Attention Sir! KIYAH!!!

It started!! BUGS Karate Masters!!!!

BUGS students were given a chance to receive a karate lesson at Joe Palanzo's Kenpo Karate (www.pikesvillemartialarts.com) from Mr. Chris. Mr. Russell, the manager, allowed the BUGS Students to come in and learn the training horse, left fighting stance, and certain karate blocks.

The students were given white blocks which symbolized their early training in the karate form. Karate is an art form that is very disciplined, requires a great deal of focus, and strength.

With Mr. Chris, as their instructor, they were able to learn the upward, outward, inward, downward, and side elbow blocks. He started with them learning each arm separately, then progressed to the opposite arm. After learning on both sides, they used both arms. Mr. Chris came with an arm pad. As he charged with the arm pad, the students were able to block each one of the charges. Some were very successful while others did offer up many laughs as Mr. Chris carefully tapped the student when they missed the block. That garnered so many laughs from the other students.

He did such a wonderful job wit the students. Hopefully, this will not be the last time Mr. Chris gets to teach the BUGS Students.

For each group that came, Mr. Chris tailored each class to the group. He kept some things pretty consistent and was able to make each group's experience different and worthwhile. The older boys were able to run towards the punching dummies and

hit it with the heel of their hands. The older girls were able to break the

different colored boards from easy to difficult.

Great Kids Farm

BUGS has developed a wonderful relationship with Great Kids Farm, the farm owned by the Baltimore City Public School System.  Located in Catonsville, the 33-acre farm is leading the way in exposing Baltimore students to nutritional and agricultural education.  Starting last spring, over this summer and continuing this fall, BUGS students have witnessed the farm's growth. They saw rows and rows of produce where months before there was nothing but grass. They were among the first to meet the goats and chickens. And they have lent a hand with several tasks around the farm from seeding and harvesting microgreens in the greenhouse to pulling up dead plants to feeding the goats. As part of Mr. Jason's service learning component, each group of students has and will continue to visit the farm. During these visits, they work and take the lessons they've learned to do their part to fill the need they see in their community of spreading nutritional education. In addition, Mr. Drew has begun to receive a share of produce every other week from the farm to use in his kitchen. This is a part of his aim to use all local ingredients in his cooking lessons. We hope to maintain this exciting partnership with Great Kids Farm!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/05/AR2009050500876.html

New raised bed in greenhouse!

Last month, the older boys constructed a raised bed inside the BUGS greenhouse. They built the walls with cinderblocks and filled it in with compost and soil. This addition to our greenhouse will allow us to grow vegetables all throughout the winter!

A Ballroom Dancing Experience

It was Wednesday, Oct. 14th, and it was going to be an early and long day. It began with me arriving at the BUGS Campus at 8 am. I had some last minute details to finish up before venturing to Johnston Square Elementary School to pick up the 11 students who were going to be performing at the Hippodrome Pavilion Hall for the yearly Lights On Luncheon being held by the Maryland State Department of Education. I had picked up one student earlier on my way to campus. He is a Paul Laurence Dunbar student.

I arrived on campus, printed out some last minute paperwork, got the keys to the van I would be using, and gathered a breakfast snack for the kids to have when we arrived at the Hippodrome. I was picking them up at 9 am and left a 30 minute window for students who wanted to change before leaving the school, bathroom breaks, and pictures from any of the teachers. Good thing, I did!! They needed it and so did I. Bustling around, it gave me a few minutes to gather my frenetic energy and slow it down. Admittedly, I was excited for them and had to contain it.

We had done so much work preparing for this day. Towards the end of our BUGS Summer Session, we were visited by representatives of MSDE. They wanted to see what progress we were making with our students and how our program day was operating. In July, we were awarded the William H. White Award for Outstanding After-School Program from 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

After viewing my class hard at work on the music for the puppet show we would be presenting, Heather Rebstad, our program director, informed me that our program was asked to do a short performance at the Lights On Luncheon at the Hippodrome in October. Needless to say, I was very excited. What a great opportunity for our program and our students. Since the ballroom dancing component was so successful, it was a no brainer. Our students would do a ballroom dancing routine.

Then I had to get down to determining which students to choose. I needed students whom I knew would pick up the choreography very well, execute it equally as well, be committed, be disciplined, represent our program well when they were not dancing and have parents who would understand, support and encourage this incredible opportunity. Young people want to be involved in so many projects and yet, we need to have the full support of the parents as well. It gives it another level of focus and importance. It teaches the student follow-through, commitment, discipline and perseverance. All of which they need in order to have continued success in any arena.

After I gathered them, we headed to the Hippodrome. Once we arrived, they ate their breakfast snack and drank their juice. After some other dressing situations, we practiced a bow. Each student would have an opportunity at the end of the ballroom dance presentation to be individually introduced. We then headed into a huge and beautifully set-up pavilion to have a brief rehearsal in the space so they would be comfortable with where they would be performing and know what directions to face and such.

Just as the program began, the remaining BUGS Staff arrived with the parents of the performing students. All of the students were well-dressed and well-mannered. Everyone complimented them on their appearance, their behavior, and looked forward to seeing them perform the luncheon. Everyone had an appetizing lunch and even had a key-chain measuring tape and a box of small candies to take with them once the luncheon was over.

