A State "Championship" in Science and STEM for Bishop Leibold

At Bishop Leibold, we are serious about giving our students hands-on, realworld experiences with STEM and Science education every day.

We received the Ohio Academy of Science (OAS) Edison Award for the tenth consecutive year, the only elementary school in the Miami

Valley with such a streak- securing our position as a science powerhouse with the two prestigious awards given last month by the OAS.

The Harold C. Shaw Memorial Outstanding School Award is given to schools with the highest team score at State Science Day. Bishop Leibold is one of just

7 public and private elementary schools across the state to receive the Shaw Award and the only elementary school in the greater

Dayton area. Last year, eight Bishop Leibold students comprised a virtual State Science Fair team.

The Ohio Academy of Science Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM education award recognizes schools that exhibit excellence in STEM education. The Ohio Academy of Science defines STEM education as both the mastery and integration of science technology, engineering, and mathematics for all PK-12 students. STEM incorporates scientific inquiry and technological design through student-focused, project-based curricula to develop skills of communication, teamwork/ collaboration, creativity/innovation, critical thinking, and problemsolving. Bishop Leibold is one of

just 34 schools in the State to be recognized with this award. We have received the award for 10 consecutive years, and we are the only grade school in the greater Dayton area to do so!

Bishop Leibold School is one of only four schools in the State of Ohio to win both the OAS Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM education and the Harold Shaw Outstanding School Award for State Science Fair results in the same year.

“These awards really speak to our exceptional students, staff and related programming,” says Dr. Theodore Wallace, principal of Bishop Leibold. “This double win in science and STEM is an incredible achievement.”

For more information on how your student can explore their love of STEM and science, visit us online at bishopleibold.org or call us at 937-866-3021 to schedule a tour today!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

WORDS BY STEFFY MCCOURT

t’s been a long, draining school day. The boy in the waiting room clutches his trumpet case. His eyes are weary; sleep tugs at his lids. The screen time today has been excessive; even his gym teacher found a way to put him in front of a computer this morning. He couldn’t look at another screen today if he tried.

In a few minutes, his music instructor will call him into a practice room for his lesson. He has been waiting for this all day. All week.

When he pulls out his trumpet, he will use all of his brain.

He will use his eyes to read the music and his teacher’s face. He will use his hands and mouth to make sound. He will use his ears to hear the notes — the story of the song. Both his creative side and his logical side will be engaged as he reads and performs the music for his teacher.

And what happens in that room is just the beginning. The patience, persistence and discipline required to learn and play music well sets a child up for a lifetime of success. When this boy’s parent signed him up for music lessons, he signed him up for more than he could ever have realized.

In a masked world that can feel awfully lonely, music brings us together. Sheila Vale, director of Indian Springs Academy of Music in Cincinnati, says that music lessons, both virtual and in-person, offer children the opportunity to have a productive relationship with an adult person who is not a parent. The process of learning an instrument, and then learning to play music is challenging and time-consuming. Students must also have a passion for music in order to stick with it. “One needs a lot of patience, discipline, strength and dedication to become a musician,” says Judy Yin-Chi Lee, director of community engagement for New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. “For a kid to learn how to play an instrument, she is taught to have the patience, and to never give up when things get hard in order to succeed. That is an important life lesson.”

Playing music requires the whole brain. “Learning how to play an instrument is the best way to exercise and strengthen brain muscles that typically aren’t used simultaneously,” Yin-Chi Lee says. “In order to sound an instrument, you have to use your eyes to read the music, your hands [and sometimes feet] to operate the instrument, your ears to listen. And all at the same time.” Studying the history of music from around the world opens children up to new ways of understanding and perceiving.

Students might encounter different sounds while studying and playing their method books. They may play an American folk song one day and an Asian song the next. Then when studying how history and culture intertwine with the music of a place and time, students have a broader understanding of the world.

“Great composers infused music with human experiences,” Vale says. She adds that with a students’ musical maturation comes a greater understanding of historical perspective.

“Music opens up one’s mind to be receptive of differences, and they learn to appreciate different cultures,” Yin-Chi Lee says.

Music is a universal language. Music puts sound to both feeling and experiences; it connects people (and sometimes animals) when words cannot.

Music makes words unnecessary, but when they are, music can help with that, too. It turns out that studying music can actually strengthen a child’s foundational literacy skills. According to a 2007 Northwestern study, music training — with its effect on students’ understanding of sight and sound — may be more enhancing for verbal communication skills than phonological studies.

In addition, musicians become practiced communicators when working with one another and alongside each other. “Music is a powerful connector,” Vale says. “They say if you play music, then you have friends all over the world.”

There are so many reasons to hand your child an instrument and to invest in lessons. At this time, when the world can feel like a pretty scary place, especially to a child, music lessons can serve as a way for children to connect and channel their feelings in a beautiful way.

