Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom, Inc.

Creating Candy Island: The first week of W&W Summer Journeys

2009-07-08T17:02:00.002-04:00

“You’re awesome!” says Lucy

“No you’re awesome” I reply

“Well you’re awesome-er”

“Okay. How about we’re both equally awesome”

“Okay. Cool.” Lucy laughs as she bounces away

Not at every job do you get into a discussion over awesomeness, only to decide that the equally distribution of awesomeness is best. It is the collective awesomeness at Wonder & Wisdom that has brought me back to the Summer Journey’s program for the past three summers.

I think an introduction is needed, as I will be blogging about the great adventures of the Wiz Kids for the summer-- my name is Erin, a recent college graduate and long time playmate of the Wiz Kids. I couldn’t imagine spending my last summer, before departing for the adult world, doing anything but playing with theWiz Kids! So, here I am.

I must apologize for the delay of my first blog post, but my excuse is a good one: float building. Every Fourth of July Wonder & Wisdom Summer Journeys constructs a magnificent float for Greensboro’s Funky Fourth parade. The float is completely kid created; this year’s float was Candy Island adorned with lollypop trees and a monstrous cake mountain. Every child created a costume of their favorite candy, and we “big kids” helped them turn their idea into a reality. Every confection was represented: sour patch kids and candy flowers to gummy bears and chocolate bars. The float was garnished with the inverted M&M’s symbol representing W&W (creative huh!) and the tag line “remember how sweet it was to be a kid”. Our super sweet float was awarded first place in the parade! A very nice award for our week of hard work.

There are new pictures on the website of our float and its building process and hopefully there will be new pictures added often, so be sure to check frequently.

GW&W Seeks Conductor of All Things Wise and Wonderful (Executive Director)

2009-07-01T12:18:00.003-04:00

The Conductor of All Things Wise and Wonderful is responsible for the integrity of the Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom Circle of Players and for the clear connection between Board, Staff, and Community. The Conductor is instrumental in the expansion of repertoire and for bringing our 'music' to audiences beyond Greensboro.

RESPONSIBILITIES

STAFFING

Mentors and coordinates Principals and other staff as necessary; includes hiring, performance evaluation, professional supervision and development, and organizing and chairing staff meetings.

PROGRAM

Ensures the quality and integrity of GW&W Programs.
Secures and maintains State licensing and appropriate accreditation.
Works with Program staff to develop and maintain program documentation.
Supports Program staff in expanding program participation in the greater Greensboro community.
Works with Board to expand the vision and scope of GW&W and to share its work with an expanding audience; helps develop ways of implementing the plan.

FINANCE

Manages the accounting and payroll function and maintains accounting records for the corporation in a timely manner. Produces periodic financial statements for Board review. Supports our contracted CPA in generating annual financial statements and the 990 tax return. Provides meaningful accounting information as required to grantors. Ensures compliance with State and Federal regulations on worker's compensation, unemployment, etc.
Generates the Annual Budget for Board approval. Uses the Budget as a management tool to monitor income and expenses. Makes timely and appropriate adjustments to meet budget guidelines.
Works with Board to effectively manage financial resources including operating and endowment funds.
Negotiates, contracts, and manages outside services as necessary for items such as insurance, credit card accounts, phone, and internet services, etc.

FUNDRAISING

Refines and implements with Board assistance a comprehensive, on-going, fundraising program that supports the operation and purpose of GW&W; collaborates with the Board on fundraising activities such as: expanding the mailing list, adding personal notes to general mailings, developing the Annual Report, helping with fundraising events, making personal fundraising visits to potential major donors, and thanking donors over and over again.
Cultivates and maintains relationships with institutional grantors interested in our work and provides necessary information and materials for grant writing and reports. This latter function may be subcontracted as necessary.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Coordinates public relations efforts with Principals and Board Members in various media and community calendars. This includes oversight of our website.
Represents GW&W at appropriate community meetings such as The Greensboro Association, Town Meeting, and the Vermont Children's Forum annual luncheon, etc.
Builds collaborative relationships with other community nonprofits and the schools.

