Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities

Skate & Create: Latina Sorority mentors Girls Club!

2012-01-23T15:13:00.011-05:00

This past weekend, the Cook Library Center's Girls Club (also known as the XYZ Girlz) went ice skating with the Sigma Lambda Upsilon/ Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. The Girls Club is currently coordinated by Ms. Eva and consists of nine girls ages 8-12. The Girls Club meets periodically to do writing activities & talk about challenges they face. The Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority members serve as positive role models for the Girls Club, encouraging them to pursue their education and creative interests. The latest field trip on Saturday was especially special because previous Girls Club members came along, totaling a group of 16 girls!
Ms. Eva with Estellita (Above) This was Estellita's first time ice skating & she picked it up really quick! Many of the students enjoyed receiving a free helmet from the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.Above from left: Areli, mentor Serena, & Maura.

Above: Areli from Girls Club & mentor Jatnna.
As part of the GRAM's Skate & Create program, the girls headed inside after skating for some hot chocolate & art activities. Above: Inessa age 11 & Egypt age 11.Above: Luz & Areli spend some quality time with the sorority president Jatnna. Luz told Jatnna she wants to visit GVSU's campus, looks like the girls know what their next field trip will be!
HUGE thanks again to Sigma Lambda Upsilon/ Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc. !!

The Chess Master vs. Cook Library Students

2012-01-17T15:13:00.008-05:00

Students at the Cook Library Center LOVE to play chess. Last week, students put their chess skills to the test as they fearlessly took on the man they call "The Chess Master"
"The Chess Master" is also known as Gary Stark, who is a history professor at GVSU and a member of the GAAH Board of Directors. Stark commented, "I had a great time playing chess with several young students—after they had finished their homework for the day. I was surprised at how many students wanted to play, how good they are, and how young some of the best players are! I lost the first game, the second was a stalemate, and I won the third only because we were running out of time and a couple of kibitzers gave me some good suggestions. These kids are sharp, and before I go back for a rematch, I’m going to practice more."

Thanks again Gary Stark!

Alynn Guerra & Winter Break Camp!

2012-01-04T17:52:00.008-05:00

Alynn Guerra is quite the celebrity artist in Grand Rapids. Her prints are bold and whimsical, transporting the viewer to a simpler world. Alynn is literally a neighbor to the Cook Arts Center, running her Red Hydrant Press studio just around the corner. Read more about Alynn's work. Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities' students were very lucky to have special guest teacher Alynn Guerra for their winter break camp!

During the winter break camp, GAAH students learned about different types of printmaking, and went to the GRAM to see the print exhibit and their permanent print collection.
Students did a technique called relief printmaking by carving rubber plates, and also created crayon monoprints.
Winter break was filled with fun, creativity, and new artistic skills. Thanks Alynn!

Christmas Cheer at Cook Library Center

2011-12-22T13:12:00.008-05:00

On December 19th students at the Cook Library Center enjoyed making Christmas cards for their family and friends. The cards were very creative and had awesome designs. Chase (below) took his time to draw and decorate cards for his Mom and Dad. Since Chase is growing up in a bi-lingual world, he made sure to write his card in both English and Spanish.
Some of the students used the GAAH Aztec sun logo to create unique Christmas cards (above). The Cook Library Center is a wonderful atmosphere for all ages. There are toys for young ones to play with, a beautiful community kitchen, tables for activities & homework, and a bi-lingual library. Anyone can stop by, and volunteers to help with homework are always needed. Email Outreach@gaah.org to get info on upcoming community events or volunteer opportunities. ¡Feliz Navidad!

Press Club Goes to the Ballet!

2011-12-16T19:26:00.008-05:00

This past week, the Press Club went to go see the Grand Rapids Ballet perform the Nutcracker at Devos Hall. Most of the students were not familiar with the story and had many questions before hand: "Is there going to be REAL magic?" "How are we going to know what's going on if there is no talking?" Although some of the boys were initially a little apprehensive, all the students left Devos Hall either dancing or talking about the "cool" parts.

The next day, students wrote about their experience for the Press Club (look out for their review) Avelycia (age 12) commented, "It was really really great, the dancers were moving along with the music. When the music got slower they also got slower and when it was fast they moved fast...I love the ballet." Students got a kick out of the "Ballet Christmas Tree" in the lobby, and took a special picture (below) just to show Ms. Steffanie (Program Director at GAAH).

Little Ballerinas say Farewell

2011-12-02T12:01:00.013-05:00

Little GAAH dancers say farewell to their beloved Ballet & Tap instructor Kelly Malinowski this winter. Kelly has been teaching at GAAH for almost two years, and says, "I've loved working in this neighborhood, the students are so passionate and I will miss them all dearly"

Kelly comments on how the arts have been cut from many school programs, and therefore, emphasizes how important GAAH is to the kids. Kelly is specifically passionate about the benefits of dance in early childhood development. To read more about the beneficial role dance can play in physical, emotional, & cognitive development click here.

Kelly is off to graduate school in California to study public administration, and fondly says, "Thank you to the Cook Arts Center and to the dancers for all their hard work!"The Cook Arts Center offers high quality programming, with classes taught by professionals.
The Cook Arts Center will start a new semester this January 9th. Exciting new classes include Watercolor for Kids, Beads, Cards, & Glass Design (9-16 yrs), Recycled Sculpture (7+), Piñatas & paper Maché (5-15 yrs). Click here for the full list of classes!

David Lockington at the Cook Library Center!

2011-11-23T14:11:00.002-05:00

David Lockington, conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony, came to the Cook Library Center November 17th, 2011. With a bright blue cello case in hand, Mr Lockington instantly had a crowd of excited students who wanted to share their thoughts.
GAAH students gathered in the community room and fell under a trance as Mr. Lockington began to play the cello and sing a soulful song. Mr. Lockington later shared the inspiring story of how he went from playing cello professionally, to conducting orchestras.
The students enjoyed the interactive piece that Mr. Lockington wrote, and did a great job clapping at the correct parts in the song. Students also got a chance to ask Mr. Lockington questions, and share which instruments they are studying at the Cook Arts Center. GAAH appreciates Mr. Lockington for giving this wonderfully enriching experience to the Cook Library students.
Special thanks to GAAH's talented volunteer photographer Katherine Thelen, who took pictures of this event.

Check out the youtube video of this event! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBNTk2jIV20

El Día De Los Muertos-Day Of The Dead

2011-11-16T15:10:00.001-05:00

On October 29th, the Cook Arts Center celebrated the traditional Hispanic El Día De Los Muertos (Day Of The Dead). People from the Grandville Ave. neighborhood & greater Grand Rapids came together to celebrate loved ones who have passed away.

11 dedicated volunteers decorated the center beautifully on Friday afternoon, and set up an impressive two table traditional altar (above). People brought "ofrendas" (candles, photos, and favorite items of loved ones) to place on the community altar.

Everyone enjoyed the intercultural potluck during the afternoon. Some people got to try Costa Rican tamales, pan dulce, and sweet pineapple tamales for the first time!

Neighborhood youth Latino artist, Javier Campos, had a beautiful piece of art exhibited for the event. Javier recently started a paid internship with GAAH, and GAAH staff is enthusiastically supporting his creative endeavors.

Musicians Nuri Tett and Irma Rodriguez played some smooth Latin duets. Thanks for sharing your talent and inspiring our youth!

The Art table was jam packed all afternoon as participants made Colorful skeleton masks, and other related activities.

Kyle Thompson and Frank Nawrot, Students of Carlos De La Barrera, provided beautiful Latin and Spanish guitar music.

Thanks again to everyone who made this event fun and special! The Cook Arts Center welcomes new volunteers at any time,and collaborates with local artists, and musicians. Email Eva at Outreach@gaah.org if you are interested in volunteering or collaborating!
~Enjoy the rest of the pictures from El Día De Los Muertos below~

Pumpkin Season!

2011-11-02T15:39:00.001-04:00

Students at GAAH eagerly anticipate fall activities, especially when the pumpkins start arriving! Mr. Gene Gilmore owns a farm out in Ada, Michigan and graciously donates pumpkins to GAAH each year. This year, when Mr. Gilmore arrived at the library, he was greeted with the usual helping hands and smiling faces.
Students and families had a blast decorating pumpkins in Mrs. Katherine and Mr. Jared's classes. Thanks again, Mr. Gilmore!

