 Every year the students at Block 8 Academy create Art Gallery quality gifts to sell at the Port Moody Art Centre Winter Treasures Market. The proceeds are lent, though KIVA,
to low income entrepreneurs and students in over 80 countries! Our students have helped people in 12 countries so far including Rwanda, Nepal and Indonesia. Students sold their items at the Port Moody Art Centre on November 14.
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Block 8 Academy had a very exciting summer this year! We swam at Sasamat Lake, and had fun doing parkour, bowling, geocaching, exploring the outdoors and even had some exciting afternoons at Science World! The kids learned cooking skills on our pizza day, gymnastics moves, and many new card games and board games that they played with each other throughout the summer! We also learned some small things we can do at home and at camp to help the environment!
The students had many opportunities to work on their leadership and teamwork skills throughout the summer as well! We had a student-led Harry Potter Day organized by some of our older students - jam-packed with exciting activities and Harry Potter trivia that everyone enjoyed! The students also worked together to make some short skits throughout July and August. They were fun to watch and very well executed! Although this fun-filled summer is coming to a close, Block 8 Academy is very excited to continue our summer camps again next year, we hope to see you there! Many summer days were spent at Sasamat Lake. We hiked, swam, played games and saw lots of cool bugs and plants.
The kids at Block 8 kicked off the summer with a fantastic afternoon hanging out with an Aboriginal Youth Group at the Port Moody Art Centre. They learned lots of new games and tricks and topped off the day with a kids-against-grown-ups Tug of War!
Learning Which Shapes are Strong
Sampling of Bridges at the Competition
 On Friday afternoons, we focus on music. Miss Cindy, a BC certified music teacher who is known for her innovative techniques of combining games and stories to teach children music, leads the charge. Cindy has her ARCT from the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music and uses Orff and Kodaly methodologies combined with folk songs to engage and inspire the children. Miss Cindy brings a wide variety of instruments from xylophones to gongs, guiros to glockenspiels. The children learn to appreciate and respect the instruments and treat them not as toys, but as mediums for expression and learning. Basic theory and principles are taught through rhythm while the children are encouraged to create their own sounds, songs and musical games. Through the music program, the children are exposed to different cultures and sounds; they gain confidence and control while learning to work not only as a team but also in positions of leadership. 
Here are a few pictures from our super spooky Halloween fun! The children had fun playing team-building games, learning new Halloween songs and creating fun monster art!  One of our favourite features of Block 8 Academy is having an in-house art gallery for the children to explore. During the month of October the Port Moody Art Centre Art Gallery hosted the "Art 4 Life" exhibit. From the Art Centre Website: "This multimedia exhibition features work by professional visual, performing and literary artists. It is designed to teach, inspire and engage young people, as well as raising opportunities for active participation, discussion, cultural awareness and lessons on art appreciation. The benefits of an arts education affect every area of life and we want it to be a lifelong journey." The children of Block 8 were invited by the gallery director for a private tour of the Art 4 Life exhibition. During the tour, the children were shown paintings, puppets, collages and many more fun and interesting works of art created by adults and youth.   One of the highlights of the exhibit was from Coquitlam artist, Ahmad Reza. Ahmad and his family fled from the Taliban in Afghanistan in the late 1990s and he now uses a canvases and oil paints to express a message of hope.  The children then had an opportunity to experience some interactive pieces and show off their own ideas and artistry. They were also invited to choose which piece they found the most inspiring. Sneak Peak! The children of the Block 8 Academy Entrepreneurship Program have been working very hard on their own art projects! Stay tuned for more exciting details!  On Monday, October 17th, Block 8 Academy checked out the Compassion Experience in Burnaby. The Compassion Experience is a traveling exhibition that profiles the lives of children living in extreme poverty.  The Compassion Experience is an immersive exhibit that allowed the children to experience other cultures. As they walked through the exhibit they learned of Yannely and Jonathan who are both from the Dominican Republic. They saw and heard how extreme poverty, sickness and poor education could stifle their dreams.  The children of Block 8 then learned how those children used their strength and creativity to change their lives and the lives of their communities for the better. It was an eye opening and inspiring experience! |
This BlogThis blog tracks recent highlights from Block 8 Academy. It includes events that occurred during care time as well as special events attended by students and their families. Archives
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