BOARD

The Conductor reports to the Board of Directors and the the President of the Board between meetings.
Coordinates and attends all GW&W Board Meetings and Committee Meetings.
Gently and clearly reminds the President when she is supposed to do something ahead of time!
Performs other duties as assigned by the Board.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Develops his/her skills and ideas to enhance imaginative program development.
Embodies the GW&W commitment to life long learning and growth.

QUALIFICATIONS

GENERAL

A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience.
Experience in Human Service Delivery/Administration.
Must share the values and vision of GW&W.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE WHICH DEMONSTRATES:

Management Experience
Experience working with nonprofits either in staff or board capacities
Working knowledge of childhood development
Experience in professional supervision
Familiarity with emerging new paradigms in education and learning, including "learning from the heart"
Recognizes the importance of honoring and cultivating the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.
Familiarity with strategies for helping children develop their social/emotional intelligence
Program documentation and assessment
Curriculum development
Teaching or working closely with teachers
Understanding and empathy with the needs of senior citizens and ways to cultivate Elderhood.
Understanding of rural communities and poverty

SKILLS

Participative Leadership Style
Computer Expertise: Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, Internet, etc.
Public Speaking
Written communication: Correspondence, Fundraising, Press Releases, Brochures, etc.
Financial management: Basic Accounting, Budgeting, Cash Management (Investment Management not required)
Highly organized people person
Flexible, honest, trustworthy, and resourceful
Life-long learner; an active and creative mind
Sense of wonder and humor
Deep wisdom

If you are interested in helping us grow, please send resume and cover letter to Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom, P.O. Box 300, Greensboro, VT 05841 or email cover letter with attached resume to trish@wonderwisdom.org by July 31, 2009.

Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom receives Engaged Community Partner Award

2009-04-02T15:22:00.002-04:00

The Vermont Campus Compact, a statewide coalition of college and university presidents, recently awarded Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom with their "Engaged Community Partner Award" for our meaningful and committed engagement with a higher education partner. The Vermont Campus Compact honored us with the following dedication: "Thank you for your work to strengthen communities and improve lives". Our Sterling College intern, Molly Cyr, has been working with us since the fall of 2008. Molly nominated Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom for this award, based on our intention to develop the inner lives of children and to help them develop a lifetime love of learning. On April 1st, 2009 (not an April Fool's joke) some of the staff and Wonder and Wiz kids traveled to Burlington to pick up their award. One child asked, "Did we get first place?" Our response: "Why, yes we did!" It has been a pleasure having Molly work with us this year. She is wonderful and has wisdom beyond her years. We hope that she may continue to grow with us throughout her college career.

Brain Gym 101 Workshop sponsored by Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom

2009-03-13T14:01:00.003-04:00

Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom is proud to sponsor a three-day Brain Gym® workshop in August (17th-19th) featuring expert instructor, Amy Arrendell. This workshop is designed to integrate body and mind to bring about rapid and dramatic improvements in concentration, memory, listening, physical coordination and more! Brain Gym International is a nonprofit organization committed to the principle that intentional movement is the door to optimal living and learning. Brain Gym is used in more than 80 countries and is taught in thousands of public and private schools worldwide and in corporate, performing arts, and athletic training programs.

Instructor Amy Arrendell, M.Ed., is a licensed Brain Gym consultant from Ashville, NC with 15 years of experience bringing Brain Gym to educational settings throughout the eastern US. Amy combines experiential education, natural development, and Brain Gym techniques to provide an insightful and rewarding experience for those who work with children.

For information regarding tuition and registration, please contact our Administrator, Tara Reynolds (tara@wonderwisdom.org) We hope you can join us for this exciting event!

Metta Practice..."It's not enough to follow your heart. You must train the heart."

2009-02-12T09:27:00.007-05:00

Metta is the Practice of Loving Kindness; the practice of habituating the mind to goodwill. Metta Practice begins with the self and works its way out into the world. After you send Metta to yourself, you send it to the the easiest person in the world for you to send blessings--someone who lifts your heart and fills it with delight. After, you send Metta to someone you know but perhaps not well—someone neutral. Finally, you send Metta to All Beings. The “I” in the blessing becomes a “You” as you move beyond yourself, and eventually becomes “We” when it embraces All Beings.

Metta Practice has four key phrases :

1. May I feel protected and safe.
2. May I feel contented and pleased.
3. May my physical body support me with strength.
4. May my life unfold smoothly with ease.

