schedule a tour, call or email us today After school school After French & & Spanish Spanish French enrichment and and tutoring tutoring for for enrichment elementary-aged children children elementary-aged Global Adventures Adventures Global Summer Language Language Camps Camps Summer for kids kids ages ages 2-10 2-10 for camp@theisc.org
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830 Monticello Monticello Avenue Avenue in in Downtown Downtown Charlottesville Charlottesville 830
beginnings education
Dose of the future Cale Elementary’s dual language program leads students into the 21st century
EZE AMOS
Third grade teacher Kimberly Schwartz leads students in a Spanish lesson as part of Cale Elementary’s dual immersion program.
FIVE YEARS AGO, Cale Elementary School principal Lisa Jones instituted a Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools program for her incoming class of kindergarteners and rising first- and second-graders. For three years, offerings featured typical FLES programming—that is, 120 minutes a week of instruction in Spanish. However, as Jones saw it, that wasn’t enough. “By the time they reach fifth grade, on average, children who’ve participated in a FLES program will have a good working proficiency of the second language,” she says. “And we were proud that our students had gained access to that resource. But research shows, it’s immersion that produces true fluency.” Thus, two years ago, with the backing of the Albemarle County School Board, Jones introduced a voluntary Two-Way Immersion Dual Language program. Families of children in grades K through three were
given the option of having their children be involved. Meanwhile, participating students spent half the day studying in Spanish, the other half in English. “The dual language program uses two languages for literacy and content instruction,” explains Jones. “It provides the same academic content and addresses the same standards as other educational curriculum, only, instruction is in the partner language 50 percent of the time.” In other words, for half the day, students spend their classroom hours reading, writing, learning and conversing in Spanish. While students can opt out of the program, the idea is for them to stick with it through at least fifth grade, and preferably beyond. “This approach produces students that are fluent in two languages,” says Jones. “When they graduate from fifth grade and enter middle school, they’ll be equipped with a skill-set—they will be able to read, write, listen and speak in two languages.”
Approaching its third year, Cale’s dual immersion program is growing. Expanded to include fourth- and fifth-graders, enrollment has increased to 60 students. In third to fourth grade, four classrooms are devoted to the program, while in fourth to fifth grade, there are two. Each classroom features two teachers—one managing Spanish instruction, the other English. Of the participating students, about half speak Spanish as their native language. According to Jones, everyone benefits. “Research shows that, for non-native English speakers, partial instruction in the native language helps them learn the new one faster and more efficiently,” she says. “Meanwhile, for English-speaking students, learning the second language early on increases their ability to master it.” Furthermore, having access to peers who are native speakers of the desired second language means students can practice their skills beyond the classroom. Citing bilingualism as the global norm, and monolingualism as the new illiteracy for the 21st century, Jones says Cale’s program falls on the right side of progress. “On the one hand, research shows studying a second language aids children’s cognitive development,” she says. “On the other, if students can speak fluent Spanish and English, they can communicate with around 80 percent of the world’s population, or 5.7 billion people. In both cases, we believe that’s a win.” ERIC WALLACE
Budding trend Immersive, two-way dual language education in the U.S. was developed nearly 40 years ago. Since then, its popularity has grown immensely. During the first two decades of implementation, the number of programs remained relatively low—in the mid-’80s, just 30 were known to be in existence. However, in the last 15 years, that number has risen dramatically. In a recent study conducted by the Center for Applied Linguistics, 315 programs were documented, most of them Spanish/English programs in public elementary schools. EW
c-ville village 17
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beginnings etiquette
Please and thank you Every season is the right season for practicing manners
LUNCH SPECIAL DOMA LUNCH BOX - Korean style BBQ served w/ house salad, pickled radish and rice. (Choice of chicken, beef, spicy pork or organic tofu) DOMA BIBIMBAP Rice w/ stir fried onion, carrot, shiitaki mushroom, bean sprout, zuccini, kale, topped with sunny side egg, DOMA spicy gochujang sauce and your choice of beef, spicy pork, chicken, or organic tofu
WHILE IT’S TRUE that proper manners can take a lifetime to learn (or is that just us?), Etiquette Empowerment founder Patty Hughson teaches a local four-week course in the foundations of table manners and polite interaction to young adults. But because attention spans are fickle things, we asked her to distill it down even further and provide us with some basics for kids to practice this holiday season. As Hughson says, “Etiquette isn’t about rules. It’s about getting along in the world with kindness, grace, generosity and gratitude.” That’s a good reminder at any age. CAITE WHITE
APPETIZERS: Chicken Wings - (5 PCS) Korean Style - Mild/Soy Garlic/Sweet Chili/Korean
Hot/Honey Sriracha
Ship-shape shakes
Haemul Pajeon - Korean seafood pancake
The art of handshaking, says Patty Hughson, can be practiced daily. Here are a few tips to give to your kids (or to brush up on).
