NWA Kids Guide

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, several Northwest Arkansas museums and historical organizations are sponsoring a podcast contest for K-12 students in Benton , Boone, Carroll, Madison , Newton , and Washington counties. The contest is sanctioned by the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.

For the contest, students will create a short, non-fiction, audio podcast about the Civil War in the Arkansas Ozarks. Podcasts must be audio-only, no video or still images. Both individuals and groups may enter. Divisions are Elementary School—Grades K-5; Middle School—Grades 6-8; and High School—Grades 9-12. Cash prizes of $100 for first place and $50 for second place will be awarded in each category.

Contest entries may be submitted between October 15, 2011, and February 3, 2012. Winners will be announced during the Battle of Pea Ridge Sesquicentennial event at Pea Ridge National Military Park on Saturday, March 10, 2012. Cash prizes will be awarded, and winning podcasts will be posted on the Sesquicentennial Commission’s website.

Contest rules are available at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History website,http://www.shilohmuseum.org/education/podcast-contest.php, or by calling the museum at 479-750-8165 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479-750-8165      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

The podcast contest is sponsored by Benton County Historical Society, Fayetteville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Northwest Arkansas Civil War Roundtable, Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society, Pea Ridge National Military Park Foundation, Rogers Historical Museum, Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, Washington County Arkansas Genealogical Society, and the Washington County Historical Society.

Drama Classes Offered this Fall at Trike Theatre

Fall Classes Provide Drama Instruction for Students in Northwest Arkansas

Trike Theatre, Northwest Arkansas’ Professional Theatre for Youth, is offering fall classes in downtown Bentonville for children and youth during a 10-week session: September 13- November 17. The classes last between 50-70 minutes and are offered once a week at the Kaleidoscope Dance Academy studios, 106 NW 2nd Street (next to Harp’s). For students 3rd-12th grade, we offer Improv, Acting, and Musical Theatre. For younger actors, 4 yrs through 2nd grade, we offer Creative Drama, Treasure Trunk Theatre, and Reader’s Theatre. Trike’s professional theatre teachers align class goals/objectives with Arkansas Drama frameworks and work to improve student’s skills in creative problem solving, teamwork, communication, improvisation and acting.  Trike had an incredible summer full of innovative drama camps; in fact, one parent commented, “this was our first experience with Trike Theatre and I have to say I was really impressed by how professional and organized everything was. We had such a great experience that I can’t wait to do more camps.” 

Spots are still available for students who are interested in the following classes:

*Musical Theatre,  Tuesdays, 3 - 4:10 pm, 3rd - 6th grade ($150)

*Musical Theatre, Tuesdays, 5:45-6:55 pm, 7th - 12th grade ($150)

*Story Drama, Wednesdays, 3:30 - 4:20 pm, 4yr - PreK ($115)

*Treasure Trunk Theatre, Wednesdays, 4:30 - 5:20 pm, K-2nd grade ($115)

*Acting, Wednesdays, 5:30 - 6:40 pm, 3rd - 5th grade ($150)

*Reader’s Theatre, Thursdays, 3:30 - 4:20 pm, 1st - 2nd grade ($115)

*Improv, Thursdays, 4:30 - 5:40 pm, 3rd - 6th grade ($150)

*Improv, Thursdays, 6:00 - 7:10 pm, 7th - 12th grade ($150)

A 10% discount may be applied to the price of the second and lower price camp per family.

For more information, go to www.triketheatre.org  or call 866-331.3681.

Tammy Bronson will read and talk about her newest children’s book, Sea Horse, Run! on Saturday, September 24 at 10:30 am at the Fayetteville Public Library in the Walker Community Room.  This book is the 2011 winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Best Children’s Picture Book.  Tammy will also talk about writing and illustrating children’s books.  Her other books include Tiny Snail and Kalidenotes and The Mixed Up Orchestra. 

Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Library’s Children’s Desk at 479.856.7170 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479.856.7170      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

WHAT:  Tammy Bronson Reads at Fayetteville Public Library

WHEN: Saturday, September 24 2011 at 10:30 am

WHERE: Fayetteville Public Library, Walker Community Room, 401 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville

To schedule an interview about this event, call Lolly Greenwood at 479-856-7120 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479-856-7120      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

The Trike Theatre presents The Dramatic Book Club!  These 30-minute workshops engage preschoolers as they play in a particular story, try out new characters, find solutions to problems, explore environments, predict outcomes, build vocabulary and forge connections. Stories are told and retold through acting, movement, puppetry, prop play, visual art and music.  One book or story will be selected for each month. All of the activities are designed so that parents can continue the play activities at home.  Workshops start at 10:30am are held on Sept. 26, Oct. 12, Oct. 24, Nov. 9, Nov. 28, Dec. 13, Dec. 19. 

The Dramatic Book Club is free and open to the public.  No registration required.

WHAT: Dramatic Book Club with Trike Theatre at the Fayetteville Public Library

WHEN: Sept. 26, Oct. 12, Oct. 24, Nov. 9, Nov. 28, Dec. 13, Dec. 19 2011 at 10:30am

WHERE: Fayetteville Public Library, Walker Community Room, 401 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville

To schedule an interview about this event, call Lolly Greenwood at 479-856-7120 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479-856-7120      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

“Dress the Best” at the Malco Rogers town cinema theater as they celebrate the release of the new Universal Pictures film Cowboys and Aliens!

The daylong event is scheduled for Saturday, July 30, 2011 from 12:30pm until 10:30pm in the theatre lobby, with a costume contest for the best-dressed cowboy or alien held at 6:45pm. Prizes and giveaways will be awarded compliments of Dixie café and Vintage Stock.

Of course here at Malco we love to give back to the community, so the Malco Rogers Town Cinema will be hosting a fundraiser for the Arkansas Children Shelter. Guests are encouraged to bring spare change, or gold nuggets if they so desire, to help the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter in aiding children in need.

Cowboys and Aliens opens Friday, July 29, 2011 and advance tickets will be on sale at the box office or online at www.malco.com.

For additional information about this Rogers Town Cinema event, please contact Jeremy Nix, assistant theatre manager, at             (479) 613-5865     

Summer Reading Club concludes at Fayetteville Public Library with special events to celebrate “One World, Many Stories.” Participation in the Library’s Summer Reading Club helps K-12 students combat the summer slide in reading skills and promotes literacy skills in preschoolers. The following events are geared to families.

Wednesday, August 3, 1 pm: Upstage Melodrama. Teen volunteers present “The Search for the Secret Book of Atrebor.” Best for grades K-5.  Free.

Saturday, August 6, 10:30 am: Partners in Play with Trike Theatre, an extraordinary theatre experience for families. Best for ages 3-5. Free.

Tuesday, August 9, 6:30 pm: Around the World Bedtime Storytime. Wear your PJs! For children of all ages. Free.

Thursday, August 11, 11 am to 2 pm: Daytime Lock-In for Grades K-2. Lunch and fun, book-related activities for students who have completed Kindergarten through 2nd grade. $10. Register in person at the Library’s Children’s Desk. Meets in the Walmart Storytime Room.

Friday, August 12, 8:30 pm to Saturday, August 13, 8 am: Overnight Lock-In for Grades 3-5. Get locked in the library for an overnight sleepover full of fun and games. Students must have completed third through fifth grade. $20. Register in person at the Library’s Children’s Desk.

Most events take place in the Walker Community Room.  Admission is open to the public.  For more information, call the Library at 856.7170.

To schedule an interview about these events, call Shawna Thorup at 479-856-7100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479-856-7100      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Fayetteville Public Library. We inspire imagination and foster learning.

Teen Summer Reading Club at Fayetteville Public Library concludes with two special events and meetings of two on-going interest groups. These free programs revolve around the theme, “You Are Here!” Participation in the Teen Summer Reading Club combats the summer slide in reading skills and provides enrichment activities.

Tuesday, August 2 from 5 to 7 pm: Silent Library FPL: Worldwide. Quietly take on international challenges and win! Meets in the Walmart Storytime Room.

