Monday, December 30, 2013

Brain Quest




Gina Bitner, one of the the organizers of Brain Quest, sent me the following note:  Just a heads-up that tomorrow, Friday the 22nd, is Brain Quest!  This is the 17th Brain Quest event (started my first semester here! J) in which we have impacted well over
1,800 students in providing hands-on math and science FUN!

A few hundred students from area schools visited the Campus of a Thousand Oaks to take part in a number of events that mix education and entertainment in imaginative ways and that engage future teaches from the college with area third graders.

As I have done in the past, I spent a couple hours with my cameras at the festivities and uploaded 70+ photographs of the students and the soon-to-be student teachers at the various rooms that featured various exercises.


These exercises combine Science and Math with fun, from seeing what happens to various objects in a microwave--the DVD disk is my favorite--to creating volcano lamps (tie-dye sixties fun) and a variety of measurements, including the cost of items at a grocery store.







A Rotoract Movember

Jackie Obermeyer, Dr. Meade, Daryl Obermeyer, and Lezi Fudge
 
Movember Organizer T. J. Bekart

One of the more active PSC campus groups is the Rotoract Club.  And I attended one of their signature events, the Movember Ceremonies, at 7:00 PM in the Fine Arts Recital Hall.

Sponsored by the club and organized by T. J. Bekart, Movember worked to raise consciousness about cancer in general and prostate cancer in particular.

At the ceremonies, Daryl Obermeyer discussed his own experiences as a prostate cancer survivor, and both Jackie Obermeyer and Dr. Meade furthered the discussion about cancer and good health.

Vice President of the Rotoracts, Lindsey Tomen, and President Lexi Fudge introduced speakers and talked about the Rotoract Club and its various activities.

These students do a wonderful job on campus, and I was pleased to take photographs and will work to get better shots next year.








Thanksgiving in Peru

Wednesday Morning, a Good Sign
Cary, Linda, and Leah

As they did last year, Linda drove to the farm house from Ripon, WI, and Leah and Cary visited via Denver and Boulder, CO.  Felt good to have three white cars at the house, and with beautiful weather.


On Thanksgiving, Bill Newman joined us for dinner with Tom Ediger, who once again prepared a superb meal, this time featuring prime rib from Kansas City. 


We brought wine, and Linda prepared a yam dish about which she had heard wonderful things.  



Well, as the photograph on the left indicates, the dish was less than popular with the group. 

We all enjoyed a wonderful time with Tom, as the photographs indicate, and at Linda's request, he played piano for us all, capping a delightful time in Nebraska City. 

All three left Saturday morning, but on Friday we dined at the Nebraska Brewing Company, just as we did last year.  The owners joined us, and they and Cary, who works at Avery Beer in Boulder, CO, exchanged beers, the brewery thing to do.

But before they all left, Linda got to enjoy a new experience, feeding one of John Crook's cows an apple, a first for her.   






PSC Concert Band and Hoyt Jazz Ensemble in Concert

 Hoyt Street Jazz Ensemble

Concert Band



On Sunday evening, December 8, the Hoyt Street Jazz Ensemble and the Concert Band filled the Peru State Theater with music to bring to a conclusion a wildly busy week of campus activities.

Quite a few people in the bands performed Friday and Saturday at the Madrigal Dinner--and many, many of the members also had to perform Monday as part of their requirements as Music majors.

So congratulations to all the students for their energy and for their efforts.

As usual, you will find photographs (seventy this time around) from the entertainment to watch as a slide show or to download as many as you like.



This year the Hoyt Street Jazz Ensemble kicked off the afternoon's music bash.  And I recorded parts from a number of the songs with which the band entertained the Sunday audience:



 



The preceding video features senior Blake Lofing's vocals, among other musical solos in the numbers I recorded.

Following the Hoyt Street Jazz Ensemble's energetic numbers, the Concert Band took
the stage.  I recorded in the following video a few minutes from pretty much each of the selections, one of which features the premier of composition by Taylor Sirman:





And to bring the musical festivities to a conclusion, the Concert Band entertained with selections I am sure  all of you will recognize. 

You can sing along with cold-red noses to this medley of Christmas wonderland  favorites: 







All the musical groups on campus wish each of you a wonderful Christmas break and look forward to entertaining the Peru State Community in the spring.

And congratulations to the seniors:



 Jacob Buss

 Taylor Sirman

 Talia Cole

 Ali Umland

 Blake Lofing