GAAH's youth Press Club took the opportunity to cover the pumpkin extravaganza and their story "The Great Pumpkin Interview" was published in the Rapidian! http://therapidian.org/great-pumpkin-interview

Zumba, Tie-dye, & Cartoons

2011-10-13T19:46:00.001-04:00

This fall, GAAH has partnered with Spectrum health to bring Zumba to the neighborhood! Instructor Monica Sanders leads a high energy workout Thursdays at 1pm.
Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance fitness program that is very popular these days. Zumba incorporates hip-hop, samba, salsa, merengue, mambo, martial arts & belly dancing into the routines.

Dedicated women come every week to laugh, shake, and dance the afternoon away.

Tie-dye: Students love the new Tie-dye creations class on Wednesdays.

The students love being creative and finding out what colors look great together.

Shirley shows off her tie-dying abilities

Jesus is excited about his new shirt. Combining his favorite colors, he created a funky piece of art that he can't wait to wear. Students also got a little lesson in science, learning that some liquids have the ability to stain!

CARTOONING: Mr. George teaches a new cartooning class that has all the students talking. They learn techniques that unravel the tricky world of cartooning and can be seen doodling during their spare time. Mr. George is a very skilled illustrator who portrays how cartooning is truly an art form.

After school students walk to the Cook Arts Center, have a snack, then go to the beautiful art room and spend the afternoon drawing. It's a safe space where students can process their day quietly, have a couple laughs, and explore any creative interests. In Cartooning class, students especially enjoy creating their own stories and characters.

Fall Appreciation

2011-09-30T13:42:00.013-04:00

Its 4:10pm and the entrance room to the Cook Arts Center is quiet; the calm before the storm. Noemi Ashley, the receptionist, glances at the clock and gets a hint of excitement in her eyes. Although she had been involved with GAAH for several years, she always eagerly anticipates the students’ arrival after school. The door bursts open and a swirl of students, leaves & autumn air fill the small entrance. Noemi exhibits a calm poise as she asks the students about their day and gets them signed in. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Noemi loves the family atmosphere at the center and especially enjoys working with the large Latino population. “The center really does make a change” she explains, “The classes help students build confidence which helps for their future.” Noemi remembers going to a community center growing up and says it had a positive impact on her life. There truly is a supporting community at GAAH and Noemi is just one of the important individuals who make it an enriching space. Executive Director Marjorie Kuipers says, “Noemi treats everyone with love & respect. She is patient and has the ability to juggle a variety of tasks.” In addition to the numerous tasks Noemi gracefully accomplishes at work, she is also pursuing an occupational therapy degree (full time!) at GVSU.

Cook Arts Center: Not Just For Kids Enthusiastic students pour into the Cook Arts Center & Cook Library Center everyday to strengthen their academic skills and embark on creative ventures. GAAH however, is not just for kids. On Tuesday nights, neighborhood members & people from greater Grand Rapids come together to stretch out their interest in yoga. Meryn McClelland, certified yoga instructor, leads the class with valuable cross-cultural competency. Around 7:45pm a comforting harmonic sound can be heard through the walls as yoga participants sing a traditional mantra that signifies love and community. Meryn is one of our many dedicated volunteers who make GAAH special. In addition to the community yoga class, adults have also requested their own piano class. Volunteer Katherine Thelen graciously teaches a kids art class during the piano class so that parents do not need to worry about childcare.

New Faces: Eva Jenson recently joined GAAH staff as our new multicultural & bilingual Outreach Coordinator. She says, “GAAH is so important to everyone involved. Staff members enjoy being here just as much as class participants. I hope to create even more opportunities for people to come celebrate culture and community.” Eva received a warm welcome and looks forward to exciting future endeavors.

Fall 2011 Chess Tournament

2011-09-12T15:53:00.001-04:00

The Cook Library Center staff and our new Calvin College student volunteers started the 2011 school year with a challenge - a chess tournament! Cook Library Center students went up against each other and also challenged Calvin College students face to face. It was a long and competitive tournament and a great way to challenge students as their brains began to kick back into high gear for the school year. With cash prizes at stake, each student gave it their all. In the end, Manuel L. took third, Danny L. took second, and Julio R. claimed the first place title.

Danny L. faces a student from Calvin College as his little brother looks on.

These girls played some intense games as they battled to win the cash prizes.

Cook Library Center students faced each other in the tournament.

Manuel shows off his 3rd place prize.

Danny is proud to hold the 2nd place title.

Julio was the chess champion that day!

Programs at the Cook Library Center are administered by Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities.

Summer Recap

2011-09-01T19:59:00.012-04:00

School begins next week and as we prepare for our fall programs, we look back at the fabulous summer we had at the Cook Arts Center and Cook Library Center. Below are some photos that will help us remember all of the great things students, families, volunteers and staff experienced this summer.

Math, Science, Art and Reading at the Cook Library Center

Dance and Theater

Visual Arts and Pottery

Field Trips

Creative Writing, Reading and Career Exploration

Rhythm and Music

Gardening and Nutrition

What a fabulous summer!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

The Electric Company!

2011-08-22T17:26:00.013-04:00

As the end of summer gets closer and everyone starts thinking about going back to school, students at the Cook Library Center are excited and ready - they've been keeping their brains sharp throughout the summer with the Electric Company program.

The Cook Library Center was proud to offer PBSkids “The Electric Company” Summer Learning program to enthusiastic students. For six weeks, students did activities, watched video segments, played educational computer games and completed worksheets that strengthened math and literacy skills.

The Electric Company curriculum helped to fill the summer learning gap; students especially liked words and activities that explored units of measure. Throughout the summer, students learned over 60 new vocabulary words in English and in Spanish!

Six assistant teachers (ages 11‐14) also worked with Ms. Eva to develop their leadership and mentoring abilities. Assistant teachers helped daily in the classroom with things like helping students learn how to tell time by comparing analog and digital clocks, helping students spell words and more. By helping younger students learn, they themselves learned a lot about leadership, collaboration, responsibility and positive reinforcement. Below are two assistant teachers, Tascha (left) and Macirra (right), that helped with the Electric Company all summer. They learned a lot about running a class room and encouraging students: one week, Tascha (age 14) even led a whole class session!

With the help of these young assistants, many students were able to build confidence and get excited about learning. Domingo (below in blue shirt) really came out of his shell throughout the course of the program. At one point, he even asked for homework!

Students also learned how to work together. Below, Marshawn and Maynor (both age 6) work together on computer activities that reinforced that day’s lesson.

The end of the summer family day was held last week and students were proud to show off their new skills and knowledge to family members. Parents were proud of their kids for working hard all summer and, in order to celebrate, brought in a surprise cake and piñata for all to enjoy. Students also received their certificates of program completion and said their bittersweet goodbyes to the summer.

Now that the summer is winding down, Electric Company students look back and realize they learned a lot and had fun doing it, and now they also know the “electric” power of knowledge!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Summer Learning

2011-08-11T18:51:00.008-04:00

As our summer continues, Cook Arts Center and Cook Library Center students continue making art and learning about the world around them.
Students have continued learning about different parts of the world during session two at the Cook Arts Center. Below, Edgar J. and Adrian V. work on their Hawaiian art projects after learning different facts about the state. Students discovered that our President was born there, learned about Hawaiian wildlife, and even talked about volcanoes.

Students have also been doing some great sculptural work. Ronny shows off some bracelets he made after doing a fun math activity and Arealis works on her Alexander Calder themed sculpture after learning about Grand Rapids' own Calder sculpture, La Grande Vitesse.

Everyone at the Cook Library Center has been just as busy. Below Ms. Nikki V., one of our amazing volunteers, leads an activity about earth science.

Kids of all ages learned about plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes and worked together to create a small "baking soda volcano" model.
Cook Library Center students have also done a lot of reading in the book club. After finishing some books, students have the chance to create different art projects with themes from the story. Below, Erik and some classmates create butterflies after reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

Last week, students from both facilities also had the chance to take a field trip to Grand Rapids Public Library's Main Branch, where Tim Gleisner from the Local History and Archives Department, gave us a very special tour of the historical archives. Students got a sneak peak into the refrigerated archives and had the chance to see documents from different parts of Grand Rapids' history, including the very first maps of Grand Rapids!

Below, Mr. Gleisner lets students smell the scent of vinegar on historic documents and photos that are kept in the refrigerator. He also brought out old news articles and real estate cards from the Grandville Avenue neighborhood, and some students got to see photos of their very own houses from back in the 60's and 70's. I've never seen students so interested in history!

