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Twilight Program updates can now be found on the Youth in Arts Blog

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First Talent Show of the Year

After-school held it's first Talent Show of the year on Friday, during the weekly Fun Friday activity. More than a dozen students performed various individual and group acts.

Kaila, a third grader, sang a song all by herself.


Nico, in fourth grade, showed off his guitar skills and left us amazed!

Second grader, Nico, stole the show with a well-rehearsed mime skit.


The new After-School Director, Victor Toman, finished out the event with a lively song.

Check back here to find out details about the next event. Parents, friends, and family are always welcome!

new Sports addition

A new addition to our program is a Sports Specialist, Roland Johnson. Both a credentialed PE teacher and a professional dancer, Roland is able to tailor each class to meet the physical interests of the students.

The kindergarten group plays a game on the field.

Program Assistant Training

In August the After-school Program Assistants got together for a full-day training where we went over management techniques, new procedures, and lots of fun games! We have a talented group this year, some returning from last year, and some new faces.

Here the staff members bond during a friendly game of Human Knot.

Build Your Own Bike

Click on the image to enlarge. Open to 6th through 8th graders at WCA or MLK.

After-school starts August 20

The after-school program will start up again on Thursday, August 20th. Check back soon for information on the new classes being offered. Click on the image to see the after-school calender for 2009-2010.

End of year-Art Show and Performances at Bayside and Willow Creek

Romeo, a fifth grader at Bayside, checks out the clay coil pots made by the fifth graders at Willow Creek, part of an in-school integrated art unit where students were reading the book, Indian Captive. Behind him are self-portraits made by the sixth graders from Bayside, which were drawn with headresses and heiroglyphics, part of a project where they imagined themselves as if they were Egyptian Queens and Pharoahs.


Fourth grader, Robert, shows off his Capoeria skills against a formidable opponent, Capoeria Master, Samuka. Robert studied all year with Mentor Artist, Matt Goff.


Second grader, Hunter, reads one of his poems he wrote with the help of Mentor, Giovanni Singleton, from the California Poets in the Schools. Giovanni worked with second graders during Literacy Hour and collaborated with the Visual Art Instructor, Kate Rees, with the 3-5 class.


Students dance with Mentor Artist, Ken Doumbia, after playing the African Drums.


Bayside fifth graders admire the photography and collages of the fourth graders during the end of year Art Show in the Library.

End of Year—middle school students perform at the MYC

WCA and MLK students perform an orginal song, "Cool, Green, Fun," which they made with Music Producer, Torman Jahi, while studying at the MYC on Wednesdays throughout the school year. A remix of their song is the official theme song for the Marin County Fair—it's very catchy!
When I figure out how to post it here, I will do so.

On display at the event were the Public Service Announcements created by the students while at the MYC. Here, Deachen, a 6th grader from Bayside Elementary, is seen inside her PSA about violence.

This mural was created by 6th-8th grade students in the Twilight After-School program, in collaboration with Youth in Arts Mentor Artist, Evan Bissell. The mural was commissioned by the Nonprofit Technology Network to create a backdrop for their annual conference in San Francisco in April 2009. While learning new arts techniques like drawing and painting, stenciling, and spray-painting, students were asked to question the role of technology in their lives, from a simple cell phone to a destructive bomb. Students from MLK Jr. Academy, Bayside, and Willow Creek Academy worked together to make decisions on the design and painted it over the course of three months, both at MLK Jr. Academy and The MYC Youth Center.

Sholonda, part of the girls dance group that performed. They've been practicing under the direction of Mentor Artist, Mimi Baxter.

ART SHOW and End of Year Extravaganza

Please join us on Tuesday, June 9, for our end of year art show and celebration. Starting at 3 pm there will be students performances, a DJ, food, and activities. Located outside the Bayside and Willow Creek Library. All are welcome.

Field Trips to the ICB

Students in the Twilight After-school program have recently taken field-trips to the ICB Artist Studios across Bridgeway. These trips wouldn't be possible without the coordination and help from Artist Aiko Morioka. To view Morioka's work see her website: http://www.aikomorioka.com/A second grader learns how to weave in Emily Dvorin's studio.




The work of Deborah Bertola, which the second graders enjoyed.








Second graders in the studio of Katy Kuhn, where they got a chance to do some drawing and collage.
Fourth and fifth grade students learn how to weave with the help of Master Weaver, Alex Friedman.
Josh gets inspired by the work of Carol Jacobsen. In Carol's studio students learned about the color wheel and participated in a color theory activity. To see more of Carol's work see her website: http://www.caroljacobsen.com/.

Spring fling at MLK

DJ Armin and students making mixes on the turn tables.
A student chows down on the healthy and yummy food made by the students, with help from Marin City native and community organizer, Leticia Davis-Jones.
Professional dancers Roland and Omar teach students some Hip-Hop popping moves after some very impresssive solo performances. The kids went on to show off their skills in the beautiful afternoon light.
Leticia and students pose for the camera.