After the students finished eating their lunch, I gathered them up and took them in the foyer to get ready and calm down before the actual performance. The attendees listened to Jose Rico who is in the Education Department at the White House. As the talk went on, they began to get a little restless. Their nerves were getting the best of them. "Just be a little more patient! We'll be dancing in a few moments." I said to them. "I'm ready to dance!" "I'm nervous!" "What if I make a mistake?" These were just a few of the comments made as they waited. The time was getting closer. The speaker was done.

They were lined up, partnered, and ready to go. After their introduction from me, they entered the pavilion calmly and elegantly. The music began and they danced. They performed the Tango first. They were together. Clean. Smiling. Enthusiastic. The Tango ended and they immediately went into their positions for the Swing. This would be a crowd pleaser. As the music played, they bounced their shoulders, smiled at each other and the audience, brightened their faces and just gave a great performance. Once the song ended, they bowed and the attendees gave them a STANDING OVATION! Thunderous applause!!

They were introduced and then exited, partnered, from the pavilion. I gathered them outside in the foyer and before I could say anything, I CRIED!! I was so full of pride, joy and happiness for them. I got myself together. I told them, "I am so proud of each one of you! You all did such a wonderful job! I cannot thank you enough for your hard work, your commitment, your dedication, and your behavior. I want so much for you! And more importantly, I love each one of you!"

We gathered our things and headed back to Johnston Square. The day wasn't over. BUGS would still be happening in the afternoon and they needed to be ready for that.

One thing I did miss, Nancy Grasmick, the Maryland State Superintendent, complimented the BUGS Students and said so many glowing things about them.

What a great day! Congratulations to the BUGS Students for a spectacular performance!! You can accomplish so much!

The students who participated in this ballroom dancing presentation are...

Willis Brandon, Jr., partnered with Bria Sample

Kenard Dansbury, Jr., partnered with Angel Ramsey

Jeremiah Gaskins partnered with Ronoah Johnson

Jerrell Mack partnered with De'Asia Edwards

Jerwon Mack partnered with Kerron Webb

Harry Santos, III, partnered with Andrea Carmichael

I cannot thank them enough! Way to go, BUGS!!! Enjoy the ballroom dancing presentation video below.

A Fellow Morehouse Man Comes to Teach Capoeira

As the Dance and Creative Movement Teacher, I have an opportunity to bring in guest teachers who are experts in their field and live locally to present to the BUGS Students what they know and teach it to them. I have had an African dance teacher, drum instructor, and tap instructors. This time around the students are learning about Capoeira. I had a great opportunity to bring another Morehouse Man and guest teacher, Jason Harris, to teach this art form that originates from Brazil.

Jason is holding a Berimbau (musical bow) which by changing the tension of the string effects the tone and sound that the berimbau makes. Along with the berimbau, he used an Agogo (double bell). It was in a woven capsule that had bells inside. As he strummed the berimbau, he would shake the agogo. The students were mesmerized. How could he play two instruments at once? They wanted to try to do the same. A few were successful but they tried and were interested in something new and that was more important than playing like Jason who has been studying and learning for years.

After the introduction of the instruments, he began with the Ginga (a two step movement that goes from side to side). This movement was the first step that they learned. He asked the students to do what they thought was the two step. All of them did what they had learned from videos. How wrong they were! This two step was very different from what they were used to seeing.

The students were taught how to execute a Meia Lua (half-moon kick). As the Meia Lua was executed, the partner fell to the ground in a motion called Negativa. Negativa is a movement where one falls toward the ground and stopping their momentum with their hands on the ground.













Bria going into her negativa.

A great deal of thanks to Jason Harris for his expertise!

Let's Congratulate....

A round of applause for former BUGS Student, Willis Brandon, Jr. He attended the Maryland Council for Dance Festival during the weekend of October 23 - 25 at South River High School in Edgewater, MD. He participated in a scholarship audition, took classes in modern, ballet, Afro-Cuban, and tap. There were performances on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. He performed in the Sunday performance with his fellow dancers from the Morton Street Dance Center. After the Sunday performance, scholarships were given out to many of the participants. He, along with Teresa Hinton (pictured below), was awarded a scholarship to the White Marsh Ballet Academy for their summer intensive while she received a scholarship to Rage Box Dance Center. As the excitement dwindled on the ride home, he was excited and exhausted. BUGS Students are excelling in many different areas! Congrats to Willis Brandon!!!

So Much Has Been Happening...

On Sunday, Oct. 18th, a group of BUGS Students had a great opportunity to see the Shaolin Warriors at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE!!! These Chinese Monks are trained in a special martial art that has been around for hundreds of years. Many of the performers have been training and performing in this artform since they were very young.

There were two young boys who had to be the same age as some of our students performing incredible and eye-popping feats.

They jumped over one another, twisted their bodies into different unimaginable shapes, and turned on poles. It was an amazement to see. They used all kinds of props. They broke slabs of concrete on their bodies with big iron mallets, used their hands to break wood, and even their heads to break metal.

The students were so excited they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Sitting on the edge of their seats, literally, not wanting to miss what was happening. It was just a great experience to have and see!!

BUGS in Art in America

BUGS was mentioned in an Art in America article in reference to our partnership with Participation Park, an urban garden located near Johnston Square Elementary. Very exciting! Click on the image to read.