In connection with our movement focus this year, we encourage people to “dance Metta” and practice movements to go with the four parts of the blessing. They are:

1. For protected and safe: stand and give yourself a tight hug, trying to find your “wings” (shoulder blades) as you wrap your arms around yourself.
2. For contented: stand with your feet open and facing forward and extend your hands and arms straight into a “Y” above your head, gazing either straight ahead or slightly up; For pleased: leave your feet where they are and place your hands behind the lower back of your head (the occipital ridge), allowing them to cradle your upward gaze.
3. For strength: the yoga “Goddess” Pose: take a fairly wide stance, pointing your feet outwards about 45° and bending your knees. Do not extend your knees wider than your feet. Widen your stance if you need more space. Keeping your spine straight (pelvic tuck to level chin), hold your arms out 90° from your body at your shoulders, bending them at the elbows 90° upwards, palms and fingers fully extended facing forward. Your gaze is forward.
4. For life unfolding smoothly with ease: a modified “Sun Breath”: Stand with your feet as close together as you can while keeping your balance with movement (hip width apart for most people). Move your arms in an open flowing movement out and down to your feet and then up the core of your body overhead and then out again leaving your heart open. Trish’s note: If you have difficulty with or should not be doing forward bends because of low bone density or high blood pressure, do this movement as best as you can moving only your arms. You can also bend your knees a little bit as you move your arms down without bending over. Smile.

We are teaching Metta to the children at Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom and want to use it as a closing ritual at the end of the program. We want our children to go back out into the world with equanimity, compassion, empathic joy, and loving kindness. Repeated Metta Practice literally rewires our brains to make increasingly wise choices and no doubt to enhance our wonder. It can change the way you see and experience life!

Inter-generational Oral History Project

2009-02-03T13:51:00.002-05:00

Were you living in or around Greensboro in the 1960's and 1970's? Our Wonder & Wiz kids want to hear your stories! We just received a generous grant from the Vermont Humanities Council in order to be able to record part of our community's rich history. We will be working with the Greensboro Historical Society on this project as well. If you would like to be a part of our Inter-generational Oral History Project, please contact Drex or Diana at: 533-9216. We look forward to documenting your stories and recording them for generations to come!

New Year Happenings at GW&W

2009-01-24T10:31:00.003-05:00

Even on the coldest days of winter we are staying warm and having fun at Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom. This month we are spending our Mondays 'creating space' (making our program space our own-unique, safe, fun, and attractive!) We are recovering couches and chairs, making window treatments, braiding a rug, creating mandalas and a most wonderful quiet space...come in and see! On Tuesdays we are working on an Inter-generational Oral History Project. We just received some support for the Vermont Humanities Council for this project and we are very excited to learn together the history of Greensboro, particularly during the 1960's and 1970's! Talk with us about sharing your experiences or getting in touch with someone you know who has stories. On Wednesdays we are moving! We received a generous grant from the Henderson Foundation which is allowing us to bring in a number of special musical guests and we will be doing some fun movement activities. Cody Michaels will be visiting us on a number of occasions to play the piano while the children explore different types of expression- poetry, yoga, and drawing. We hope to connect with other local musicians as well! On Thursdays we are looking at nutrition and what we put into our bodies. We will be examining the ingredients in the food we eat, exploring how we use carbohydrates and proteins, and what our individual daily requirements are. On Fridays we are going to be working on reading projects. Along with visits to the library, we will be forming reading discussion groups and practicing reading out loud. Feel free to contact us for more information about our children's activities!

Trish and Tara's Philadelphia Trip Report

2008-11-21T11:02:00.003-05:00

Trish Alley, President and Founder of Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom and Tara Reynolds, Administrator, recently visited with a number of people and organizations in the Philadelphia area who are working towards resolving some of the challenges that we face (albeit in a rural setting) here in the Northeast Kingdom. Included here is the report from their informative trip:

Trish & Tara’s Trip Report—Philadelphia, PA
(November 2nd—November 5th, 2008)