After visiting the library, we traveled over to Schuler's Books & Music downtown. There, Ms. Lori Slager and other tutors from the Creative Writing Center worked with our students to create their own collaborative story. Everyone worked together and had a lot of fun writing the tale of "WW7 - Mars Revolution and the Attack of Alientastic," which is soon being published and sold in a book of stories created entirely by youth. Students competed in a Speed Scrabble competition and then enjoyed browsing for books and lunch in the park. It was a great day of fun and learning!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Session One - Open House

2011-07-22T12:50:00.008-04:00

The first session of the Cook Arts Center's summer program has come to an end, and last night we celebrated the achievements of our participants over the past four weeks. Our B2B guest, Hugo Claudin, was also here to share valuable information about the B2B Program and the importance of family and community in order for our students to succeed. After prize raffles and performances by the students everyone shared some food from Sabor Latino, one of our neighborhood restaurants, and students had the chance to show off their work to parents and families. Our amazing instructors got the chance to show parents all of the amazing work their kids have been doing. Josh Dunigan teaches music, Karla Galvin teaches clay, Cat Timermanis teaches Visual Arts, Sara Schneider teaches dance and Nancy Gallardo teaches theater. Session One was great and we're looking forward to Session Two which starts on Monday, July 25th.

Estefania brings over some small bongos to show her dad some of the rhythms she learned with Mr. Josh. Students formed a drum circle to show their parents what they've learned.

Avelycia, Antonio, Sarahi and Catherine proudly show off their paintings of the Taj Mahal. Students learned about India with Ms. Cat Timermanis and created fabulously detailed images of the beautiful Indian monument.

Students and their families take a look at some of the fabulous elephant and 'mehndi' paintings. Mehndi is the traditional art of hand decorating done with the henna plant in India.

Students performed a short Scottish poem that they learned from Ms. Nancy Gallardo. When they used the strong Scottish accent they learned, it almost seemed like they were speaking another language!

Throughout the session students learned about other famous artists including Piet Mondrian. While creating paintings in the style of Mondrian, students were learning about primary colors, parallel and perpendicular lines, and about how math is important all the time, even in art!

Ms. Nikki Feenstra from the YMCA Health & Nutrition program was also here, offering smoothies and healthy recipes to our families at the open house.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Cook Library Center - Summer Activities

2011-07-20T17:36:00.008-04:00

Edwin Campos, our Library Assistant at the Cook Library Center, shares a brief summary of some of this weeks activities:
"On Monday our students were excited when Mr.E (from the YMCA) arrived with a cooler of healthy snacks. Mr. E comes every week to encourage our students to be healthy and teach them how to eat right.

Before Mr. E began his class, he played an active game of Simon Says with the kids - it was a lot of fun and a surprisingly good work out! On Tuesday our students worked on their math skills by doing a fun activity using yarn and small cardboard pieces to make patterns with parabolas.

Students also made racing cars using clothes pins, buttons, and straws.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Exploring Our World

2011-07-15T18:35:00.008-04:00

It's already the middle of July and the first session of the new Summer Arts and Learning Program at the Cook Arts Center only has one week left. After three weeks, students have learned fun facts about India, Japan, regions of Africa, Mexico and our very own United States - all through the arts!

Students have also had a chance to explore our own backyard here at the Cook Arts Center. When the sun was shining, participants tested their green thumbs: together, we pulled weeds, planted seeds and learned about some of the different things that it takes to have a successful garden.

Students also had a chance to harvest some of the crops that grew up from last year like rhubarb and mint. Next week students will learn a rhubarb smoothie recipe with our YMCA Heatlth and Nutrition instructor, and they will be using rhubarb straight from the Cook Arts Center garden. Yum!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Summer Fun

2011-07-08T17:56:00.010-04:00

The Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center summer programs are in full swing now, and students have been having fun while learning a lot at both facilities. Each week, Cook Arts Center students meet up with the Cook Library Center students for field trips to different locations. During the first couple weeks of programming, students ventured out to the campus of Aquinas College where they not only saw the beautiful trails and buildings, but also Circle Theater's production of Robin Hood! The performance was fabulous and afterwards, students got a chance to explore the set and talk with some of the actors and prop designers about what it's like to perform and what it takes to work on the set.

We also paid a visit to the Grand Rapids Children's Museum, where students always have a great time exploring their surroundings in a hand's on environment encouraging them to use their imaginations!

The field trips have been fun but are also just a small part of the awesome activities students have been doing so far, including dancing, clay projects, reading, theater, and more!

Below, students at the Cook Arts Center work on "Kimono Vases" as they learn about Japan.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Summer Programs Have Begun!

2011-06-22T13:21:00.004-04:00

The Summer Arts and Learning Program at the Cook Arts Center and the Expanding Horizons Program at the Cook Library Center both began this week! The summer is off to a great start with lots of amazing activity.

Students in the Summer Arts and Learning program at the Cook Arts Center have already had the chance to try many art forms, including clay, dance, music, and visual art. They've gotten their feet wet starting projects in each medium while also learning about different cultures. Below, Ms. Cat talks about India and students learn some fun facts while also learning how to draw Indian designs and elephants.

One student, Michael, had so much fun today that he said, "I'm going to come here for the rest of my life!" Tomorrow, students will begin theater class and continue on their clay projects. It's going to be a great summer!

Career Day with Rebecca Reyna

2011-05-23T12:54:00.006-04:00

Career Day at the Cook Library Center is always a great opportunity for youth to learn about different options for the future. Careers in the health industry have been a hot topic lately, so it was a perfect time for Rebecca Reyna, a Prenatal Educator at Spectrum Health, to come in and talk with students about what she does.

Rebecca talked with the students about health and nutrition, along with what it's like to work in the field. Students got a chance to hear about nursing careers, and how choosing these careers is a commitment to help others stay healthy. The session ended with a great Q&A session, where students got the chance to get real answers from a health-care professional.

To go along with the talk about health and nutrition, the YMCA was there to provide a healthy snack. Everyone worked together to make yogurt smoothies and got first hand experience making healthy choices!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Volunteering: Making a Difference, Then and Now

2011-05-13T15:03:00.018-04:00

Volunteers have always played an important role at both of GAAH's facilities. When I hear stories about the incredible commitment of so many Grand Rapid's volunteers throughout the years, I am always impressed and humbled. People have come from all different parts of Grand Rapids to donate time, money, resources and open arms for those in need, and the Grandville Avenue neighborhood is forever changed as a result.

One group of volunteers that has been with us from the start is the group known as the Dominican Sisters. Fifteen years ago in 1996, our very first librarian was a volunteer from the Grand Rapids Dominicans, Sister Joan Pichette. Working with Mary Angelo, the Executive Director of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association, the Dominican Sisters helped turn the dream of a library into a reality.

Sister Jeanne Marie Jones was the next volunteer librarian who made a huge impact on the community. Through countless volunteer hours and a solid commitment to improve lives in the neighborhood through reading and access to important library resources, she proved that volunteering really does make a difference, not just for one person, but for entire communities. Below is an old letter that was written to the community by Sister Jeanne Marie Jones, back when the Cook Library Center was just getting off of it's feet.

The Dominican Sisters did not just donate their energy once and move on to other parts of Grand Rapids - they are still with us today, actively supporting our programs at the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center, donating supplies, mentoring youth, and continually proving that they are still invested in our community. Sister Katheryn Sleziak is always thinking of different ways to help us make a difference. Making a donation of much-needed paper and setting aside two entire weeks for volunteers to help out at the Cook Library Center with their Called to Serve program are just a couple of the things that have impacted us this month. Below is a picture of some young Dominican Sister volunteers who are a part of the Called to Serve program. They are currently in their second week of tutoring students, doing craft projects, and helping out in any way they can.

Calvin College volunteers also have a history of dedication to this community and our organization. Many years ago, Matt Flemming became one of the first Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities volunteers, spending countless hours tutoring students as the library began making itself known as a place for after-school resources.

Today, Calvin College volunteers come to both of our facilities on a regular basis to help with homework, reading, art classes, and events. The Boer Bennink dorm has"adopted" the Grandville Avenue neighborhood and sends volunteers to our organization every year, continuing their commitment even after students graduate and move away.