Mandu - (5 PCS) Pan fried dumplings Pork, beef & vegetable
Kimchi Jeon - Korean kimchi pancake
Right hand to right hand. Firm grip: “Not a bone-crusher, not a limp fish,” Hughson says. Two to three pumps is all it takes.
ENTRÉE DOMA KOREAN BBQ PLATE - Served with rice, lettuce, ssam sauce, banchan, and a choice of beef, chicken, spicy chicken, pork belly or spicy pork JAPCHAE - Glass noodles with onion, carrots, peppers, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and beef
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DRINKS
701 W Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903 Tue-Sun 11am –3pm, 5–10pm
20 c-ville village
FILE PHOTO
Serving delicious fresh made slushies, soda & water also available. For the Adults - Beer & Cider, Soju, Makgeolli (rice wine) and sake.
Dining
beginnings arts
At dinnertime, kids should practice these guidelines: Begin and end meal with the napkin. Chew with your mouth closed. Say please and thank you. Salt and pepper are passed together. Say thank you to the cook. Before leaving table ask to be excused. No slouching, no squirming, no elbows on the table. Clear the table.
Have your child come up with 10 open-ended questions for dinner or social events on topics such as school, movies, sports, TV, etc. Teach her how an inside voice sounds versus the outside one, and which is appropriate. Show by example how to engage your child in conversation to make sure no one is ignored. Don’t forget eye contact; it is extremely important.
Giving and receiving
Ask your child what gift he would like to give from the heart and to whom, so that it would make someone’s life better or easier. It’s all about kindness and helping out others in need. This is the special time of year to give back.
FILE PHOTO
Conversation
A lighter touch Sensory-friendly theater relieves those on the spectrum HOLLY REGAN SAT with her son in a lightened theater last year, watching a Four County Players production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was a special performance, and not just because of the time of year; it was a sensory-friendly production put on for people like Regan’s son, Jimmy Seidl, who’s autistic. The show was in partnership with the Autism Theatre Project, an effort of the University of Virginia. While the name is very specific, Executive Administrator Jaclyn Lund emphasizes the program supports sensory-friendly theater in a nonjudgmental environment that is geared toward anyone with special needs. These productions are performed as written, but with special accommodations. “We work with area theater groups to make the performances more accessible by doing things like shortening performance length, adjusting light and volume levels so they’re not overwhelming and providing a sensory-friendly break room for anyone who needs a quiet room during the show,” Lund says. Regan says these types of modifications make all the difference for her family. At a traditional performance, she worries about her son’s potential outbursts disturbing others. Her choices are to leave him out of family outings, or take her chances and hope for the best.
“We usually bring two cars, in case one of us has to leave with Jimmy,” she says. “I invest a lot of money in live performances, and I worry about what’s going to happen if he starts acting out.” For that very reason, performances in conjunction with the Autism Theatre Project are free for any family attending with someone who has special needs. “A lot of families can’t go to the theater because of social and financial pressure. We offer a judgment-free environment, and we reduce the financial stress,” Lund says. “By offering free tickets, if someone’s having a bad day, there’s no pressure to attend. They haven’t lost anything.” Most local groups have worked with the Autism Theatre Project to put on sensoryfriendly productions, whether by adding an additional performance night, or by tweaking a matinee to accomodate special needs patrons. Regan says she hopes area theater groups might offer a sensoryfriendly dress rehearsal, which she says would be a “win-win” for all involved. “It gives the performers a chance to work in front of an appreciative audience, and it gives my family an opportunity to attend a show without worrying that my son will disturb a paying crowd.” For more information about the Autism Theatre Project, visit its website at autismtheatreproject.wordpress.com. LYNN THORNE
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Consider giving a gift in the form of a donation to the library. Book donations help build the library's collection! For more information please visit jmrl.org/help or stop by your nearest branch.
