Thursday, February 28, 2008

Free Talk: The Nature of the English Alphabet Code

"The English alphabet code: some people call it 'chaotic.' Others simply say it 'doesn't make sense.' For generations teachers have tried to dispel confusion with phonics 'rules,' or 'generalizations.' But 'the rules,' and the long list of their 'exceptions' only add to the confusion. Other well-meaning teachers direct children to memorize 'whole words,' which tops out their memory loads at a less-than- literate level. The result of these teaching methods (often dismally combined in today's scripted learning programs) is that 43% of our children fall below grade level in reading.
 
The fact is, the English alphabet code is one of the most complex writing systems in the world. Unless we understand how it works, we simply cannot teach reading and writing effectively. On Sunday, March 16, 10am-12pm, at the Chico Library, a local teacher will present information on 'Linguistic Phonics,' a revolutionary way to teach English reading and writing. It's revolutionary because it has the potential to help every learner become a fluent reader.
 
Come to the free talk and learn:
The inherent logic of our written code - and how to teach in line with it
The three skills necessary for reading and writing
Why 'phonemic awareness' is the single-greatest predictor of reading success
What Child Development research tells us about effective reading instruction
How dyslexia stems from flawed methods of reading instruction
How comprehension is dramatically increased with good decoding skills
How we can help beginning readers, older students with reading difficulty, and second language learners become fluent readers

 For more information: 894-7349"

 

 

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Free Movie "Happy Feet" Showing at BMU Saturday March 1st

Dance, Hop and Jump your way to a smaller carbon footprint!
 
Join us for activities to help families reduce their impact on the environment!  The movie "Happy Fee" will be shown, followed by a group dance lesson with music by local musicians.  Step counters will be used as a tool for promoting physical activity and the use of feet for walking vs. motor vehicles.  Food tastings of locally grown fruits and vegetables will also be provided.
 
Where: BMU 210, CSU Chico Campus (400 W. 1st Street, Chico)
 
When: Saturday March 1st, 10am-12 noon
 
Who: Families and children of all ages!
 
Brought to you by: Greendance film festival; Nutrition and Food Sciences, CSU Chico; KCHO; CNAP; Champions for Change; and Our Sustainable Future.
 
 
 

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Make-A-Wish Foundation Radiothon is March 27-28

Chico, CA – You can help make wishes come true! The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Sacramento and Northeastern California will be presenting the Inaugural "Results Radiothon for Make-A-Wish" at the Chico Mall on March 27 & 28, 2008.

 

Results Radio (Thunder 100.7, Oldies 102.1, Z Rock 106.7 and Bob FM 92.7) will be broadcasting live for two days in front of Sears. Listeners call in to pledge donations and are encouraged to challenge other individuals, businesses or schools to "meet or beat" their pledge.  Listeners will also be encouraged to come to the mall and bid on incredible silent auction items including a Brett Farve autographed football and much more! Local wish recipients and their families will share their wish experience live on-air.

 

Proceeds from this event will enable the Make-A-Wish Foundation® to continue their mission of granting wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with Hope, Strength and Joy.

 

This event will help to grant the wishes of children living in Butte, Glenn and Plumas counties.  If you have any questions, please call Bridget Walsh at Make-A-Wish at 888-828-9474. Please join the Foundation to continue to bring Hope, Strength and Joy to the many children in the Chico area!

 

About Make-A-Wish

The Sacramento and Northeastern California Make-A-Wish Foundation® is a charitable non-profit organization whose purpose is to grant wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, enriching the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1983, this chapter has granted more than 3,000 wishes. While the Sacramento and Northeastern California Foundation follows the policies and guidelines of the National Make-A-Wish Foundation, it operates as a separate 501c3 organization. All funds raised by the chapter are used to fulfill the mission in the 24 Northeastern California counties served.


 

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Dancers ages 7-12 can audition to perform at the Chico Outlaws Games

It's that time of year again...HYPE Dance Studio and the Chico Outlaws Baseball Club are joining forces again to create the 2008 Lil Rascals Dance Team!  New additions to the program, more dancers, and continuous entertainment at the baseball games! 

 

Our mission is to give dancers the opportunity to perform locally in a fun, family atmosphere at the Chico Outlaws Baseball games!  If your dancer is between the ages of 7 and 12 and is interested in being a part of this great opportunity, come to the auditions on Saturday, March 15 at 3:00 PM at HYPE Dance Studio!  It's an amazing summer full of dancing, fun, and baseball!

 

We are looking for energetic, outgoing dancers who are supportive and positive!  We are looking for intermediate level dancers!  We will be keeping the audition process positive and fun, so that it is a good experience for all the kids.  Dancers will be evaluated on their dance skills and techniques, how quickly they learn, and their performance ability.  All dancers of Chico are encouraged to attend…taking classes at HYPE Dance Studio is not a requirement for auditioning!  So come one, come all!  Please invite your friends! 

 

Please look out for our 2007 Lil Rascals dancing at our local elementary schools during the weeks of March 3-7 and 10-14!  Keep your eyes out for Rascal himself as he'll be there to dance with the kids and say hello to all the students!

 

If you have any other questions regarding auditions, the season, etc. please email us at sarah@hypedancestudio.com . Or call Tana at the studio at 898-8789.

 

Thank you and hope to see you there! 