The Dominican Sisters and Calvin College have proven that with great community partners who truly invest in people and communities, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities will continue to thrive and take every opportunity to improve lives in the Grandville Avenue neighborhood. We can never say thank you enough to any and all of those who have helped us make a difference.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Out and About

2011-05-06T12:22:00.007-04:00

The weather has been spectacular this week and Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities has been been welcoming spring and all of the fun it brings. We've been heading out into the greater Grand Rapids community for a variety of spring activities.

This week, the Grand Rapids Public Library is celebrating Children's Book Week and the Cook Arts Center has sent two artists out to eight different library branches to help our entire Grand Rapids community celebrate reading and the arts. A Froggy or Fancy Nancy book is read at each location and then everyone has a chance to create some art based on the story. There's still time to catch one of these fun, family activities at one of the following locations!

Saturday, May 7, 10:30 am Seymour Branch
Saturday, May 7, 11:00 am West Leonard Branch
Saturday, May 7, 3:00 pm Van Belkum Branch

While the Cook Arts Center has been busy with great art activities, the Cook Library Center staff and students were off visiting Calvin College. Kids had a blast checking out different parts of the campus and spending time with Calvin students. After arriving on campus and being welcomed with hugs and smiles, everyone headed straight for the dining hall, where students of all ages enjoyed a college campus meal together . Dinner was followed by some running on the track, soccer, bracelet making, and pool and Foosball in the basement of Boer-Bennink Hall, the dorm that sponsors Grandville Arts & Humanities.

Throughout the year, volunteers from Boer-Bennink and other Calvin dorms have made a huge impact on the lives of Grandville Avenue students; helping with homework, leading activities, volunteering in the classrooms at the Cook Arts Center, and most importantly, being positive mentors and role models who come just to spend time with our students. We truly appreciate all that they do for our community and wish them all the good luck on their final exams this week.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Learning is Fun at the Cook Library Center

2011-04-26T13:09:00.010-04:00

Sometimes kids forget how fun learning can be, but when they head over to the Cook Library Center after school they are quickly reminded. The weather is getting warmer and we all know how hard it can be to buckle down on homework when the sun is shining, but the dedicated volunteers from Calvin College and Aquinas College make it easy to come in and continue learning. With the one-on-one help and attention that kids need, they are always able to complete their homework and then move on to the next step of the Cook Library Center's after school regimen.

Students who are regulars at the Cook Library Center know the regimen well: finish your homework with a tutor, read for 20 minutes, play a game, and then, if there's still time, you can play academic games on the computer. These "rules" might seem a little strict, but once kids walk in the door, they know their goals and they are ready to accomplish them! Getting help with homework and being able to use the computers provides enough encouragement and motivation for most students to complete all the steps with no problem.

Once students are on the computers, they hop onto websites like starfall.com, multiplication.com and freetypinggames.net, where kids forget that they're learning as they play. Above, Maynor practices his reading skills on starfall.com and below, another group of students shares use of the computers to practice typing and multiplication tables.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Spring Session at the Cook Arts Center

2011-04-18T18:43:00.008-04:00

Spring is here (well, sort of) and our spring session for after school classes has started up strong. Some of our extremely popular classes from winter session have continued on into the spring and students and families have continued to learn and create together. Classes like Mexican Folkloric Dance and Sewing for Children have been joined by some brand new classes like Hip-Hop, Paper Making and Painting (for both adults and children).

Last week, the paper making class got right to work in their first session and created more than 20 sheets of paper! Not bad for their first try. They're looking forward to getting creative and learning to make different types of paper consisting of all the patterns, shapes and sizes they can come up with.

All of our classes are also looking forward to our spring recital. This year, all students will have the opportunity to show off the work they've done throughout the session. Families and friends are invited to come and hear the music students perform, watch the dance routines and view the art on the walls. (More information will be available soon.) Until then, students are working hard on projects and performances and learning how to create their very best work.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Spring Break 2011

2011-04-08T15:49:00.016-04:00

This year, the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center joined forces over spring break! Participants from both facilities got to do art activities and plenty of reading together, along with learning how to read maps and get from place to place using public transportation.

On day one of our spring break mini-camp, students ventured downtown to Central Station to view the amazing public art, learn how to read a bus schedule and get an inside peek at how security keeps the station running smoothly. We returned to the Cook Arts Center with fresh ideas after viewing the mosaics and murals, and students created inspired collages on small boxes to be used for traveling kits.

On Tuesday, with fresh knowledge about The Rapid and how it works, students from the Cook Arts Center walked to the Cook Library Center, taking notes along the way on the number of bus stops and how frequently the buses passed by. After arriving, students began work on creating their own hand-bound journals out of recycled envelopes and cardboard. Students learned how to do a simple stitch to sew the bindings of their books. The next day, students from the Cook Library Center paid a visit to the Cook Arts Center, where everyone was able to create the covers for their journals and creatively personalize them. Students made pockets and bookmarks that beautifully accented the journals they had made from scratch!

Participants also got their creative juices flowing in order to help out with our annual Día del Sol fundraiser. To help promote the event, they created as many different suns as they could out of many different mediums including wood, paper, pastels, crayons, yarn, foam, beads and paint. It was great to see how many different ways a sun could be created!

On our final day of mini-camp, students used their newly acquired knowledge of the bus system to take us downtown to the Grand Rapids Main Library and Schuler Books and Music, where we saw more public art, picked out some new books for the Cook Library Center and read, read, read! Hopefully everyone else enjoyed their spring break as much as we did!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Spring and Sewing

2011-03-25T19:42:00.008-04:00

Spring is just around the corner, and while many students are anxiously awaiting spring break, Calvin College students have already had theirs. Many college students head to the beaches to catch a spring break swim, but the Calvin College students that volunteer at the Cook Library Center had a different idea of fun. They decided to join our students at the library for a celebration of spring; helping with homework (as usual) and enjoying cupcakes while they chatted with students about their spring break plans and how they are doing in school. We're so lucky to have such an awesome group of volunteers!

Over at the Cook Arts Center, our sewing classes have proved that hard work pays off. Starting with scraps of material, creative ideas and determination, students created pin cushions, pillows and purses. Our sewing classes have had the invaluable experience of seeing first-hand how much work it takes to create handmade items and how wonderful it is to turn creative ideas into functioning items. Nice work guys!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center and the Cook Arts Center.

Calvin Volunteers - Career Day

2011-03-16T19:21:00.007-04:00

Calvin College student volunteers, Melissa and Becca, came to visit for Career Day at the Cook Library Center and got the chance to talk to our students about their potential careers and what life is like at Calvin College. Melissa had some encouraging words to share about doing well in school, telling them, "The better your grades are, the more money you get for college!"

The students fired off questions about life in the dorms, cafeteria food, and how college students choose their classes. Melissa and Becca gave them all the details, and got them excited for the Cook Library Center's annual spring visit to Calvin College! Grandville Avenue kids get a first hand look at Calvin's campus and even get to eat in the college cafeteria. Staff and students are looking forward to the adventure, and we are reminded how lucky we are to have so many devoted Calvin College student volunteers at the Cook Library Center. We can't thank them enough!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

GAAH Press Club - Officially Published!

2011-03-10T16:46:00.012-05:00

The Cook Arts Center Press Club has officially been published on The Rapidian! Our first group of junior reporters has been learning a lot since the Press Club started in February, such as how to prepare questions for an interview and how to tell the difference between fact and opinion. Personal bios were also created by the junior reporters in order to introduce themselves to Rapidian readers, and can be found here, along with their first complete interview: http://therapidian.org/users/gaah-press-club.

The Press Club at the Cook Arts Center was created in order to provide youth in the Grandville Avenue neighborhood with the opportunity to find, develop and share their creative voices. Being a member of the Press Club not only empowers youth by helping them develop their sense of self, but also encourages them to become creative problem solvers, enhance communication skills and increase their chances of continuing on to higher education. Through the Press Club, neighborhood youth also have the unique ability to raise awareness about the things that matter to them.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Downtown Arts!

2011-03-03T18:35:00.011-05:00

The Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities has been recently been very involved in the arts in downtown Grand Rapids. There are always a lot of fabulous art events and activities downtown, and throughout the past couple of weeks, the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center have had the opportunity to get involved!