Bike Club at MLK

On Friday April 3rd, The Twilight After School Prorgam launched a Bike Club at Martin Luther King Jr. middle school in Marin City, with the help of Trips for Kids Instructor Jelani Bertoni. An enthusiastic group of kids from Bayside, Willow Creek and MLK has decided that they want go on gike rides as an after school activity, and with the help of dedicated mentor Wayne Price, and the Trips for Kids staff, they are getting up and rolling. The first Trips for kids class consisted of a lesson on the ABC's of bike safety, some hands on repair work, and a quick check up of the bikes they will be riding. With more training and assistance, this after school group promisses to be a solid program and benefit to the community. Find out more at http://www.tripsforkids.org/.

ARTS WEEK: March 9-March 13

Our second trimester of enrichment activities is coming to an end (last day March 13), and it's time to celebrate the hard work of our talented kids in after-school! This week we are holding an ARTS WEEK, where we invite you to watch, participate, and comment on the students’ accomplishments in the arts. A bus will be provided for students from MLK on Monday and Thursday so they can perform. Snacks will be provided.

Monday, March 9, 2009 (4:30-5:00)
4th & 5th grade: Capoeria (PE room), Mentor Artist Matt Goff
2nd & 3rd grade: Puppet Theater, Alma Raddha
K & 1st Visual Art exhibition (lunchroom), Kate Rees
6th-8th grade African Drumming & Dance (PE room), Ken Doumbia

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 (4:30-5:00)
2nd & 3rd gr. / 4th & 5th grade: African Drumming & Dance (PE room), Ken Doumbia
K & 1st gr: Puppet Theater (PE room), Alma Raddha
4th & 5th grade: Capoeria (PE room), Matt Goff

Wednesday, March 11, 2009 (3:30-4:00)
2nd &3rd gr: Visual Art exhibition (lunchroom), Kate Rees
K & 1st gr: African Drumming & Dance (PE room), Ken Doumbia
K & 1st gr: Visual Art exhibition (lunchroom), Tracy Eastman
2nd & 3rd/ 4th & 5th grade: Interactive Theater Activities (PE room)- with Martin Theater Company

Thursday, March 12, 2009 (4:30-5:00)
Multi-media Performance from 6th-8th graders at the MYC (performance in lunchroom) with Mentor Artists Torman Jahi and John MacLeod
4-6th grade: Visual Art exhibition (lunchroom), Breandain Langlois
K & 1st grade: Visual Art (lunchroom), Tracy Eastman
2nd & 3rd grade: Visual Art exhibition, (lunchroom), Kate Rees

Friday, March 13, 2009 (4:30-5:00)
4-6th gr: Music Performances (PE room), Nina Pasquale
K & 1st gr: Visual Art exhibition (lunchroom), Kate Rees
2nd & 3rd grade: Dance (PE room), Roland Johnson

Now on View

Now on view in the Sausalito Marin City School Library: A mural created on MLK day in Marin City by parents, kids, artists, and more, with the collaboration of Youth in Arts Mentor Artist, Evan Bissell. Please stop by to take a look!

FUN FRIDAY

Last week we had out first Fun Friday. With karaoke, face painting, break-dancing, food, games, prizes, and more, the kids had a blast! Now the only hard part will be to make it just as good, every week! If you would like to volunteer, please contact Brooke at 415.532.5399.

MLK day photos

Photo by Andre. Students in grades 4-8, from all three schools in the district, performed together with Mentor Artist Ken Doumbia.
Cheryl, from MLK Academy, performed her "Yes We Can," poem in front of a packed audience. Three students performed their poems with the help of Mentor Artist, Mimi Baxter.

Middle school student, Deachen, was just one of young camera crew workers at the event. They helped to document the day and use the footage to create a movie of the event with help from Artist John MacLeod, from the MYC Youth Center.



Community members, kids, and artists worked together to create a beautiful tribute mural to MLK Jr. Mentor Artist Evan Bissell, who developed the idea, was on hand to lead the participants through the creation.

up and coming

Lorenzo practicing his "Yes We Can" poem at the MYC Youth Center. He proudly presented his poem on mlk day in front of packed house. photo by John MacLeod

MLK day celebration

photo taken by 3rd graders in the Twilight After-school Program

Realizing The Dream...Yes We Can!
Join the celebration and community activities on Monday, January 19th, 9AM - 3PM at the Manzanita Recreation Center at 630 Drake Avenue in Marin City. The celebration begins at 9AM with four community service projects from which to choose, led by Conservation Corps North Bay. A political discussion will occur in the morning, followed by arts performances and community awards from 12:30-3:00. The day is completed with a community dinner at 3 pm.

Four Mentor Artists working with the Youth in Arts After-school Program will be in attendance! We will be on stage around 1 pm.

Hands-on Art with Evan Bissell
African Drumming Performance with Ken Doumbia and 4th & 5th grade students from Bayside Elementary and Willow Creek Academy
Oratory Speeches by 6th, 7th & 8th grade students from MLK, Bayside Elementary, and Willow Creek Academy, led by Theater Artist Mimi Baxter with the Marin Theater Company
Youth Film Crews led by John MacLeod from The MYC Youth Center in San Rafael