Monday, November 3, 2008
11:00 A.M—We met with Andrew Newberg, MD, who is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Radiology and Psychiatry and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Nuclear Medicine, and Nuclear Cardiology. Andy is also the Director and co-founder of the Center for Spirituality and the Mind (http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/radiology/csm/index.html), also at the University of Pennsylvania.
Andy met with us for about an hour to discuss his recent research on Kundalini Yoga and Kirtan Kriya and their effects on early cognitive impairment. There is growing interest in the medical community in Kundalini Yoga, a physical and meditative discipline designed to create communication between mind and body and ultimately to allow the merger of the individual and universal Self. Kirtan Kriya is a meditation practice that involves repeated chanting of sounds and finger movements designed to help the mind focus and become sharper. Andy uses SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) imaging to capture baseline and meditative state images of the brain. We were particularly interested in this topic because of the Senior Trotters’ work with the New Bridges to Mind, Body, and Spirit project. Our conversation also included sharing what we do at Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom and how our work with the children and seniors is based on a number of different resources which we were happy to introduce him to (some of which he was already familiar with). Some such sources included: Joseph Chilton Pierce, The HeartMath Institute, The ChildSpirit Institute, Rosemary Todd Clough’s Creative Yoga and Movement for Children, and the Institute of Extraordinary Living (at Kripalu).

In April of 2009 Andy will be presenting at the Kripalu Institute with his wife Stephanie, who is a therapist and works with the Council for Relationships. They intend to provide a lecture as well as practical practices for couples to improve dialogue skills as well as ways to reduce stress. Andy is best known in lay circles for his book, Why God Won’t Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief. He has a new book coming out next spring entitled, How God Changes Your Brain. He has also done brain research on the ‘Oneness Blessing’ and speaking in tongues. As a side note, we found out that Andy and Tara both graduated from Haverford College (Andy in 1988 and Tara in 2000).

12:30—Kevin Carraccio picked us up at UPenn and walked us over to CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) by way of lunch. He was kind enough to arrange for us to meet with Robert Shultz, Ph.D., who is the Director for the Center for Autism Research at CHOP. Bob recently came to CHOP from Yale and was given $25 million to create the new Center for Autism Research (CAR) under his leadership (http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/car/dnl/index.php). Robert hand-picked his staff of about 40 people, and they are focusing their work on researching the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). They are specifically looking at three age groups: children under the age of 2 who are at risk for developing an ASD; children who are newly diagnosed, between the ages of 2 and 4 years of age; and school-aged children. In the next year they hope to study over 1,000 children to get as large a sampling as possible. They are also looking for children (newborn to 12 months old) who have at least one sibling who has been diagnosed with autism. The genetics of ASDs involve combinations of genes that are more likely to express when drawn from the same pool (parents). Participants in this study will receive developmental and behavioral assessment, an MRI scan of the brain, and assistance with referrals for local services. Assessments and scans are provided at no cost to the families.

We asked Bob his opinion on why we are seeing such an increase in the number of children we serve who have ASDs. His response was that in 1994, epidemiologists changed the criteria for diagnosis and the standard definitions of the disorder. This reclassification, combined with the increased awareness of autism in general, has led to the rise in the number of cases we are seeing. His work focuses on genetic and environmental causes of ASDs. He does not consider vaccinations to be suspect. We described our experience at GW&W anecdotally. He was genuinely interested. Our experience seems to correspond to Stanley Greenspan’s relational approach to the treatment of ASDs, different from the more traditional model of repetition of behaviors, which may not be generalized when situational cues change. Bob strongly encouraged us to document our program in a scientific manner and offered to provide us with “local” contacts with his associates at Dartmouth and UVM. “I want to help you. How can I do that?” he said.