FREE FOR YOU and FREE FOR YOUR KIDS! 1 WEEK FREE Classes and Babysitting JAZZERCISE CHARLOTTESVILLE 1739C Allied Lane, McIntire Plaza
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22 c-ville village
beginnings good work
CRAMER PHOTO
Tampa native Cutter Huston started a local chapter of The Laundry Project, an organization that helps low-income families wash clothes at the local laundromat free of charge.
Clothes call Local teen spearheads free laundry service Cutter Huston has never had to worry about clean clothes. But it wasn’t until he became involved with The Laundry Project that he realized not everyone takes something so basic for granted. The son of an Amry brigadier general, Huston was living in Tampa, Florida, when his mother, Michelle, saw a news story about people who were unable to find employment because they didn’t have clean clothes to wear to job interviews. “That resonated,” he says, and it occurred to him that something as simple as washing clothes “could change someone else’s life.”
And that’s why Huston, now 16 and a junior at Albemarle High School, decided to volunteer with Tampa’s Laundry Project, which allows low-income families to wash clothes and linens free of charge with the help of volunteers, who assist with laundry services, provide child care and turn laundromats into community centers. During his time with the group, Huston grew close to The Laundry Project founder, Jason Sowell, and he says leaving the organization was one of the hardest things about moving when his father was reassigned and the family relocated to Charlottesville last summer. But during a chance encounter with Sowell in Washington, D.C., in June, inspiration struck: Why not start a Laundry Project here? And before you could say “wash, dry, fold and repeat,” Huston had introduced himself to Trey Coe, owner of Express Laundry on Maury Avenue. It didn’t take much convincing to get Coe on board, Huston says, and the area’s inaugural Laundry
Project day came off without a hitch at the end of October. Sponsors included Ragged Mountain Running Shop, Whole Foods and Bodo’s Bagels. In addition to washing 242 loads of clothes at no cost (saving customers about $500), Huston served dozens of people a free breakfast, and he was able to send many home from the laundromat with extra food. “Trey and I both want to provide hope to people who have lost it, and help them regain a foothold and get their lives back where they want them to be,” Huston says. A member of the AHS cross country team and the school’s Math, Engineering & Science Academy, Huston says a date hasn’t been set for the next free laundry day, but he’s hoping to do three or four in 2018. “I have been very lucky to be in a family where I don’t need to worry about clean clothes or having enough to eat,” he says. “And it’s my duty to give back and spread the love to everybody who deserves it.” SUSAN SORENSEN
c-ville village 23
beginnings events
apigs free while dodging opponents, hay bales and an unruly pooping cow. Kidfriendly! Free, 7pm. Kardinal Hall, 722 Preston Ave. facebook.com/chickapig
Toddler Time
November 18, December 16 Kids ages 18 months to 4 years old spend time looking at fossils, studying plants and animals and taking time for free play around the Griffin Discovery Room. $10 per child, registration required. 9-10am. David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org
Let’s Go Behind the Scenes with Archaeology
Saturday, November 18 Kids and their favorite grown-ups are invited to the Monticello Archaeology Lab to work with historic artifacts and learn how archaeologists puzzle together pieces of the past to learn about the people who lived and worked at Monticello. Kids $9, adults $12. 10am-noon. David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org
A Christmas Story: The Musical GREG HARRIS
Winter funderland Don’t go into hibernation just yet. Once it turns cold, the city is a winter wonderland of fun activities for the whole family.