Thursday, August 4 from 6 to 8 pm: Olympic Jam with DJ Beat Bachs. Get wet and play FPL Olympic Games to live DJ mixes. Summer Reading Club grand prizes will be announced at 7:30 PM.

Monday, August 8, 5 pm: Teen Anime. Snack on breakfast munchies while enjoying favorite anime series. Meets each second of the month.

Tuesday, August 30 from 4 to 6 pm: Teen Gamers’ Club. Includes video, card and board games. Meets the last Tuesday of each month.

All events take place at the Fayetteville Public Library.  Admission is free and open to the public.  For more information, call the Library at 856.7170.

WHAT: Teen Summer Reading Club final events

WHEN: August 2011, times vary

WHERE: Fayetteville Public Library, Walker Community Room, 401 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville

To schedule an interview about these events, call Shawna Thorup at 479-856-7100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479-856-7100      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Fayetteville Public Library. We inspire imagination and foster learning.

The Friends of the Fayetteville Public Library will hold a press conference on Friday, July 29 at 2 pm to issue a fundraising challenge to the community.

The Friends will announce an additional pledge of $75,000 toward the Fayetteville Public Library Foundation’s National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Challenge Grant. The Foundation is trying to build a $2 million endowment to support the Library’s humanities collections and programming. With this pledge, the Friends of the Library are the lead gift toward this endowment with a $205,500 commitment. The NEH matches every three dollars raised with one dollar, earning the endowment an additional $68,500.

“The Friends of the Library will donate this extraordinary amount by selling used books for a dollar and $10 annual membership dues,” said Shawna Thorup, Executive Director. Kim Ratliff, President of the Friends of the Library said, “The Friends represent regular people who can’t give a huge amount of money individually, but who as a group can contribute toward the greater good.”

Fundraising for the endowment began in 2005, and the Foundation must meet annual fundraising benchmarks set by the NEH. They are about $93,000 short of their $600,000 goal for the 2010-11 fundraising period, which concludes August 15.

Ratliff said, “We are so proud of our Library, its staff and the many services offered so we want to challenge the community to match our $75,000 pledge with whatever they can manage. If every citizen of Fayetteville pledged just one dollar toward the humanities endowment, we can achieve this year’s fundraising goal.”

WHAT: Press conference: Friends of the Library Challenge Community to Build Humanities Endowment

WHEN: Friday, July 29 2011 at 2 pm

WHERE: Fayetteville Public Library, Walker Community Room, 401 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville

To schedule an interview about this event, call Shawna Thorup at 479-856-7100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479-856-7100      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

 Fayetteville Public Library.   We inspire imagination and foster learning.

The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History has been chosen as one of the “Top 10 Things to See and Do in the Natural State ,” in a public poll conducted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

In May, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism announced the list of 175 Top Places to Visit, as determined by activity and searches on Arkansas.com, and encouraged residents to visit www.arkansas.com/175 to vote for their favorite destinations in the state. More than 50,000 votes were cast during four weeks of voting. The Top 10 vote getters, in alphabetical order, are:

•         Arkansas Arts Center , Little Rock

•         Bathhouse Row, Hot Springs

•         Eureka Springs Downtown Historic District

•         Garvan Woodland Gardens , Hot Springs

•         MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, Little Rock

•         Ozark Folk Center State Park , Mountain View

•         Ozark Medieval Fortress, Lead Hill

•         Petit Jean State Park , Morrilton

•         Shiloh Museum of Ozark History , Springdale

•         Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Eureka Springs

“When voting closed on June 8, the Shiloh Museum was ranked Number 1,” noted museum director Allyn Lord.  “We’re grateful to the folks who voted for us, and we’re proud to represent Springdale as a Top 10 vacation destination in Arkansas .”

Located at the corner of Johnson and Main in downtown Springdale , the Shiloh Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free.  For more information, call 750-8165.

Susan Young

Outreach Coordinator

Shiloh Museum of Ozark History

118 W. Johnson Avenue

Springdale, AR  72764

479-750-8165 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            479-750-8165      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

www.springdalear.gov/shiloh