4:00—We walked a few blocks down the street to meet Susan Teegan-Case, who is a UCC Minister and Founder and Director of The Arts and Spirituality Center in Philadelphia (www.artsandspirituality.org). Susan received her Masters in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. The Arts & Spirituality Center empowers and transforms communities through spiritual and creative expression, in partnership with a broad range of multicultural groups. Last year they served over 3,000 children in the Philadelphia area. She explained that Philadelphia suffers from notoriously violent behavior, with the city averaging one gun death per day. Her work has focused on developing violence prevention curricula through the arts by helping their participants connect with their own hearts. The Arts and Spirituality Center helps children articulate their visions of peace primarily through music and poetry.
In a recent project entitled Drums for Peace, the Center nurtured hope, respect, and confidence by focusing on listening and communication skills as well as developing a sense of harmony. We shared with Susan our experience with Don Knaack (The Junkman) and expressed that his work not only helps kids develop language and attention skills, but that he also encourages children to be environmentally conscious. We further discussed the parallels between Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom and The Arts and Spirituality Center in terms of students dealing with relatives who have been incarcerated and the ramifications that this has on families. Finally, the Center has had great success in their work with their ongoing poetry project, We the Poets, and have self-published several compilations of their work over the years. We the Poets helps students discuss social issues, improve their literacy skills and expand their world views. From our conversation with Susan and by receiving a copy of several back issues of We the Poets, we are encouraged to continue to seek funding for our own Community Poetry Project so that we may be able to publish the works of our local citizens ages 6-100!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

9:00 AM—We found our way to the Settlement Music School in South Philadelphia (on election day!) where we met with Ellie Brown, Ph.D., a Haverford College classmate of Tara’s. She teaches Psychology at West Chester University and is the Founder and Director of ECCEL, the Early Childhood Cognition and Emotions Lab (http://www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_cas.psy/eccel.html). ECCEL pilots its research, conducted by Ellie and her students, at the Settlement Music School’s Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program, a Head Start Learning Tree site. The Settlement Music School was founded 100 years ago for the benefit of immigrant children in Philadelphia, and the community still reflects wide diversity and significant, generational poverty.

Ellie’s research focuses on the effects of chaotic living conditions resulting from family poverty, resulting sleep problems, and poor responses to academic challenges. We had the opportunity to visit music and creative movement classes, and we briefly observed a visual arts class. Ellie was unexpectedly called back to her academic campus as a member of the school’s crisis management team, so our visit was cut short. She left us with copies of the Kaleidoscope Parents Handbook as well as printed information about her research. She is in the process of compiling and interpreting data based on work with 100 children from this very diverse and predominantly poor neighborhood. It was obvious from the hour we spent with her that we experience similar challenges in vastly different environments and that our interests are very compatible. She is interested in what we are doing at Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom and is eager to share and possibly to expand her research with us. Her assessment tools measure emotion, behavior, and attention in children as they progress through the Kaleidoscope Program. She is waiting for the results of cortisol (often referred to as our “stress hormone”) tests collected from children’s saliva to see how they enhance other research observations. She also referred us to the Peace Through Play Nursery School, A Preschool with Consciousness, in Chestnut Ridge, New York. Their curriculum focuses on music, movement and art with an emphasis on cooperative learning, socialization, and pre-academic skills based on each child’s abilities and growth. They also include yoga in their daily program.

Ellie’s current work focuses on early childhood education and development. It is helpful to us to understand the foundation that some of our school-age children may lack as well to validate our approach with the older children. We are additionally interested in her work, as we are accepting five year olds for the first time this year. They have very different attention spans and developmental needs than the six year olds!

