Fill in the Blanks is a nonprofit organization created to address the complete development of homeschooled gifted children. They offer workshops targeting students’ asynchronous development, emotional intensity, and moral compass. While achievement is expected, they do not define it by external performance alone. They recognize the internal abilities that make the external performance possible. Many gifted children have learning disabilities or sensory integration issues. At Fill in the Blanks, they recognize these hurdles and have designed their workshops to accommodate these students. They’re a place where gifted children can explore topics with one another or simply hang out for that much-recommended social time. They’re also a place that focuses on their children holistically; They believe that the entire child needs to be fed, not just the academic part. They offer workshops addressing all the needs of their students — to help keep them in balance. The academics are a part of their education, but so is exercise to feed the brain and the body. So are peer-presented workshops on what it means to be gifted to feed self-esteem. So are so many other areas that are often overlooked or neglected for gifted children.

On Earth Day, they’ll have one-hour workshops exclusively focused on the environment. Their guest instructors will be representatives from the American Chemical Society, the Sierra Club, and the Environmental Interpretive Center of Rochester Hills (they’ll be bringing live animals!). All these instructors, as well as their resident instructors, will be teaching in a fashion to accommodate all of their learners, all ages. So please come and see what Fill in the Blanks is all about by joining them for a day of fun and learning about Mother Earth. their first workshop begins at 9:30 and their last one ends at 4:00. Come as their guest for all day or come for a part of the day. Whatever works for your schedule.

Fill in the Blanks is located in Ferndale at the Zion Lutheran Church (right off of Woodward Avenue, south of Nine Mile Road), 143 Albany Street, Ferndale 48220. Everyone is invited to attend their workshops as their guests (i.e, no charge). Pack a lunch or purchase a lunch at Fill in the Blanks – just come prepared to learn something new and to have a great time with other gifted children. For more information, feel free to contact one of them — either Babette Hotchkiss (babettehotchkiss@yahoo.com) or Kathy Miller (antiquemills@wideopenwest.com).

Also, to help them with planning, if you even THINK you may drop by, PLEASE RSVP BEFORE TUESDAY, APRIL 21. They’d love to be sure they have enough materials for all who come. (But if you decide when you wake up on Wednesday morning you’d like come, please still come. Don’t let not RSVPing deter you from celebrating Earth Day with them.)

September 20, 2008 Through January 4, 2009

View this unique exhibit focusing on the 60 year history of pinball machines. Over a dozen different pinball machines will be featured, including several interactive machines that visitors will have the opportunity to try.

Doan History Center
Heritage Park
3417 West Main St
Midland, MI

Learn more or register now

For reservations, contact the MAAH at 313-494-5800.

March 29 – June 15, 2008
M.C. Escher: Rhythm of Illusion
Hodge & Temporary Exhibition Gallerie
The exhibition explores Escher’s famous perspective-bending prints, as well as his lesser-known early works. Examples of preparatory drawings, which allow the viewer to explore the artist’s process alongside his completed works are also included. Organized by the Portland Art Museum, Oregon, this exhibition includes 80 works of art through themes such as forms in space, experiments in perspective, landscape and fantasy scenes.
Target Free Saturdays

March 29 – June 15, 2008
Jacques Moitoret: Portraits of the Most Important and Influential Artists of the Modern Era
Hodge & Temporary Exhibition Galleries
18 portraits of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, created by the Seattle area artist, Jacques Moitoret. Each painting portrays the artist in conjunction with a famous example of his or her work.
Target Free Saturdays

The FIA offers an active schedule of programs and events for members and the general public throughout the year.

Get a Flint Institute of Arts membership. Some levels of membership include NARM,the North American Reciprocal Program, which includes free admission and member’s discounts in the gallery shops of museums in 40 states, Washington DC, Bermuda and Canada.

Flint Institute of Arts
1120 E. Kearsley Street, Flint MI 48503
810-234-1695

Learn how to reduce and balance your carbon footprint.

Earth Day Events & Activities at Flint Children’s Museum. Loads of different activites from April 9 – 30, 2008.

For Earth Day 2008, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency challenges residents and communities around the Great Lakes to collect and recycle electronic waste and
to properly dispose of unwanted medicines.
http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/earthday2008/events.html

EnvironmentalHealthNews