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
24 c-ville village
November 17-December 17 A musical version of the classic holiday movie, A Christmas Story, in which young Ralphie just wants one thing from Santa—a Red Ryder air rifle—despite everyone’s insistence that he’ll shoot his eye out. $14-16. 8pm or 2:30pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org
Fun for the Young
Every Wednesday Gordon Avenue librarian Glynis Welte leads this arts-related story time, incorporating movement, play and puppets. Free, registration required, 10-11am. Fralin Museum of Art, 155 Rugby Rd. uvafralinart museum.virginia.edu
Chickapig Tuesday
Every Tuesday Try your hand at this locally created strategic board game: Break a flock of chick-
Lightwire Theater’s A Very Electric Christmas Saturday, November 25 A young bird and his family fly south for the winter, but when he gets blown off course, the real adventure begins. Told through innovative electroluminescent technology, this story lights up the stage (literally!). $14.75-24.50, 11:30am and 6pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Tots and Dots
December 5, January 2, March 6 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
Guess How Much I Love You (live)
Wednesday, December 6 Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia presents a live telling of the classic children’s story about Big and Little Nutbrown Hare with evocative music, visual effects and
puppetry. Plus, a performance of I Love My Little Storybook, which captures the joy of reading through the eyes of an eager bunny. $10.75-15.75, 6pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Wegmans Wednesday
December 6, January 3, February 7 Every first Wednesday of the month, pay what you wish to gain access to the Virginia Discovery Museum’s exhibits— from Amazing Airways and the STEM Lab to the Construction Zone and the Sensory Studio. Sponsored by Wegmans. Donations accepted, 9:30am-5pm. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St. (Downtown Mall), 977-1025. vadm.org
Handmade & Vintage Markets 12th Annual Holiday Craftacular Saturday December 9th in the Carver Recreation Center at the historic Jefferson School 10 am - 5 pm Free admission
Harlem Globetrotters
Sunday, December 10 A star-studded roster that includes Big Easy Lofton, Ant Atkinson, Hi-Lite Bruton, Thunder Law, Bull Bullard and Cheese Chisholm performs ball-handling wizardry, rim-rattling dunks, trick shots, hilarious comedy and unequaled fan interaction. $25.50-97.50, 2pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com
Visit www.flea-ville.com for information on upcoming events 2018 Season details coming soon! c-ville village 25
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attentIon struggles: one mom’s story
“I dreaded every phone call from my son’s teacher!”
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aiden couldn’t sit still in class. His mother, Kanika, adds, “Not only could he not sit still, he couldn’t follow along with the material, and he distracted his classmates. Toward the end of his first year at school, oh, how I grew to dread every phone call from his teacher!” At home, Jaiden struggled to focus long enough to complete homework or follow instructions. Even answering questions seemed to stump the kindergartener. His mother remembers, “If I asked him what he had for lunch, he couldn’t tell me. If I asked, ‘Why do you think that bird flew into that tree?’—he couldn’t answer. He’d just say ‘I don’t know.’” Despite his parents’ attempts to help, Jaiden grew frustrated with any task that posed even the smallest challenge. “It was impacting his confidence,” Kanika says. “He was only in kindergarten, but he was already learning to give up before putting forth any effort at all.” Kanika and her husband found LearningRx in an online search for help. The brain training company offered something different from tutoring, using fun, challenging mental exercises to strengthen the skills Jaiden needed to pay attention, remember, and think.
“Within the first week of brain training at LearningRx, I saw subtle improvements,” Kanika says. “And during the second week and beyond, I saw tremendous changes.” What were some of those changes? “I found I wasn’t repeating myself as often, especially with multiinstructions. Suddenly I could say, ‘Jaiden, clean up the table, pick up your dishes, and put them in the sink,’ and he could do it. Or I’d ask him a question like ‘Why do you think that bird flew into that tree?’ and he’d think about it and say something like, ‘Well, maybe he’s trying to get away from something,’ or ‘He likes it there,’ or ‘Maybe he’s tired.’ “Honestly? I was floored.” Kanika says that testing after brain training showed huge improvements in Jaiden’s short-term memory, attention, and other skills, too. “This program was money well spent, and I’m ecstatic about the results. The results were almost magical. In just weeks, he improved leaps and bounds and he’s still continuing to love reading, audio books, board games…he’s Like a different child. Thanks to LearningRx, Jaiden is now a confident, positive, six-year-old who is eager to learn!”
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EZE AMOS
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Kristin Clarens and Amanda Sovik-Johnston founded Charlottesville Families in Action following the Women’s March, hoping to create opportunities for parents and their kids to be more actively engaged with their community. The org's fall event at The Front Porch raised money for kids in the arts.