12:00—Philadelphia Society for Services to Children (PSSC) and The Children’s Aid Society of Pennsylvania have just merged to create Turning Points for Children (www.turningpointsforchildren.org). Trish’s family connection with early incarnations of PSSC goes back to her Great-Grandfather. Her Father chaired the Board at one point and is still remembered by Helen Dennis, PSSC’s retired and longtime Executive Director, for being Santa Claus. We met with Mike Vogel, CEO of Turning Points for Children and Gail Ober, COO. PSSC and Children’s Aid Society of Pennsylvania are two of the oldest child service organizations in the United States.
We had the opportunity to meet with staff responsible for FAST, Families and Schools Together: Protecting Hearts and Minds, a program developed and licensed by the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin. FAST is a nonprofit agency that designs and distributes family strengthening and parent involvement programs to help kids succeed in school and in life. Their award-winning programs help families improve parenting skills and connect families to their schools by bringing together local support resources to build protective factors around kids. (www.familiesandschools.org). Turning Points just received a major award for their expansion of this program into 38 elementary schools in Philadelphia. It is a well researched program that has demonstrated long-term benefits by involving families in the school life of their children. We discovered that the program can now include out-of-school activities (like GW&W), but strong school participation is still required.
We continued our visit with Turning Points for Children with a discussion of their Kids n’ Kin Program. There are an estimated 64,000 children in Philadelphia who are living with caregivers that are not their biological parents. Kids n’ Kin supports these families by offering services that promote safety and a stable family life for these children. The program includes home visits, family therapy, legal assistance services, and parenting groups and workshops. The Families Dealing with Incarceration part of Kids n’ Kin was of particular interest to us. In the Kids n’ Kin Family Reintegration Project, a social worker and family advocate provide intensive support services for caregivers, mothers in recovery from substance abuse, and their children during the mothers’ transition from correctional facilities home. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections funds bus trips for children and families in Kids n’ Kin to visit with the children’s incarcerated mothers at the State Correctional Institution in Muncy, PA. A social worker/therapist team facilitates the visits to strengthen family relationships and provide positive redirection for the children. Additionally, children with incarcerated parents meet in a variety of therapeutic group settings about adjusting to life with a relative caregiver, enhancing their relationships with incarcerated parents and personal decision making. Age groups are for children and teens ages 8 and up. We were introduced briefly to Dr. Joseph Crumbley, (http://www.drcrumbley.com) who stepped out of a session to say hello. “Dr. Joe,” who is radiant, works extensively with the families of incarcerated Moms, including with Kids n’ Kin, and specializes in transracial adoption. He said he hopes to get up to this area at some point, so we will keep in touch with him. GW&W has served children of incarcerated parents over the years, and currently serves five children who are being raised by grandparents for various reasons.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
8:30 AM—The Presbyterian Children's Village (www.pcv.org) provides a comprehensive range of prevention, child welfare, therapeutic, and educational services and programs to help heal the spirits of children, families, and communities in crisis in the greater Philadelphia region. The Presbyterian Children’s Village has two campuses; we visited the residential campus in Rosemont. Here we met with Darlene Hewett, President & CEO, and Reverend David Sanchez, Village Chaplain. The residential campus at Rosemont houses 60 adolescents (right now there are 40 females and 20 males). They have a 6 month program focusing on education, where they first gather information on the children’s needs and then help to set them up for academic success. Most of the children they see are coming to them from foster care or group homes.
PCV helps the children learn independent living skills (how to study, how to hold/maintain employment, how to be a good community member, etc.) They have been using the Sanctuary Model (www.sanctuaryweb.com) created by Sandra Bloom, MD, which is a trauma-informed method for creating or changing an organizational culture in order to more effectively provide a cohesive context within which healing from psychological and social traumatic experience can be addressed. Their mission is: to teach individuals and organizations the necessary skills for creating and sustaining nonviolent lives and nonviolent systems, and to keep believing in the possibilities of peace. Bloom is a board certified psychiatrist and the author of Creating Sanctuary: Toward the Evolution of Sane Societies.
Reverend Sanchez has adopted a holistic approach to his chaplaincy at the Village. He incorporates the spiritual, physical, and mental in his therapeutic care for resident children. David describes his work as a Ministry of Presence and believes that one of the most effective tools is the ability to listen with compassion. His work is aimed at helping young people develop their own values. He said that what he hears a lot is that these individuals are “tired of being tired”. Many of the teenage girls that he has worked with find themselves taking on the responsibilities of their mothers. He encourages them to step back from their situations to evaluate their feelings and their goals. David organizes volunteer efforts where Village children go out into the community to provide services such as Meals on Wheels and Nursing Home visits, etc. He offers Bible studies, grief counseling, chapel services and support group meetings (called Value Groups).
Darlene explained the benefits of their Art Therapy program, which provides group therapy for residents during non-school hours. These programs vary and include art, music, pet, and horticultural therapy. She shared with us some of the artwork that the children had produced from these sessions. She described how art therapy has proven to be an effective and important method of communication, assessment, and treatment. The art therapists work as part of a team which includes physicians, mental health therapists, social workers, and teachers. Both Darlene and David were highly interested in our ‘curriculum toolbox’ and they both took notes as we were describing some of the resources that we have found to be effective at Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom, including Non-violent Communication (www.cnvc.org) and Ruby Payne’s A Framework for Understanding Poverty.
10:00 AM—(Conclusive Remarks): We got back on the road to Vermont with a strong sense that our work at Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom is a piece of a much larger assembly of people and organizations that may be approaching critical mass. This trip enabled us to reconnect with some old friends, to make new ones, and to share our work with an enthusiastic audience outside of our small community. It was encouraging to realize that such highly regarded scientists, spiritual leaders, teachers, and other professionals are inspired by the work being done at Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom. A vision of how our tiny non-profit relates to the ‘bigger picture’ is starting to emerge. While it is not clear at this point how all of these connections will manifest themselves in the future, it is certain that the energy we share and the passion that we all bring into the system is positive reinforcement that we are, indeed, making a difference. Ultimately, this trip was supportive of our mission of changing our culture one heart, one family, one town, one state, one nation at a time.
Our special thanks go to Helen Dennis who ferried us through the streets of Philadelphia virtually and mostly in person, introduced us to Susan Teegan-Case, and enhanced our knowledge between appointments with great wisdom and cheer. She even took us to Kimmel Center, the new home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, where a volunteer gave us a “sneak peak” at Verizon Hall when she heard we were from Vermont. We just happened to catch an orchestra rehearsal in process. What a treat!

