Tap Dancing Fun

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March 1, 2015

Friday after-school time at Ella P. Stewart School is not dull. That’s the day students are learning to tap dance through the Kids Unlimited program. Two groups of students strap on their tap shoes, bought by volunteer teacher Kay Anderson, and their dancing attitudes, and learn while having lots of fun.

Kids Unlimited is an after-school program at eight central city schools. For eight years, the program has provided tutoring and mentoring to students. Volunteers work with team leaders and classroom teachers to stay informed about the students’ academic needs and to offer extra-curricular activities like the tap dancing classes to promote self-discipline and character development. Guest speakers reinforce the mission of the group.

Volunteer Coordinator Megan Reese notes that the group is always looking for adult volunteers. “We ask for only one hour per week. Our volunteers (aged 15-75) describe their time with the kids as the ‘highlight’ of their week. The kids realize quickly that somebody cares about their success and they respond. It is a win-win situation for everyone.”

Contact Reese at 419 841-0721. More information available at www.kidsunlimitedtoledo.org.

Kumon Relocates

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Erin Schoen Marsh

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March 1, 2015

Maryam Azadi recently relocated her Kumon Learning Center within the Oak Tree Shopping Plaza, moving to a nearby unit. The new space is the same size as Kumon’s previous location but configured differently, and the more open layout allows Azadi to meet the specific Kumon requirements, which state that younger children should learn alongside older students, so they can learn from them. Azadi’s 160+ students, ranging in age from three to 18, study math and reading twice a week for 30 minutes, completing additional work at home. While some parental involvement is necessary in the beginning to establish routine, Kumon students are expected, ultimately, to assume responsibility for their learning. The Kumon program is a Japanese-based learning program and focuses on the concept that a child must practice daily to become proficient in any field.

3-7pm Monday and Thursday; students can attend at anytime for either a half hour or one-hour session. Kumon Learning Center of Sylvania, 4024 N. Holland Sylvania Rd., Suite 7. 419-517-1712. www.kumon.com.

SUA Dance Team Wins Grand Prize

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Christine A. Holliday

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March 1, 2015

Seven members of the St. Ursula Academy Dance Team used their best moves to win the Grand Prize in the Speedway Club Chill Video Contest this summer. The team will receive a check for $2,500, which coach Erin Parseghian said will be used to defray expenses for the team’s January trip to the UDA National High School Dance Team Championships in Orlando, FL.

STEM Designs for Disabled Workers

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Christine A. Holliday

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March 1, 2015

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Club at St. Ursula Academy placed in the top three at the FalconBest Blade Runner regional robotics competition at BGSU last November. The team of seven designed and built a robot vehicle that could transport a wind turbine past several logistical challenges. The girls designed and built the wind turbine, then created an exhibit for the vehicle and a marketing plan for their invention. The high showing earned them a trip to the national competition in North Dakota in December.

Teacher/club advisor Jackie Kane explained, “I am unbelievably proud of how much they’ve learned in just six weeks. The competition demanded that they use lots of skills, from using screwdrivers to programming to marketing. The judges called our entry ‘small but mighty,’ and they were right!”

Kane described the competition in North Dakota as “stiff but exciting.” The team gave a 20-minute marketing presentation about their created robot company, and ran a booth describing their work. The team did not win, but earned a spot in the playoffs. A video of the competition SUA Arrowbotics Team is available on YouTube (search by the organization’s name) .

The team members have entered another competition, the SourceAmerica Design Challenge, a national engineering competition for high school and college students. Their assignment is to work with an organization that employs people with disabilities or with a person with a disability to invent a process, device, system, or software for a more productive work environment. In addition, they prepared a 10-page paper about their device and research they did in developing it, as well as a four-minute video showing how it works.

Team members designed what they call the Swivel ‘N’ Slide, a mobile articulating arm support device. They worked with Tony Carn, whose cerebral palsy kept him from typing at his data entry job. Their device made it possible for him to increase his typing rate by 32 percent.

They have entered their device in the competition, and if they are chosen among the top five finalists, they will compete in the final round of the competition in Washington, D.C., for cash prizes for the school and the team members.

Kur Balance Thru Massage

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Erin Schoen Marsh

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March 1, 2015

Downtown Sylvania welcomes a new business to the area: Kur Balance Thru Massage. Licensed Massage Therapists Emily Snyder and Maryanne Weston opened Kur, a holistic and naturopathic-based healthy living center, to help individuals “achieve balance of mind, body and soul in an easy and affordable way.” The word “kur” is German in origin and means “cure,” and Snyder and Weston aim to “kur” their clients by restoring balance through massage. Kur provides a plethora of services from a group of therapists, including Swedish, deep tissue, pregnancy, couples, and Thai massage. They also provide some specialty services, such as facelift, manual lymph drainage, qigong, and reiki, among others. Snyder and Weston hope to also provide healthy living options, such as exercise and nutrition, in the future.

Appointments and walk-in customers accepted 10am-6pm Tuesday-Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday. Monday, Sunday, and extended hours available by appointment only. Kur, 5703 N. Main St., Ste E, Sylvania. 567-455-0587.
www.kurbalance.com

Kohl’s Kids in Action

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Digital Media

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March 1, 2015

Is your child receiving health education? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ohio is one of only five states that doesn’t require health education in the schools. That’s where the Kohl’s Kids in Action (KKiA) program, through Mercy Children’s Hospital, comes in. Now in its ninth year offering free nutrition and health education to students in grades K-6, the KKiA program fills the gap by teaching four key messages recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for obesity prevention. Children need to drink at least eight cups of water, get enough sleep, eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Funded by a grant from Kohl’s Cares through the sale of stuffed animals and story books, The KKiA program is available to any group that serves elementary age children in Lucas County. For more information call 419-251-1246 or visit kohlskidsinaction.org, where you’ll also find activity ideas and great recipes for kids.