In February, the Cook Arts Center did a very special collaboration with the GRAM and the middle school students from Southwest Community Campus. Every 6th, 7th and 8th grade student traveled to the GRAM to view the current exhibit by Dawoud Bey; a series of larger-than-life photographs that remind us how important it is to look past our first impressions and assumptions about today's youth. (Check out this link for more info on the exhibit: http://www.artmuseumgr.org/home/page/Class+Pictures%3A+Photographs+by+Dawoud+Bey) After SWCC students saw the exhibit, they created their own images of themselves with help from GRAM staff and docents, focusing on who they are now and who they want to be in the future. The pieces they created were then displayed on the walls of the Cook Arts Center and SWCC, and families were invited to view both the Bey exhibit at the GRAM and the student exhibits. They also had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on family activity at the Cook Arts Center, led by GRAM staff and volunteers. It was a huge success, and we are all extremely proud of the great work that our local middle school students created.

The event with GRAM was not the end of our downtown adventures. The Cook Library Center and Cook Arts Center both got the opportunity to head down to Broadway Grand Rapids at Devos Hall to see the production Grease! live on stage. Our trip would not have been possible without the generous donation of 25 tickets from Broadway GR - We can't thank you enough!!

The Cook Arts Center Press Club took notes for their upcoming review on the production, and everyone had a fabulous time, singing along to classic songs and watching the amazing performance.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

February at the Cook Library Center

2011-02-28T10:31:00.005-05:00

February is Black History Month, and the Tolly Time guest speaker at the Cook Library Center, Ms. Erica Millbrooks, told some fascinating stories about how quilts were used in the Underground Railroad to communicate secret messages. Many thanks to her for coming in and sharing these special quilts and telling such wonderful stories.

The Cook Library Center also held a chess tournament this month that was a little different than usual: This time, it was boys vs. girls. After heavy thinking and carefully executed moves, it came down to a championship match between Danny L. and Avelycia O. After battling it out, Danny was able to take the win for the boys.

Sewing Success and Believe 2 Become

2011-02-17T19:03:00.010-05:00

As you may have heard, the sewing class at the Cook Arts Center has become quite popular. So popular, in fact, that it is now being held twice a week! Every Monday and Thursday night, Ms. Erica Millbrooks has been showing students how to use the sewing machines to create bags and pin cushions. She has also been working to show them some new and simple knotting techniques for making simple, yet fantastic, scarves.

Over at the Cook Library Center we held another successful Career Day. Ana Doonan, a Venezuelan native, shared stories of growing up with 7 sisters and talked about the struggles that students sometimes face when trying to reach goals in school and in life. Ana is part of the new initiative called "Believe 2 Become" - an initiative that is determined to help Grand Rapids students succeed in their education. The program focuses on one Grand Rapids neighborhood at a time; representatives coordinate community planning meetings and help residents and students become familiar with existing neighborhood resources. For more information about the Believe 2 Become initiative, visit http://www.believe2become.org/

Ice Skating at Rosa Parks Circle

2011-02-11T17:16:00.007-05:00

Last Friday, some of our fabulous GVSU volunteers traveled downtown to Rosa Parks Circle with a group of students from the Cook Library Center. There, they had a fun-filled afternoon of ice-skating, followed by hot chocolate and carriage rides. Ms. Sue got the chance to show off her ice skating skills while the hot chocolate from Biggby Coffee kept everyone warm. Riding in the horse-drawn carriage was especially fun, as it was only two days after the big snowstorm and downtown Grand Rapids was beautifully snow-covered.

Snow Days, Aquinas Drop-In Art and Robots

2011-02-03T18:10:00.024-05:00

The Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities has been hit with the rest of Michigan by what is being called the Blizzard of 2011! After getting more than 14 inches of snow, GRPS canceled school for three days, and gave everyone here at the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center a reminder that we live in Michigan! While everyone's been out having fun in the snow, (and less fun driving in it), we look back over the past couple of weeks at some of the great activities we've been enjoying.

Over at the Cook Library Center Aquinas students have been helping out with our Drop-In Art classes, which have been rescheduled for Fridays from 3:30 to 4:30. Last week they had a great time with students from Cesar Chavez Elementary, helping them build small sculptures. Students at the Cook Library Center have also been enjoying a large marble drop, donated by the VanderWilp family. Thank you so much for your generosity, VanderWilps!

Over at the Cook Arts Center we've been getting creative as well. The Press Club with Ms. Lori has started and we all had fun making magnetic poetry. Ms. Deb's card-making class made a special batch of thank you cards for our friend Andrea Wallace, who donated over 200 boxes of crayons! Ms. T'Alyne's sculpture class made some amazing robots, and below, you can watch a video of our friends Egypt (aka "Z") and Giselle describing the special features of the robots they made.

Career Day and the Start of Winter Sessions

2011-01-20T16:08:00.002-05:00

The new year is off to a great start at the Cook Library Center and the Cook Arts Center! It's still January and we are already very busy.

The Cook Library Center's annual Career Day took place and our special guest, Dick Ortega, spoke about his company, Alternative Mechanical. Dick shared his thoughts on the importance of doing your best. He stressed how much it matters to finish a job once you've started, and even if you fail and fall, how important it is to get back up again.
Alternative Mechanical was started six years ago by Dick Ortega and Kevin Fahl with a mission to hire adults with no skill sets and train them in the fields of construction, plumbing and mechanical equipment services. Working together, their company has thrived and currently employs 30 skilled workers that they trained themselves. Thank you, Dick, for sharing your valuable insights with the community!

Snowflake art has also been happening at the Cook Library Center with the help of Chase and Maria: Chase makes snowflake masks and Maria has been helping Ms. Sue hang the snowflakes in the windows. Nice work guys!

The Cook Arts Center has started winter class sessions that are off to a great start as well. Our new Card Making class is learning how to emboss and our Mixed Media Sculpture class made some amazing paper cubes with Ms. T'Alyne. Using only paper and glue, they created large frames that were sturdy enough to stack and build with.

Special Tribute to our Volunteers

2010-12-08T11:09:00.003-05:00

Each semester, dozens of college students from our local universities, including Calvin, Aquinas, and Grand Valley, donate their time to help the programs at both the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center. These wonderful young people help with everything from homework help and class set up, to picking up students from our local elementary schools and walking them safely to our facilities.

These students are often looking to fulfill a volunteer requirement for their classes, but we are always delighted that they have chosen to spend that time working with the children of the Grandville Avenue neighborhood. The children who visit our facilities know them by name and are quick to greet them.

Noelle, a volunteer at the Arts Center, said yesterday “I get so attached to the kids. I’m so sad when they won’t be in Ms. Sue’s [Drawing for Kids] class next session.” Though Noelle is studying abroad for the month of January during the upcoming Art Center classes, she looks forward to coming back and volunteering again, and we look forward to the stories and experiences she can share with our students from her time in China.

Thank you, volunteers!

Cook Arts Center visits the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

2010-12-05T11:53:00.007-05:00

On November 4, the Cook Arts Center visited the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Earlier this year, a few of the Cook Arts Center pottery students worked with our pottery student manager, Madeline Kaczmarczyk to create three 3D-mosaic fish to display. We hope the pieces bring joy to the children and families who visit the facility!

The fish are located on C-level in the emergency room waiting area. Two are over the drinking fountains and the other is located under a clock.

Cook Library Center Student of the Week

2010-12-03T11:44:00.005-05:00

The Cook Library Center Student of the week is Vicente!

Vicente comes to the library every day. His study habits are increasingly improving as he finishes his homework, reads a book in English and Spanish, plays a game and then works on his multiplication and typing skills on the computer by playing a game.

We are proud of you Vicente!

Calvin College Service Auction

2010-12-03T11:36:00.004-05:00

This November, the students of Calvin College's Boer-Bennink Hall sponsored a service auction for the Cook Library Center. Students bid on services such as having their bathrooms cleaned or dinner made by residents of Boer-Bennink Hall. When certain dollar amounts were reached, students could choose a person to get a pie in the face!

Boer-Bennink Hall students come to the library twice a week and provide homework help and friendship to our students. The proceeds support the after-school programs at the library.

New Website Launched!

2010-12-01T17:49:00.008-05:00

The new Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities website was launched today!

www.gaah.org

Check it out for information, the most up-to-date calendar of events, class schedules, and other information about Cook Arts and Cook Library Centers.

Winter 2011 Schedule

2010-11-30T11:57:00.010-05:00

UPDATE: View the schedule online at http://gaah.org/after-school

The Winter 2011 Schedule is now available at the Cook Arts Center!

All students currently enrolled in a music class will continue with their class, but other students will have the opportunity to register for other art offerings.