Bhutanese Festival

2008-11-21T09:52:00.002-05:00

During the past few weeks, Wonder & Wiz kids have been making their own masks, drums, and rattles in anticipation of their Bhutanese Festival. The children each decorated their own peace flags and everyone wore a sari as they paraded through the space celebrating Bhutan's special approach towards life in the 21st century, which, as national policy, is described as the pursuit of "Gross National Happiness." The Bhutanese have chosen a different path towards development, rooted in deep respect for and protection of the Kingdom's unique resources. One of the children explained to us that Bhutan's king is only 28 years old and is the 5th king of country's monarchy. Guests were treated to some Bhutanese cuisine, which consisted of a dish made with rice, vegetables, and cheese. We were delighted to have so many parents share in this experience.

Wonder & Wisdom's 3rd Annual "Spooktacular" Haunted House

2008-11-20T15:16:00.008-05:00

BOO!! On October 30th, the downstairs of Fellowship Hall was once again transformed into a 'spooktacular' Haunted House, containing witches, skeletons, bats, goblins, pirates, and ghouls lurking in dark corners. The children enjoyed a sensory table where they reached into dark boxes to feel dragons brains, witches fingers, and ogre eyeballs. Some of our youngest children were timid about entering the deeper depths of the haunted house and were helped through by some of our more friendly witches. Upstairs in Fellowship Hall we had pumpkin carving, halloween twister, a witches hat ring toss, and a scary dessert contest. This was a fun event for the entire family and in spite of the October snowfall we had a number of families attending.

Kudos to the staff and volunteers who made this community event possible!

Now you can have your cake and GIVE it too! Bien Fait Specialty Cakes is now donating all net profits to GW&W...

2008-08-20T14:12:00.006-04:00

Bien Fait Specialty Cakes is now donating all net profits to Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom as part of their new L3C corporate structure. All profits help support Wonder & Wisdom's childrens and Senior Trotters programs.

These delightful desserts are made right here in Greensboro, in the heart of the Northeast Kingdom. They inlcude the holiday favorite fruitcakes as well as an assortment of teacakes and granola.

Bien Fait Specialty Cakes prepared and donated all of the birthday cake for our 10th Birthday Community Celebration last week...what a treat--yummy!!

10th Anniversary Community Celebration

2008-07-11T12:00:00.003-04:00

When: Wedensday, August 13th, 5:00-7:00 PM
Where: The green in front of the Town Hall, Greensboro

Come join us this summer in celebration of 10 years of enrichment programming for children and seniors. Musical and poetic entertainment will include: Donald Knaack (The Junkman), Chuck Meese, Karen Sutherland, and Geof Hewitt, all of whom have performed residencies at W&W in the past few years.

Hot dogs, Hamburgers, veggie burgers, lemonade, birthday cake and ice cream will be provided. We encourage families to bring a side-dish to share with everyone.

Please RSVP by e-mail to: tara@wonderwisdom.org, or leave a message at: 533-7171.

This event is made possible by the generous support of a growing list of businesses and organizations: Bien Fait Specialty Cakes, Cassie's Corner Ice Cream, Circus Smirkus, Craftsbury General Store, Eastman & Guare, Grand Union, and The Willeys Store.