GIVE THE GIFT OF EXPERIENCES

SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL PLACES AND SMALL BUSINESSES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

WORDS BY SARAH MCCOSHAM

It’s the start of gift-giving season! This year, make your gifts to loved ones go farther — and support your community — by giving gifts of experience. Local businesses need your help now more than ever, and one small way to make a big difference is by giving the gift of experience: classes, lessons, museum memberships, tickets to family-friendly concerts, community theatre and gift cards to local restaurants. We’ve got a roundup of ideas for gifting experiences that everyone will love… including the local businesses you help support!

RETAIL

King Arthur’s Court Toys

King Arthur’s Court Toys in Oakley has been a neighborhood favorite for over 30 years and is the perfect place to check things off those Christmas lists. With a wide variety of popular toys (from LEGO and Playmobil to trains and dollhouses) they have it all, and even carry quite a few unique and hard-to-find brands for that child in your life who may be difficult to shop for!

Cincy Shirts

If you’re looking for an Ohio-specific gift, Cincy Shirts is your one-stopshop! You can order their unique and often hilarious shirts, gear and accessories online or head to one of their stores to pick out something in person. They offer both adult and child sizes in many of their items.

The Little Exchange

If you want to shop and make a difference at the same time, check out nonprofit boutique The Little Exchange in Oakwood. Known for being the perfect place to find that oh-so-perfect gift, you’ll find one-of-a-kind bridal and baby gifts, infant clothing, unique home decor and much more. Staffed by almost 100 volunteers, The Little Exchange has been in the community for over 65 years, and has donated more than $1.6 million to Dayton Children’s Hospital. And bonus: They offer complimentary gift wrapping and free local delivery, too!

RESTAURANTS In Cincinnati, Jeff Ruby’s restaurants are the best of the best, and offer a next-level dining experience for patrons — and curbside pickup, too! From Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse to The Precinct to Carlo and Johnny’s, you can’t go wrong with a Jeff Ruby gift card.

In the Dayton area, you can find award-winning pizzas, giant sandwiches and other Italian specialties at Marion’s Piazza, which has been a local staple for more than 50 years. Give a Marion’s gift card, which your recipient can use at any one of nine Marion’s Piazza locations.

Prefer sweet treats? Aglamesis Bros in Cincinnati has homemade chocolates and candies that make for a very sweet stocking stuffer. And a gold-trimmed box of Esther Price chocolates is sure to please even the most hard-to-please people on your list.

MUSEUMS AND MORE Gifting a museum membership is a gift that truly pays dividends. A family membership to the Cincinnati Museum Center is a great place to start — it offers a ton of perks, including discounted admission to 200+ museums across the U.S. as part of the ACM Reciprocal Network.

Meanwhile, the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is Dayton’s premier place for families to learn and play together, and a membership makes a fab gift for Gem City kids. Featuring educational, hands-on learning experiences for all ages, Boonshoft is a children’s museum, natural history museum, zoo, planetarium and observatory all in one.

What kid doesn’t like trains? The World’s Largest Indoor Train Display is located in Southwest Ohio, and is a wonderful winter outing. Entertainment Junction offers discounts for tickets purchased online, and also boasts an extensive in-house train toy store you can get gift cards for, too. For families with older kids, you can’t go wrong with a Kings Island Gold Season Pass. You’ll enjoy free season-long parking, unlimited admission to Kings Island, Soak City Water Park, seasonal events and early ride access.

THE GIFT OF ART From single tickets to Broadway-level shows to gift cards for TCT Academy, give your theatre-loving kids the gift of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati this year. As the nation’s oldest children’s theatre, TCT has weathered 2020 with strength and humor, proving that even in the most uncertain of times, we can always rely on theatre.

For crafty kiddos, a DIY kit from AR Workshop in Cincinnati or a To-Go kit from Decoy Art Center in Beavercreek is sure to spur lots of Pinterestworthy fun at home. The art kits come in a variety of projects and can be ordered online or picked up in store.

QUICK GIFT CARD IDEAS

Running short on time? Gift cards to the rescue!

• Got budding bibliophiles? Consider a gift card to the Library Friends Warehouse.

• Little fish in your house? Get a Bear Paddle Swim School or AquaTots gift card.

• Looking for lessons for your little Mozart? Try a gift card to Cincinnati School of Music or McCutcheon Music.

• Foodie friends? Satisfy any cravings with gift card trifecta to LaRosa’s, Skyline and Graeter’s.

• Wondering what to get the person who has everything? A gift certificate to Findlay Market is perfect. With 50+ local merchants, this Cincy gem is guaranteed to have something for everyone.

• New parents? Gift a Once Upon a Child card. This resale superstar has unbeatable deals on clothes, supplies, toys and gear!

This year, skip the “things” that will quickly be forgotten, and instead give a gift that will last all year long.