Spring Class Session at the Cook Arts Center

Spring is just around the corner and so are spring classes at the Cook Arts Center. Check out our spring class brochure for more information about class times and dates. Classes are available for children as young as 2 years old up to adults. Register soon! Space is limited!

Notes From an Intern: Creative Writing Workshop!

This Wednesday the after-school art class was two fold at the Cook Arts Center. The children created their own stories, by following a simple narrative format, illustrated them and put the paper books together. Elizabeth, age 6, wrote about an alien named Green that lives in her basement, which he likes very much! Melinda titled her story "Mandy's Costume Party", and each page introduced a character in a different costume. Creative juices were flowing, and the children did a great time creating story and art. Many students were excited to hear that the Cook Arts Center will be offering a 6-week creative writing workshop in the spring class session, too!

-Ande Mustine is a senior at Calvin College majoring in English. She is interning at the Cook Arts Center and Cook Library Center this winter and spring.

Notes from an Intern: Tolly Time at the Cook Library Center

Thursday was a bright day at the Cook Library because of the artistic instruction of Ms. Cat! The kids learned about chameleons, and they learned how to combine shapes to draw a chameleon of their own. Then they added scales with sponges and fingertips in shades of yellow and green, which they adored. Each depiction was unique and lovely! Ms. Cat joins us twice a month at the library, and will be taking the kids on adventures through time on Monday and Tuesday, from 1-3 pm the week of spring break in April!

-Ande Mustine is a senior at Calvin College majoring in English. She is interning at the Cook Arts Center and Cook Library Center this winter and spring.

Grupo Tarasco Celebrates Black History Month at Westwood Middle School

Grupo Tarasco was invited to perform for Westwood Middle School to celebrate Black History Month last week. Eleven members of Tarasco performed a variety of dances for the large and enthusiastic crowd as part of Westwood's afternoon assembly. The crowd was even treated to a fun hip hop dance performance by Grupo Tarasco member's Victor Carmona and Felicia Diaz. Grupo Tarasco's next performance will be at the Cesar Chavez Awards Banquet on March 31 at the MTEC Center. Come check them out!

Mexican Consulate Visits the Cook Library Center

On Thursday, February 25, the Mexican Consulate in Detroit presented the Cook Library Center
with a Bicentennial Library which is a collection of books in Spanish.  The donation included seven
boxes of books filled with favorites such as Sapo y Sepo son Amigos (Frog and Toad are Friends)
to books which teach students how to read in Spanish. Some of the donation also included books
for adults like Cantos del Arquitecto Descalzo (The Barefoot Singing Architect).  We are thrilled to
honored with this collection from the Mexican Consulate!