In the visual arts, we are going to continue to offer a variety of pottery courses for all ages, as well as drawing for kids, and digital art. However, new this session are classes in 3D mixed media sculpture and card making.

In performance arts, younger dancers can still attend ballet, but we are also offering a creative movement course for the youngest budding dancers, ages 2-4. For our adult dancers, we are offering a Latin dance course that will cover salsa, merengue, and bachata.

Also for adults this session, we are offering a piano class for 16+, after a high demand from many of the parents and other adult visitors to our center.

All classes run from January 10-March 31. Registration forms & complete calendars are available at the front desk of the Cook Arts Center.

2010-11-24T14:19:00.003-05:00

Winter Schedule Available Now!

Click Here!

ARCH Comes to the Cook Arts Center

2010-11-24T13:45:00.009-05:00

On November 23, 50 students from Kentwood Public School's ARCH after-school program visited the Cook Arts Center. The 1st-5th grade students each participated in 2 of 3 different sessions.

Upstairs in the art studio, Lori Slager had the students expressing their emotions with relief water color paintings.

Meanwile, in the dance studio, Kelly Malinowski led them through a brief hip-hop routine to Lupe Fiasco's "Superstar".

Down in the music room, Nadia Andrus led two groups of budding actors through various theater games, including "Props", where the students had to think of alternate uses for the prop that was given to them.

The ARCH students left at 6pm on Monday with smiles on their faces, laughing and talking.

Thanks to Kentwood Public Schools for letting us bring art to your students!

To see more photos from this event, visit our Flickr Page!

"I am You and You are Me"

2010-11-16T13:02:00.007-05:00

On November 11, 2010, the Cook Library Center hosted its monthly Career Day. This month, board member José Rosario was kind enough to stop in and share his story of growing up in New York's Spanish Harlem and his success in education and business.

"I am you and you are me" These were the words José used as he he looked over the room packed with students. Most of the students looked back at him slightly confused, and he smiled as he explained how he had grown up in the Spanish Harlem of New York City, with a single mother and limited resources for education. "What do you think I did to overcome that?"

"Got rich!" "Became a lawyer!" shouted a few students.

José shook his head, "No, I mean when I was your age."

The room was silent for a moment, then he explained. "I did 2 things: I listened to my parent, my mom, and I tried hard in school."

José went on to explain how important education had been in his success as a lawyer and human resource manager for Spartan Stores. He encouraged the kids in the room to continue trying at school and to do their best since reading and learning would help them more than anything else with their future.

Thank you, José, for helping the Grandville Avenue area kids see how important learning is for their future!

Cook Library Center's 2nd Birthday!

2010-10-06T13:03:00.006-04:00

We wanted to take this opportunity to send out a big thank you to
all of our donors for great two years at the Cook Library
Center in our new home at 1100 Grandville Avenue SW.  Thank you
for your support because it helps us to help our community!


Thank you also to Calvin StreetFest participants from Boer-Benink
Hall.  Our Cook Library students recently worked alongside the
Calvin volunteers to help clean our library.  We organized books
and cleaned the many windows in our library.  Thank you Calvin
volunteers for all your help!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs 
of the Cook Library Center.

ArtPrize!

2010-10-04T09:22:00.003-04:00

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities provided a fun paper sculpture art activity on Saturday, October 2 from 2-4pm at GVSU in collaboration with ArtPrize. Artists of all ages were invited to our Sculpture Celebration Station to partake in the fun. Thank you to our great volunteers who helped out that day, Berny, Nancy, and Erick, and GVSU for making this event possible!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Grupo Tarasco Dances at Rosa Parks

2010-09-30T13:29:00.003-04:00

Grupo Tarasco, the dance company of the Cook Arts Center, performed on Thursday, September 30th at Rosa Parks Circle to a packed crowd attending the unveiling of a new sculpture. The six-foot statue will find a new home at Rosa Parks Circle after committee members spent years working and raised over $370,000 to make it happen. We were pleased to have our dance troup be a part of the celebration and recognition of Rosa Parks' life.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

El Loteria at the Cook Arts Center

2010-09-27T13:53:00.006-04:00

On Friday, September 24, the Grand Valley State University's Latin
American Studies program hosted El Loteria at the Cook Arts
Center.  The program started at 5pm and ran until 7pm with over
30 people in attendance. Before the playing  began, one of
GVSU's professors acted as El Griton whose job it is to call out
the name of the cards.  In addition, El Griton also talked about
the history  of El Loteria in Mexico.  Several winners emerged
throughout the night and they were rewarded with prices. In
addition, GVSU provided Mexican food for everyone to enjoy.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the
programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Happenings at the Cook Library Center...

2010-09-23T14:08:00.004-04:00

On September 9, the Career Day speaker at the Cook Library Center was
Amy Brower who is Associate Director of Grandville Avenue Arts &
Humanities (GAAH).  She shared her educational experiences which
prepared her for her job with GAAH.  The students also played
Pictionary using terms that are skills or requirements in Amy's job.
The  students were great listeners and had a great time!  Also happening 
that week, a group of Aquinas art students had a ball
with our students by making play dough.  You can see the fun that was
had by all in the photos above!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the  
Cook Library Center.

Fall Classes Begin at Arts Center

2010-09-23T09:17:00.004-04:00

Fall Classes are in full swing at the Cook Arts Center. We are offering 29 classes in our fall class session which runs from September 20 to December 16, 2010. Class options include everything from Kids Drawing to Theatre Games to a Spanish Community Choir which focuses primarily on choral music in Spanish. Currently, we have over 275 students registered for the fall class session. For more information or to register for programs, contact the Cook Arts Center at 742-0692.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Calvin College Volunteers at the Cook Library Center

2010-09-03T07:37:00.007-04:00

On Thursday, September 2, we were lucky enough to have several students
from Calvin College volunteer at the Cook Library Center as part of Street
Fest 2010.  The library students enjoyed helping the Calvin students
organize the library, including shelving books and cleaning windows, and
when they were done, everyone enjoyed some ice cream for a treat.  Then
everyone played board games, some soccer, and some of the Calvin 
students were brave enough to face off with our students in chess.  

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of
the Cook Library Center.

Cook Arts Center Teen Girls Group

2010-09-01T16:01:00.004-04:00

Our teen girls group has been meeting this month on Wednesday afternoons. On Wednesday, September 1 they completed a special art project by painting square tiles with messages of peace, love, friendship and compassion. The group has been meeting weekly to engage in fun and creative activities together and has also been planning volunteer opportunities they can do as a group within the community.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Gearing up for Fall!

2010-08-31T11:20:00.004-04:00

With the start of the school year less than a week away, the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center are gearing up their programs for the fall. Registration is open for daytime and after school classes at the Cook Arts Center. Programs in dance, visual arts, music, fabric arts, clay and theatre are offered for children as young as 2 up to adults. Options include Children's Hula Dance, Latin American Art for Kids, Jewelry, After School Pottery, Children's Sewing, Guitar, Potter's Wheel, Theatre Games, and more. In addition, children in grades 6th-8th can sign up for a digital arts class at the Cook Library Center on Wednesday afternoons. Programs are free for children or adults who live within the boundaries of the Grandville Avenue neighborhood or attend one of the schools within the neighborhood. For more information about programs, please contact the Cook Arts Center at 742-0692.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Last Summer Reading Club Field Trip

2010-08-20T14:36:00.007-04:00

The Cook Library Center's last field trip for the summer included a visit
down to the Grand Rapids Children's Museum.  This trip was possible thanks
to the the generosity of the Have a Heart Scholarship. Mary Nelson and
Library Director, Sue Garza, enjoyed watching the kids play and have fun!
The Curious George Exhibits were great! The bubbles, creative play, Legos,
and the mirrors were the best!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the
Cook Library Center.

Visit to the GRAM

2010-08-19T13:26:00.004-04:00

On Thursday, August 19 we took 11 children to the Grand Rapids Art Museum and had a personal tour with two great GRAM docents, Mr. Paul and Ms. Sue. The children had a chance to check out the GRAM's fantastic facility and also to look at paintings, sculpture and photography. Following the tour, we gathered in Rosa Parks Circle for a picnic lunch. What a day! Thank you to the GRAM for opening your doors to our group and thank you also to our special volunteers Ms. Cat, Ms. Diane and Ms. Nancy for helping out today!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

What's Brewing: Cook Arts Center

2010-08-17T16:09:00.012-04:00

The Cook Arts Center was featured on WOOD TV's eight West program on Tuesday, August 17. We were able to talk about lots of exciting fall programs coming up including a Spanish book club, art classes for kids, adult potter's wheel, hula dance, a Spanish choir, children's sewing and much, much more! Call us at 742-0692 to register or for more information.

