Spring has sprung, finally! Not only is the landscape changing daily, but there seems to be a lot more events going on around us, too.
I want to mention a couple of local, interesting-looking happenings that you might want to check out when you need a break from grass mowing and those other extra chores created by warmer weather.
“Looking at our Landscapes,” featuring photographs by area residents is now on exhibit at Crystal Bridges at the Massey, 125 W. Central in Bentonville. More than 300 photos taken around our part of the state were submitted and fifty were chosen for the exhibit.(All 300 can be viewed on the museum Web site).
The work of at least two photographers from our area, Terry Stanfill and Patrick Lanford, were chosen to be part of the exhibit. “Looking at our Landscapes” can be viewed Thursdays through Sundays from now through May 30th.
Another event currently going on is at Sager Creek Arts Center in Siloam Springs. Final performances of “The Nerd” will be on April 16th and 17th. I haven’t seen this particular play, but have enjoyed several plays there in the past. I noticed that “The Nerd” is advertised as “one of the funniest plays ever written.”
I had my own fun little event a few days ago. I had the opportunity to visit with a group of students in a Gifted and Talented class at Decatur Northside Elementary School. I arrived just as they were putting the final touches on a batch of Easter eggs they were decorating by splatter painting them with toothbrush bristles. I wanted to try my hand at it but instead thought I better busy myself preparing for the reason I was there.
I had come to do a short presentation about Arkansas state parks. While the students finished up their egg-art projects, I found a spot to display the visual aids I had brought with me. They soon gathered around eager to see what I had to show them.
During the park visits last year, I did not purchase much at visitors centers but there were a few things I could not pass up. One was the T-shirt at Arkansas Post that said “Experience Arkansas.” Since that was my plan for the year and the shirt was on the mark-down table, I snapped it up.
Another item I purchased was a yellow bandana at White Oak Lake State Park. It has a rather large, simplified map of Arkansas that shows major highways and towns, along with each of the 52 state parks. I have since mounted it on thick cardboard and used color-coded push pins to show which parks fall in each of the six main natural divisions of the state.
(Quiz time; how many of the six can you name? Hint - the Ozarks is one.)
I also brought with me a raised relief map of the state that further illustrates the vast differences in terrain across the state. In addition to the maps, I had brochures from the parks and a 10 minute slide show containing some of my favorite pictures taken during our park visits.
To make the best of my limited time, I had narrowed down my presentation to include the information I thought would be the most attention grabbing and educationally relevant. The students demonstrated interest by asking many questions that went right along with my planned presentation, and they couldn’t wait to feel the difference between the delta and the mountains on the relief map.
By the time we got to the slide show, the students were familiar with many state park names andrecognized them - as evidenced by their comments - as photos flashed on the wall.
I would like express my gratitude to the Decatur Elementary GT class and their teacher, Andrea VanSandt, for inviting me for what turned out to be a really fun time. I hope the students’ interest and enthusiasm for the wonderful things our natural state has in store for us will continue to grow.
Speaking of Decatur Elementary students, I would like to insert a big “WAY TO GO!” here for the success of their recent coin drive. In a boys against-girls contest, the entire elementary school joined their efforts and raised over $1,100 to help children in Haiti following the terrible earthquake there.
Annette Rowe is a freelance writer and a speech-language pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].
Opinion, Pages 5 on 04/14/2010