      

HYPE dance studio

Sarah Blakley

Owner~Director~Choreographer

Ph    530.898.8789

F       530.898.8701

E       sarah@hypedancestudio.com

W     www.hypedancestudio.c

Monday, February 18, 2008

Peru Negro performs Tuesday March 25th

WHO:            Chico Performances presents

WHAT:           the dancers, singers and musicians of Peru Negro, performing Afro-Peruvian music

WHEN:   on Tuesday, March 25, 2008

TIME:           at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE in Laxson Auditorium at California State University, Chico

COST/TICKETS:   Premium $23, Adult $18, Senior $16, Student/Child $14

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

"A showcase of Afro-Peruvian cultural traditions…imbued with unadulterated fun….and theatrical flair!" –Boston Globe

Few musical groups are steeped in rich history like Peru Negro. The more than 20 member ensemble plays traditional music stemming from the slave trade in colonial Peru, with symbolic melodies that have been preserved over the years by being passed down orally through the generations. And what a tradition it is. Peru Negro utilizes bright costumes and unconventional instruments to tell the story of Peru's complex and enriching black cultural traditions, which have only recently become familiar to Western society.

The group's sound is reminiscent of Latin American music like flamenco and salsa, although the rhythms that push through each song are played out on traditional Peruvian percussion instruments like discarded vegetable crates and donkey jaws.

In fact, slaves in colonial Peru learned to tap beats on a variety of hollowed objects after slave masters banned drums in an attempt to kill black musical culture. Slaves found that striking empty wooden crates could create a wide range of sounds. And a donkey jaw, with its rattling teeth, could be used as a shaker. These two makeshift instruments eventually became formal percussion tools for the new music of black Peru that arose despite the dissent of the slave masters.

`
Peru Negro has been performing this rich cultural music and dance now for more than 30 years and has had the opportunity to travel around the world. What started as a 12-piece family group has now doubled, but the Lima-based ensemble still considers itself family. Between the nieces, nephews, in-laws, grandkids and offspring of current and former members, Peru Negro never comes up shorthanded. They have enough talented dancers and musicians that the music will last decades more.

These activities are supported, in part, with funds provided by the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Moonlight Melodies Gala Fundraiser

Saturday, March 15, 2008
Chico Masonic Family Center
1110 W. East Avenue
Chico, CA

Elegant dinner, auctions and dancing featuring the ³Fabulous Swing Kings²
6:00pm Cocktails & Silent Auction
6:45pm Dinner
8:00pm Live Auction & Dancing

The Children¹s Choir of Chico will hold its annual gala fundraiser Moonlight
Melodies on Saturday, March 15 to benefit the upcoming spring season of
rehearsals and performances.  Proceeds of the event will provide
scholarships and purchase music for the more than 100 singers who
participate in the various ensembles.

The event will be held at the Chico Masonic Family Center, 1110 W. East
Avenue in Chico, and will include elegant dining, auctions and dancing
featuring the "Fabulous Swing Kings".  The evening begins at 6:45pm with Cocktails and the
Silent Auction, Dinner will be served at 6:45pm, and the Live Auction and
Dancing begin at 8:00pm.

The non-profit Children¹s Choir of Chico provides choral music education for
interested singers in Kindergarten through adult women, including members
from Chico, Forest Ranch, Berry Creek, and Durham.  Each year, the choirs
actively perform for various community events and organizations.  Serious
members of the choirs audition annually and are accepted into national honor
choirs.

Tickets for Moonlight Melodies are $40 and can be purchased at Zucchini &
Vine, Katherine's Cottage, and Music Connection. For additional information
please call 342.2775 or visit www.childrenschoirofchico.org
 

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

HAPPY FEET! DANCE, HOP AND JUMP YOUR WAY TO A SMALLER CARBON FOOTPRINT!

Join us for activities to help families reduce their impact on the environment! The movie, Happy Feet, will be shown followed by a group dance lesson with music by local musicians. Step counters will be used as a tool for promoting physical activity and the use of feet for walking vs. motor vehicles. Food tastings of locally grown fruits and vegetables will also be provided. FREE!

 

Who: Families and children of all ages!

Where: BMU 210, CSU Chico Campus, 400 W. 1st Street, Chico

When:10 am-12:30 pm Date: Saturday, March 1st

 

Funded in part by the USDA's Food Stamp Program, an equal opportunity provider and employer.  

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

"Stop Bullying Now" website


Hey, parents--
As part of its anti-bullying campaign, the Health Resource Services Administration has an informative and user-friendly Web site: www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov. This site has sections for parents, school professionals and students. Check it out!
-MaryRose


Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Creative Fusion 4- Student Art Show

Feb. 9- March 2
Chico Art Center
450 Orange Street, Suit # 6
Corner of 5th and Orange Streets- On the train tracks in the Amtrak/Greyhound depot
Open daily 12:00 to 4:00 PM
 
Chico Art Center will host Creative Fusion 4- Annual Student Art Show,  February 9 through March 2. Please come to see over ninety artworks created by students from Chico area Jr. and Sr. High Schools. This is a show you will want to bring the entire family to see. Free refreshments will be served at the reception on Saturday evening Feb. 9, from 7-9PM. This event has become one of the city's largest gatherings, come take part and show your support for our areas young emerging artists.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Evenflo Carseat Recall

ALERT: Evenflo announced it is implementing a voluntary safety recall of its Discovery Infant Car Seat Models 390, 391, 534, and 552. Approximately one million units were produced beginning April 2005.

This is based on recent laboratory tests conducted by Evenflo and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTSA), which show that this car seat could potentially become separated from its base in high impact side collisions similar to those in the tests.

Owners of the affected Discovery safety seats are urged to immediately contact Evenflo and receive a free dual-hook fastener that will secure the seat to its base. The NTSA advised parents that they should continue using the safety seats while waiting for their fasteners to arrive.

More information is on Evenflo's website.