Check it out here:

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

National Night Out at the Cook Library Center

2010-08-09T11:50:00.005-04:00

The Cook Library Center was brimming with activity inside 
and outside on Tuesday, August 3 for National Night Out 
which is a time for the community to get together, enjoy 
each other's friendship and take a stand against crime.  
Thank you to the YMCA for the delicious smoothies and fun 
activities, Macatawa Bank for the great food, GRPD and 
GRFD for their support and Roosevelt Park Neighborhood 
Association for their great coordination of this event!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs
of the Cook Library Center.

Crossing Cultures 2010

2010-08-05T11:26:00.004-04:00

Summer arts camp at the Cook Arts Center is in full swing this week and next week. From 9am to 3:30pm, children ages 7 to 12 are learning about cultures around the world such as Italy, Iceland, Africa, the Caribbean and Indonesia. Highlights this week have included creating plates of Italian spaghetti and pizza out of clay, painting Indonesian orangutans in art class, beating African rhythms on the congos and learning lines to the Icelandic folktale in theatre class. All this action is gearing up for our arts festival and performance on Thursday, August 12th at the Wealthy Theatre. Come join us!

On a less happy note, today is our last day working with our project interns, Connie and Chelsea. We thank them for all their help these last few months and wish them a fantastic rest of their summer!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Summer Arts Camp off to a Big Start!

2010-08-02T13:32:00.004-04:00

The Cook Arts Center's summer arts called "Crossing Cultures" for children ages 7-12 began today. Fifty children from the Grandville Avenue neighborhood are traveling the world through art, dance, clay, music and theatre over the next two weeks . The camp will culminate with an arts festival and performance at the Wealthy Theatre on August 12 at 6:30pm. More updates from camp to come!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

From an Intern's Perspective: Wrapping Up Summer Mini Arts Camp

2010-07-29T15:57:00.005-04:00

On July 29, 2010, the students from the summer mini arts camp attended their last day. The mini-arts camp has come to an end, they all will say goodbye with one last performance. All of their families were invited to attend a small gathering at the Cook Art Center lobby. This is where all their art work will be displayed for the parents to look at. There were snacks for them to enjoy along with a dance performance that both groups had worked on throughout the camp. The mini arts camp ended with a smile on everyone’s faces!

Written by Connie and Chelsea who are high school students interning at the Cook Arts Center through Project COOL this summer.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Summer Mini Arts Camp

2010-07-28T16:00:00.005-04:00

The fun continues this week with Summer Mini Arts Camp at the Cook Arts Center. On July 28th the students participated in two fun classes. The first was the "Art of Cooking" with Ms. Mari from the YMCA. In addition to a fun cooking project this week, the students also talked about healthy exercise habits. They even played a game that taught them the correct way to do push-ups and arm circles. In addition, students also had a great time with Mr. Jerry who brought in a ton of wooden cubes for a mixed media project. The students got very creative and made everything from a giant robot to a wall hanging with special art-related messages using the letters on the cubes.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Soccer Mania!

2010-07-26T09:28:00.006-04:00

Top readers in the Cook Library Center's Summer Reading Club are also
top athletes! Students who have been high readers this summer took a
trip to Clemente Park to play soccer. Great sportsmanship and great
athletic ability was shown by all!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the  programs of the
Cook Library Center.

From an Intern's Perspective: Summer Mini Arts Camp

2010-07-23T07:29:00.006-04:00

On Thursday, July 22, the students of the mini-arts camp participated in the art class where they would put all their creativity into masks of their own. They also got to enjoy a dance class where they warmed up by acting as animals for the weekly theme. This week's theme was "Amazing Animals". They kept adding moves into their dance which will be performed at the end of the camp at an arts festival and celebration on Thursday, July 29. On this day all the parents that wish to attend will come and get a chance to see a wonderful performance by some of their own children. They will also get a chance to check out all the art work done by their children and others.

- Written by Chelsea and Connie are high school students interning with the
Cook Arts Center this summer through the Project COOL program.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of
the Cook Arts Center

Cook Library Center Summer Programs

2010-07-19T08:48:00.005-04:00

During the week of July 12th, students in the Career Exploration class at
the Cook Library Center explored the human body to get a glimpse of the
life of a doctor. They learned about the organs and their functions, they
saw close-up photos of different cells and organs, and learned about the
different types of doctors.  

In addition, this week top readers visited the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
One library student went back to the library after the field trip and studied
about our Docent's favorite piece of art in the museum. It's called "The
Broken Mast" by Mathias J. Alten. She read the book and looked at the
pictures for over an hour!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the
Cook Library Center.

From an Intern's Perspective: A Look into Mini-Arts Camp

2010-07-15T10:18:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday, July 14 the younger students of the mini-arts
camp got a chance to make some delicious Apple Pie in a Cup.
During the cooking class, the students learned about the food
pyramid. This week they learned about the milk group of the
food pyramid. They learned what foods are healthy from this
group and how many servings they should have in one day.

Meanwhile, the older children from the mini-arts camp enjoyed
a game of Michigan bingo. At the end of the game they all were
awarded prizes. After a wonderful game of bingo, the children
got a chance to decorate a t-shirt.

- Written by Chelsea and Connie are high school students
interning with the Cook Arts Center this summer through the
Project COOL program.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs
of the Cook Arts Center

Wrapping Up Week 3 of Mini Arts Camp

2010-07-08T14:55:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, July 8, we wrapped up our third week of summer mini arts camp with a terrific art project led by artist Erick Pichardo. The student created people figures out paper towel rolls, construction paper and other assorted craft items. The results were fantastic!

The students were also able to relax and have fun in a dance class taught by Kelly Malinowski. They worked on a routine which will be performed at our fiesta and celebration on the last day of mini arts camp later this month.
Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

From an Intern's Perspective: A Look into Mini-Arts Camp

2010-07-07T09:08:00.008-04:00

During the day of July 6, the older children attending the
Mini-Arts Camp got the chance to learn about Surrealism and
Realism. Ms. Nancy, who teaches the theater class, provided
them with the opportunity to experience different activities.
One of the activities involved the older children acting out
scenes which would be corrected by a child picked by the
teacher.

Meanwhile, the younger children were out in the garden with
Ms.Noemi where they pulled weeds and tended to the Cook Arts
Center's vegetable garden.  They learned the difference between
the plants and weeds. They also learned what the weeds do to
the plants when they surround them. At the end of the day, the
children was able to take some of the mint plants home with them.

- Written by Chelsea and Connie are high school students
interning with the Cook Arts Center this summer through the
Project COOL program.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs
of the Cook Arts Center.

Summer Reading Club at Cook Library Center

2010-07-02T08:53:00.004-04:00

On Thursday, July 1, the top readers in the Cook Library Center's summer reading club
earned the opportunity to go on a field trip to the Public Museum of Grand Rapids.
A great time was had by all.  Additionally, it was the first time for many of the
students to have visited the museum.  It was a great opportunity for all of the students
to experience the rich history of our area.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Go Green: Recycled Art!

2010-07-01T10:56:00.004-04:00

Week two of the Cook Arts Center's summer mini arts camp is focused on Going Green! We've done a variety activities this week including theatre games around the names of the Great Lakes, crossword puzzles with earth-friendly terms like "recycling", and working in our vegetable garden so that we can soon cook with our own veggies! This week's session will wrap up today with dance and visual arts classes. Next week's theme: Adventureland!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Summer Fun at the Cook Library Center

2010-06-28T08:57:00.006-04:00

The students at the Cook Library Center have been keeping busy this
summer with lots of summer activities such as the summer reading
club.  In addition, during the week of June 21,the students were led
in Yoga exercises by a staff member from the YMCA named Mr. C.
He also led the kids in a nutrition program where he brought apples,
a familiar fruit to the students, and also brought a fruit that was more
mysterious to the kids which was mango. Many students weren't
afraid to try it though.  The students also got a chance to learn about
eating food that comes from all parts of the food group, and especially
foods which are many different colors.  Mr. C. taught the students
about the amount of grams of sugar in different types of fruit.