U
pon their return from the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., in January of 2017, local moms Kristin Clarens and Amanda Sovik-Johnston felt empowered, but also challenged. “We were just emerging from the super-foggy days of having newborns and realized that we wanted to re-engage in our community,” says Clarens, an attorney. “It felt like a gauntlet had been thrown: Now what?” They recognized that meaningful civic engagement would have to happen at the family level, and Charlottesville Families in Action was born. The two women initially founded their organization by reaching out on Facebook to other families with small children, intending to find local activities where parents and their kids could get together to build, donate, celebrate and fundraise for meaningful causes. The enterprise was
motivated not despite having kids in tow, but because of them. “We are making a conscious decision to model the sorts of behaviors that we hope our kids carry forward into the world,” says Clarens. The kids jump in to the planned activities naturally, and with joy. Events are scheduled every other Wednesday, from 4:30 to 6:30pm, and many involve crafts, music, food or all three. From planting starter seeds for the Monticello Avenue gardens with the Urban Agriculture Collective of Charlottesville, to learning about solar power in Virginia while roasting marshmallows in their own personal solar ovens in Washington Park, the activities deftly intertwine the fun with the educational. Some events are fundraisers, such as a sold-out brunch at Mas in support of Dreamers and their families, while others are hands-on helping, like building toolboxes for Habitat for Humanity, or collecting a vanload of
supplies (including two chainsaws!) for hurricane aid. Sovik-Johnston, a clinical child psychologist, says a big part of the group’s focus is to make the work part of their kids’ lives so they will grow up as leaders in their communities as well. But just as important is how the sessions can serve as a proactive tool to combat fear. “My 6-year-old son said to me, ‘Wow, a lot of bad things have happened in Charlottesville this year,’” Sovik-Johnston recalls, “and I said the other side of that is that so many people have come together to help and care. Yes, stuff is scary, but if we sit in it, it becomes overwhelming, so let’s do something and then we’ll all feel better.” Margarita Figueroa has taken her children, ages 7 and 9, to several of the FIA events and appreciates the high level of organization as well as the predictable schedule. CONTINUED ON PAGE 33
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It is, without question, difficult to discern where to begin and what to say to young people when speaking about the intangible cruelties within our society. Eager to shelter our children from hardship, parents can avoid difficult conversations, hopeful tides will turn and moments will pass. The impulse to shield their hearts from hurt and bodies from pain is reasonable, of course. And yet, a desire to maintain and invoke innocence and a discomfort with challenging dialogues beget the crises that plague our communities; they cannot be solved with silence or inaction. We do a disservice to our children when we avoid our crucial obligation: to nurture. The greatest form of activism in our community today could be the swelling of conscious discourse, bold expression and action-oriented love in the form of supported children. No better result could be achieved than an outpouring of kindness, engagement and courage in the face of a daunting tomorrow. The cultivation of such is the work of parents. Young people are watching the way we navigate the world: Violence is on the channels and the streets; bullies lurk behind lockers and the Resolute desk; disharmony and even hate abound in neighborhoods and message boards. Our chief responsibility must be to model empathy, respect and willingness to grow. Here’s how.
HOME WORK
Here come the brides
+ Foster and encourage open dialogue. We cannot lift the burden of fears, whether our own or our child’s, until we face the beasts head on. Allow conversations to be ongoing. Accept that there may not always be a solution. Ask questions and share emotions. + Authentically explore the “other.” Reading stories, attending community events and engaging in volunteerism can cultivate empathy. When we interact with people outside of our immediate understanding, our capacity for compassion is amplified and communities are strengthened.
C-VILLE Weddings provides brides-to-be with a comprehensive guide to planning their big day. Make us the first stop on the road to wedded bliss.
+ Be seen promoting justice in pursuit of peace. Stand up and get vocal about inequalities, and name them. Use language that is simple and honest. Identify as a family the power you have to make our community more equitable, accepting and representative. Let us teach the next generation that love is a verb. Let us orient them around the most oppressed in our communities, centering progress above tradition. Let us direct their fears into outspoken compassion. ADRIENNE OLIVER Adrienne Oliver is a mother and educator working and writing in Charlottesville. She is a middle school literacy teacher, with a focus on arts-integrated, culturally responsive education.