Summertime Fun

2008-06-26T13:51:00.003-04:00

Our 2008 Summer Journeys begins June 30th, and YES, we are still accepting registrations. We have eight weeks of exciting programming scheduled, ranging from the 4th of July Float Design, to Challenge Games, to Cooking up Culture (and so much more). Check out the Summer Journeys page on our website for more information.

Also in this year's 4th of July parade you will likely see some board members and staff rolling along in a beautiful boat that was donated to us. We'll be the people holding the signs reading, "KEEP US AFLOAT, BUY THE BOAT!" It is a late-80's Ebb-Tide with a 4 ltr Mer-Cruiser engine, and it is a very nice boat indeed. Contact us at: info@wonderwisdom.org for more information, or by phone at: 533-9216.

When we had four feet of snow this winter it seemed like it would never get here, but summer has arrived at last!

Fundraiser Dinner at the Inn on the Common

2008-05-16T13:08:00.002-04:00

On Friday May 9th, Jim and Judi Lamberti hosted a benefit dinner for Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom at the Inn on the Common in Craftsbury. Guests were served a delicious four-course meal by Wonder & Wisdom's president and founder, Trish Alley, Senior Trotters Director, Shelly Jungwirth, and Administrator, Tara Reynolds. In addition to having a wonderful meal, everyone seemed to enjoy learning more about the current programs and hearing a few pieces of poetry that have been submitted to our "Poems with Heart and Attitude" project. It was a successful evening all around!

Wish List

2008-04-14T16:49:00.000-04:00

Drumroll please....The moment you've all been waiting for has arrived! If you have been hoarding art supplies and waiting for the right 501(c)(3) to donate them to, please, please, please consider a charitable gift to Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom. The following list of supplies are always appreciated and can be dropped off at Fellowship Hall or mailed to us at: P.O. Box 300, Greensboro, VT 05841

Markers
Water Color Paper
Watercolors
Tempera Paints
Scissors (kid-size)
Cardstock
Colored Cardstock
Colored Paper
Lined Paper
Hemp Twine
Feathers
Board Games
Puzzles
Glue Sticks
Hot Glue
Old Shirts (Good for Smocks)
Old Clothes (Good for Dress-up)
Old Plastic Ice Cube Trays

On behalf of all of our kids, thank you for your support!!!

New Bridges to Mind, Body, and Spirit

2008-04-03T16:52:00.000-04:00

The Senior Trotter program at Greensboro Wonder and Wisdom has in the past been organized primarily around monthly day trips and social events. This year, we hope to expand our horizons through the development of our New Bridges to Mind, Body, and Spirit project. In addition to the trips to different venues around the state, we would like to welcome guest speakers who will join us in tackling some of the pressing issues that we all face (proper nutrition, balance, pain managment, and improved general well-being). It is our goal that this program will provide useful information and skills for our participants to be able to take home and use on their own. We also hope that these sessions will help us 'bridge' the gap between some of our younger and older Trotters, because well-being is a common right. Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom is thrilled to have a number of highly qualiflied specialists on board who are willing to share their wisdom with us through this project. New Bridges is an exciting development that will help our seniors improve their quality of life and keep them Trotting! Stay tuned for more information about this work.

Thanks for your support!!

2008-03-29T09:02:00.000-04:00

People are always asking us what we need for supplies and if they can make donations to us with gifts-in-kind. The answer is YES, and check back in soon to see a detailed list of supplies that we can always use at the program. If you would like to make a cash donation to Wonder & Wisdom, we are always grateful for your financial support as well. All donations are tax-deductible, and can be mailed to us at: Greensboro Wonder & Wisdom, P.O. Box 300, Greensboro, VT 05841. Thanks!!

Poems With Heart and Attitude

2008-03-24T13:21:00.000-04:00

The Vermont Humanities Council has helped sponsor our exciting "Poems With Heart and Attitude" project this year. We are attempting to collect as many poems as possible from our community members, so that the Wonder & Wisdom children can then illustrate and compile them into a book! If you are from the Greensboro area and would like to contribute to this project, please send your poems to: yourpoems@gmail.com. We would love it if you shared your age with us too, so that we can see the range in our collection. If you have any questions, you can e-mail us at: info@wonderwisdom.org. We look forward to hearing from you.