Tuesday, December 8, 2009

GAK: Good News, Bad News, Better News

Hello GAKers -

Green Apple Kids is entering into a very exciting phase of the organization. The news is so BIG that we've decided to break it into 3 easy bite-sized portions:

THE GOOD NEWS
Green Apple Kids is adding to its weekend workshop format and, in January, will be launching a pilot program in the South Bronx at the Family Life Academy Charter School. This program will be in the from of enrichment after school programs for children in grades K through 6th. The program will put the Family Life Academy Charter School (and future participating schools in low-income neighborhoods) at the forefront of green community activism, seeing approximately 92% of students attending academically outperform their peers (according to a State Education and Environment Study).




THE BAD NEWS
Although the Family Life Academy Charter School is yet to secure a grant to support the project, the administrators see the value the GAK program would bring to their student and as such are acquiring funds from a very limited school budget. In order to get the program in place, and keep it free to all participants, certain frills had to cut, one of the most important being the intended dedicated training intended for the teachers and parent volunteers whose environmental knowledge is vital to the success of the program. It was suggested that this training be replaced by a mixture of on-the-job and at-home research training.



THE BETTER NEWS
You can help the kids at the Family Life Academy Charter school get off to the best possible start by making a 'DONATION' to Green Apple Kids that will go directly towards the funding of the teacher training. The cost of the training comes to $2,400, and with your donations we are certain that we can make this happen. Any overflow funds will be used to reinstate the other cuts (such as in-season organic snacks and Earth-friendly supplies). It would be a great gift granted to very worthy kids this holiday season!



Click here to make a donation!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

November Story Time Yoga Workshop Review

Erin is the most fantastic yoga teacher in NY. Period... But you probably already knew that from our first story time yoga session with Erin. She brought her brand of interactive kiddie-yoga to both of our City Island and Williamsburg library branches last month and lead the GAK kids through an exhilarating, active, stretching and balancing routine.

"Are you ready to go on an adventure?" Erin asked her eager students. "What animals do you think we'll see?" As the Green Apple Kids named their favorite animals (domesticated or wild, land living or ocean dwelling) Erin quickly bent into the corresponding yoga pose and the flexible young yogis followed suit.

Each session included the sun salutation song, a few stories about animals, yoga pose freeze dance, lots of freeform movement and a relaxing wind-down. Ahhh...

We can't wait to have Erin back.


Erin and the kids strike a pose