Another activity last week was when Mr.Edwin, the Library Assistant
at the Cook Library Center, did a science experiment on blowing up a
balloon with out using your mouth. Instead of blowing air from their
mouths, the students used vinegar and baking soda.  The students
had a great time experimenting with this project!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs
of the Cook Library Center.

Gardening in Summer Mini Arts Camp

2010-06-23T10:03:00.004-04:00

The Cook Arts Center is offering a mini arts camp for children ages 6-16 from June 21 to July 29. Our afternoons have been busy from 1-3pm on Monday through Thursday with over 30 children participating in the fun. Each day brings different activities. These pictures were taken on Tuesday, June 22, when we went out into our children's vegetable garden and got in touch with nature!
Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Dia del Sol a Success!

2010-06-21T11:14:00.007-04:00

On Thursday, June 17, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities held their annual Dia del Sol event celebrating the Cook Arts Center's ninth anniversary and the second year at the Cook Library Center. Over 150 people joined us for an evening of Latin music and a silent auction featuring artwork, dinners, vacations, and more. Our major sponsors for the night were State Farm, Varnum, and Meijer. The evening was a resounding success resulting in a record setting year and $29,000 raised for the programs of the Cook Arts Center and Cook Library Center!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center and the Cook Library Center.

Science Experiments at the Cook Library Center

2010-06-16T08:48:00.005-04:00

On Tuesday, June 15, the Cook Library Center held its first summer science program. The program involved the students using an egg and a bottle. The students were challenged with making the egg squeeze through a bottle while not harming the egg. The three types of bottles were Snapple, Coca-Cola and Sobe bottles. The student's experiments showed that the bottle that was successful was the Sobe bottle. The students were amazed to see the magic of science right before their eyes!

Other summer programs at the Cook Library Center include reading, keyboarding, writing, internet research, field trips, Spanish literacy, career and college exploration, arts and crafts, and games. Programs run Monday-Saturday 1pm-3pm or Monday-Thursday 4pm-6pm.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Fun at Festival!

2010-06-08T11:18:00.006-04:00

The Cook Arts Center was pleased to participate in several activities in downtown Grand Rapids' Festival of the Arts celebration on June 4-6. Grupo Tarasco, the dance company of the Cook Arts Center, delighted the crowd with traditional Mexican Folkloric dance during the evening opening ceremonies on Friday, June 4. In addition, several of our Cook Arts Center students were able to get up on stage and show off some giant suns which they had created just for Festival.

On Sunday, June 6, the Cook Arts Center hosted the art activity in the Kid's Art Zone which is a free spot for kids and families to make a creative art project. We led the kids in making a paper bag piñata. Each piñata contained a treat inside so that the kids could break their piñata open at home later on.

Thank you to all the students and volunteers who helped make these project happen!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Spring Music Recital

2010-06-01T12:24:00.005-04:00

Music was in the air at the Cook Arts Center on Wednesday, May 26 as our music students gathered for the annual spring music recital. About 75 parents, friends and supporters were treated to performances by our children's guitar, piano and violin classes and our adult guitar class. Cook Arts Center instructor Ryan Pott and violinist Natalie Hockamier even treated the crowd to a lovely piano and violin duet. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed some cookies and lemonade while we drew names for prizes including two movie passes and a family four-pack of tickets to the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

We would like to extend a special thank you to all the parents and students of the Cook Arts Center for their hard work this year and especially to our instructors Ryan Pott and Ryanne van der Maas as well as Blodgett Foundation and Betsy and Stanley Dole.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Spring Dance Recital

2010-05-25T08:49:00.006-04:00

On Monday, May 24th the Cook Arts Center held its Spring Dance Recital to celebrate the hard work of all the students enrolled in dance programs at the Arts Center this year. About 60 family members and friends came to watch the performance and celebrate the accomplishments of the students. The evening included performances by Grupo Tarasco, the Hawaiian dance class, the children's ballet class and Diagonal Alley. In addition, the child and adult sewing classes had a fashion show displaying the clothing and home projects they completed over the 6-week spring session. The evening concluded with a prize drawing where three lucky winners were given tickets to the Grand Rapids Ballet. Thank you so much to our great dancers (young and old!) and thank you also to our very talented instructors for yet another successful year of dance programs.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Tolly Time at the Library

2010-05-21T15:18:00.005-04:00

On Thursday, May 20th, Twink Frey came to the Cook Library Center to be our guest reader for our monthly Tolly Time storytime. Much to the delight of the children, Twink read "The Great Fuzz Frenzy" by Janet Stevens which is about a tennis ball landing in a prairie-dog town, which creates a crazy fiasco for the residents. Following the story, the students made an art project by stitching colorful threads on to fuzzy fabric. These pieces will be sewn together to make a blanket for Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities' upcoming fundraiser, Dia del Sol, on June 17. Finally, at the very end of Tolly Time, each student received a free book to add to their own personal home library. Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a success and a great big thank you to Twink Frey for being our guest reader!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Spring Class Session Coming to an End

2010-05-20T11:24:00.005-04:00

It's hard to believe that it has been six weeks since we started the spring class session at the Cook Arts Center, but sadly, the session is coming to a close at the end of this week. We've had a fantastic spring class session with 28 class offerings and 244 students, from the age of 2 through adult, registered for classes. Over the last six weeks, we have had over 900 visits from our registered students! Although the spring session is wrapping up, we have much to look forward to. Summer programs begin in June and will include a mini arts camp as well as our two week summer arts camp called "Crossing Cultures". Call the Arts Center at 742-0692 for more information on how to register for classes.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Children's Quilt to Shine at Silent Auction

2010-05-19T10:21:00.005-04:00

Pictured here are the quilters of one of the two quilts that will be in
the silent auction for our annual Dia del Sol fundraiser which will take place on Thursday, June 17 from 5:00-7:30pm. Miss Patti, our volunteer quilter, joined forces with our Cook Library Center students to create this beautiful quilt. After their homework was done, the students help Miss Patti design, machine quilt and hand
stitch the quilt. It is rightfully named, "Wild Sunflower Dance!". Please join us in celebration of this piece of art and many more at Dia del Sol!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

Spring Art Show

2010-05-18T11:10:00.005-04:00

As the spring class session at the Cook Arts Center winds to an end this week, we are taking some time to celebrate the accomplishments of the students who participated in spring classes over the past 6 weeks. On Monday, May 17th, the children's drawing class celebrated their last class with an art show. Parents, family members and friends were invited to the show to see the work that the children had created. Each child had an opportunity to present at least one of their drawings to the audience. Many children also read aloud poems which they had written on their drawings. Thanks to fantastic teaching by Cook Arts Center contract artist Sue Remes, the students learned a ton of new drawing skills and created some really beautiful artwork.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Magnificient Masks!

2010-05-13T16:58:00.004-04:00

One of the after-school art classes offered at the Cook Arts Center this spring is a Magnificient Masks class. Each week, students have been exploring different types of masks from various countries and cultural traditions. This week, the students created aboriginal masks using brown paper and acrylic paint. They painted the masks using a dot style typical of aboriginal work. The students worked very hard and the results were fantastic!

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.

Announcing...Día del Sol!

2010-05-10T14:54:00.003-04:00

Please join us for our annual fundraiser, Día del Sol, on Thursday, June 17 from 5:00pm-7:30pm at the Cook Arts Center. Enjoy an evening of Latin music, fine food, and a silent auction featuring artwork, dinners, vacations, and more. Tickets are only $40 and all proceeds go to support the programs of the Cook Library Center and the Cook Arts Center.

Library Goes for the Gold!

2010-05-10T09:18:00.004-04:00

On Thursday, May 6th, the Cook Library Center held a ceremony to unveil their Gold LEED Certification plaque and to thank the construction crew for their hard work to create our beautiful new library. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Standards, signifies buildings which were created with a certification in green building design. We are very proud to have obtained the gold level standard at the library and we will continue to educate the youth who participate in our programs on sustainable practices such as recycling and reducing consumption.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Library Center.

A Look into the Cook Arts Center's Pottery Studio

2010-05-07T09:39:00.005-04:00

Madeline Kaczmarczyk, Cook Arts Center Pottery Studio Manager, has been keeping busy down in our pottery studio this spring class session. Between two after-school pottery classes, two children's potter's wheel classes, a parent and tot clay class and an adult open studio night, the creativity and excitement that our students have been pouring in to their projects has been overflowing! We invite you to take a "virtual" walk through our pottery studio through some of these photos taken by Madeline in our spring class session.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities administers the programs of the Cook Arts Center.