Summer 2017
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ROBERT RADIFERA
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Kennedy Mason, Madison Cornwell and Eden Radifera meet with their teacher, John Worozbyt, about their “Diversity Makes Us Stronger” campaign at Burley Middle School. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31
“After the election we felt hopeless, but we couldn’t just sit in our houses and mope,” says Figueroa. “This feels good and is good for the community.” After the events of August 11 and 12, FIA quickly put together a panel discussion for parents about how to talk with their children about what had happened. “That came up right away and helped a lot,” says Figueroa. To help parents prepare and reassure their kids, FIA also posts Car Talk on its website, a set of talking points about each event that parents can use as conversation starters about the importance of the activity. “We try to give parents the language to share with their kids about why we are doing this, and how good it feels when we help others,” says Sovik-Johnston. “So hopefully when they grow up, they’ll
think of themselves as, ‘I’m the kind of person who helps.’” While FIA is organized around families with younger children, the group also offers an internship program for local teens to help with the events. Sarah Webb, a senior at Renaissance School, has been part of FIA since its inception and was there at the first event at Firefly back in February, a letter-writing campaign. “The kids were writing about saving the polar bears, green energy, love is love, all kinds of issues and policies,” says Webb. “As a kid, I know I was never very aware of much, like, inequality around me, and this is such a vital time for kids to know what’s going on in the world and be aware.” As she nears graduation, Webb is actively recruiting other interns, like Mercedes Goering, a Renaissance 10th-grader. “It’s fun just
hanging out with the kids,” says Goering. “I really enjoyed cleaning up the Rivanna River, and building toolboxes for Habitat [for Humanity].” More than ever, local kids inspired by news and events are taking action to make a difference. Shreya Mahadevan, a fourth-grader at Johnson Elementary whose mother, Priya, runs the Desi Dosa stall at the City Market, wanted to do something to help with hurricane relief during the recent spate of destructive storms. “She took it upon herself to set up a collection at our stand for the hurricane victims, and raised almost $300,” says Priya. The family channeled the donations to hands.org, a nonprofit that provides assistance to communities affected by natural disasters. CONTINUED ON PAGE 35
“Yes, stuff is scary, but if we sit in it, it becomes overwhelming, so let’s do something and then we’ll all feel better.” AMANDA SOVIK-JOHNSTON c-ville village 33
Unfortunately, it happens.
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Mediation is a dignified, confidential process in which mediators help the couple through the aspects of child custody, co-parenting, support and property issues. Mediation can save significant time and money and result in a written separation (divorce) agreement, developed by the couple rather than a court. We have been doing this for more than 25 years, so visit our website, www.mediationcville.org or give us a call: 434-977-2926 and let us help.
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PHOTO: EZE AMOS
SCHOOLS IN ACTION While many schools participate in community aid programs like food drives and shoe collections, a growing number are encouraging more hands-on and project-oriented service learning for their students, with inspiring results. Village School students regularly head out of the building to help in the soup kitchen at Christ Episcopal Church, and they visit Clark Elementary and Barrett Early Learning Center to read and write with the younger kids there. Despite the recent unrest that has taken place near the school’s downtown location, Head of School Eliza O’Connell says the students remain undaunted. “I’ve been amazed by the maturity of the girls.” A math lesson turned into much more at Charlottesville Day School as algebra teacher Tiffany Stauffer helped seventh and eighth graders organize a Friendship Feast in March for refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Congo. With assistance from Kari Miller, founder of Charlottesville International Neighbors, students designed, budgeted and fundraised a potluck dinner event to host 10 refugee families, including lots of kids. Games like Connect Four helped bridge the language barriers, and each family was given a large soup pot filled with kitchen supplies and spices, as well as a family game night bag to take home. “The students really embraced the idea of making the families feel welcome,” said Stauffer. “And it made them so happy to be doing it.” In an initiative launched this year, Peabody School’s seventh- and eighthgraders are designing year-long projects aimed at researching and addressing a community need or problem. The project phase was jumpstarted with an in-house Leadership Academy, where local community leaders talked to students about how to be change-makers. After learning about humanitarianism, philanthropy and disaster relief from those experts, students designed innovative projects that they’ll complete independently. Goals range from partnering with area nursing homes and the Rainforest Trust, to addressing traffic issues with Albemarle County and teaching life skills to younger kids, all driven by each student’s passion. “We’re encouraging students to think beyond their own experience, and to identify their strengths and limitations,” says Victoria Young, assistant head of school. “Not every project works the first time you try it, but they learn to reflect and make it successful as they go, and that’s just as important.” LM
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Hundreds of people—young and old alike—gathered at the memorial on Fourth and Water streets following the death of local activist Heather Heyer. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33
Burley Middle School eighth-grader Eden Radifera was in Jamaica with her family over the weekend of August 12, and followed the day’s disastrous events on her phone. She recalls the feeling of powerlessness, both while away and upon returning to Charlottesville. “It was really bothering me that all this stuff was going on and I couldn’t change it, so I knew I had to do something to reassure myself that I could take part in making a change.” Radifera brainstormed ideas with a few friends, focusing on her most immediate community—her school. “At Burley we are such a diverse school, a melting pot of everybody, and we wanted to
make sure everybody felt safe, and they knew we’re a unified school working to fight discrimination,” she says. Radifera helped organize a Unity Day on the first of every month, and she and her friends have arranged an order of blue and white (Burley school colors) bracelets to sell to students during their Friday Blast period. Her group came up with slogans and surveyed the student population, ultimately agreeing on the phrase “Diversity Makes Us Stronger” to be printed on the bracelets. The school plans to donate any proceeds to a local community foundation. “I couldn’t stand the feeling of being so helpless,” says Radifera. “I had to do something.”
