No images? Click here USDAN MUSING & ONLINE HIGHLIGHTS: WEEK 4 Lauren's Musing: A year ago, I never could have imagined I'd be reading this report on Major League Baseball in the New York Times instead of in a work of science fiction: While league officials said there were no plans to suspend or cancel the season — which began just last Thursday — two games were postponed Monday after the Miami Marlins learned that at least 14 members of the team’s traveling party, including 12 players, had tested positive for the virus. A year ago, Usdan was in the first week of its second session. A year ago, colleagues and I met at the picnic tables by the camp entrance with Josh Sturiale, an Animation major who was celebrating his 10th year at Usdan. An Eagle Scout, Josh generously proposed that his culminating Scout service project be a service to Usdan. He offered to provide the camp community with benches that as much as possible would be built with trees that had fallen in the Usdan woods. On Monday, on a day when the newspapers were filled with what our former selves would have deemed science fiction, Josh came to campus with ten family members and fellow Scouts to install the four benches. With masks on and a full commitment to safety, the team spent the morning choosing locations, leveling the sites, and installing the benches for all of Usdan to use. Josh today is an even more impressive version of his past self: managing adversity, staying true to his core generosity, and setting up our future world to be better than the one left behind. Thank you, Josh, for the gift of the benches and for inspiring the Usdan community. Enjoy below my interview with Josh and photos of him and his installation team. I welcome you to explore below the inspiring art our kids are working on in their online studios. - Lauren Brandt Schloss, Executive Director Mixed Media Exploration Teacher Amalia led the students in a lesson about respecting Mother Nature as they collected found natural objects in their backyards to make beautiful creations. Amalia said: "Nature spoke to us today. Some of us heard birds singing. Some of us saw the bushes move or the sun rays shining on a special leaf. Some of us connected to her through our noses, our sense of smell. Some of us felt her speak to us through our hearts, our fingers, our feet." Amalia shared the work of Kandinsky, a Russian painter who listened to music and created art based off of the sounds he heard. Then, the class danced and listened to music to inspire their own creations. Ethan and Eli were both moved by the tropical sounds they heard. Mixed Media Exploration ClassBroadway Jazz The Actor Sings During one of their Musical Morning lessons, teacher James shared the song “Happy Enough” from the new musical Soft Power. James then posed the question: “What do you notice about the shifts in the music?” He noted, "There is so much storytelling going on in the music and what the characters are saying that unlock who these characters are." Averie had a particularly astute response: As an exercise, Sivan spoke the words of the very silly song “Daryl is a Boy” from Spelling Bee. The Actor Sings ClassUpcoming Community Events Usdan Happy Hours The Usdan Happy Hours event is free of cost and open to all members of Usdan's community. Usdan Online students and their parents are especially encouraged to attend. The event will celebrate student work created in this summer's online studios in visual art, dance, music, theater, writing, and culinary arts. In three acts, we will briefly visit each of the online studios, making an effort to represent every child's creativity. Usdan Happy Hours will also include some of Usdan's most beloved traditions including the gong ring and Lifer ceremony. We hope you will tune in for an afternoon of Usdan-love, creativity, and festivity. Wednesday, August 19, 2020 / 4:00 PM - 6:15 PM *Estimated start times (to be confirmed prior to the event) Create a U We are now accepting submissions for new U ideas, and we want your child's help. The U’s can be anything. Think of things that are U shaped or things that can be made into a U shape. All areas of study at Usdan can be used as inspiration: Art. Theater. Writing. Dance. Chess. Nature and Sustainability. Music. Recreation. Deadline to submit is Friday, August 21, 2020. |