c-ville village 35
Watercolor &
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additional classes: Painting Watercolor from Photos (starts Feb. 10th), Watercolor Sketching, Sketching Charlottesville, Non-Traditional/Experimental Watercolor, Open Studio (at Crozet Arts), and Summer Drawing Camps for Teens . johnahancock.com/classes, johnahancock@ntelos.net, 434.939.7445
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VILLAGE SERVICE GUIDE
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knowledgeable and knows what I’m talking about.” Now, as a Ting crazy fast fiber Internet customer, Kathy speaks to a real person on the occasion she has a question or an issue. She doesn’t deal with robots or pushing 1 for service in English. At Ting, you don’t have to wade through endless phone trees or push 20 buttons to get to a real person that can answer questions and solve problems that may arise. Kathy’s Ting Internet has never gone down. She’s starting to branch out into new ways of using the Internet and recently discovered Roku.
To learn more, go to ting.com/cville or just give us a call at 434-227-5984 and test us on our claim of no hold, no transfer, no robots customer service.
c-ville village 37
life lessons
Young strummer Ask Drew Chaney why he chose to take banjo lessons (rather than, say, to play the guitar, which he picked up this year) and, like any true musician, he’ll say, “It just called to me.” “I really like old-time music and love the way the banjo sounds,” Chaney says, so he started taking lessons at The Front Porch, a downtown school that specializes in roots music. There, through group classes and private lessons with acoustic folk musician Pete Vigour, the 17-year-old has gained enough skills to start thinking about his musical future. “My friend, Milo Craun, who’s also a student at The Front Porch, plays mandolin, and we’ve been talking about forming a band,” Chaney says. “We’d really like to find a good backup guitar player and a fiddler.” Any takers?
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OME ENERGYFREE AUDITENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS
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areas where the home can benefit from improvements which will increase the home's energy efficiency, ility savings and increase the home's safety and comfort
Be Happy
PEARL CERTIFICATION ✓ FREE A Pearl certification gives peace of mind that the homeowner will recognize their investment through the increased value www.SigoraSolar.com
ERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS of their property.
ARL CERTIFICATION
GUARANTEED SAVINGS ification gives peace of mind that the homeowner will recognize their investment through the increased value perty. We guarantee, in writing, that the solar system will produce the amount of power (therefore resulting in the savings) that
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we proposed ... OR ... we will refund the difference, doubled AND make the necessary improvements to the home or NTEED SAVINGS system so the homeowner sees those savings in the future.
ee, in writing, that the solar system will produce the amount of power (therefore resulting in the savings) that d ... OR ... we will refund the difference, doubled AND make the necessary improvements to the home or e homeowner seesTHE those savings the future. BESTinPART $0 down, NO Payments and NO Interest for 18 months financing (FREE for 18 months) with low monthly payments following.
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This results in instant savings and money in the customer's pocket every month.
O Payments and NO Interest for 18 months financing (FREE for 18 months) with low monthly payments following.
Sigora Solar I
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instant savings and Sigora money inSolar the customer's pocket month. 1222 Harris St, Charlottesville, VA 22903 |1222 Harris St,every Charlottesville, VA 22903 | sigorasolar.com | 434-422-9610
1222 Harris St, Charlottesville, VA 22903 | sigorasolar.com | 434-422-9610
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