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(posted by Anthony & Glo)

(Anthony worked with his Mentor, Glo, to review news stories, discuss them, summarize the articles, and practice critical thinking skills in determining his own opinions.)

3-17-2009
A large fight among spectators broke out at a high school boys basketball tournament in St. Paul over the weekend, requiring about 20 officers to break it up and resulting in an 18-year-old’s arrest on suspicion of possessing a gun… Read more

So, if you haven’t noticed already, I am a very infrequent blogger on this site.  However, I just sent out our Lab March E-Newsletter, and I was feeling pretty happy and decided it was time to post a blog.  As I read all of what is going on at The Lab right now, taking a wider view (not the usual myopic and driven view of which I am accustomed), I can breathe easier than I have of late.  It takes quite a lot of orchestrating to make all of the Lab activities come to life.  There are days I feel buried in details and worry, nervous that something might not go just right.

But today, as I see the March summary of great Lab activities and Mentors who are making a difference for students, I am reminded why I love my job. We are making a difference, and it matters.  I love that.

Mallory and A., learning about African Drumming!

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Lab has been connecting with local Dog Obedience Trainers, Animal Rescue Organizations and Canine Good Citizens (dogs!). Through these organizations and their great volunteers, students are learning wonderful lessons about dog safety, dog obedience, and responsible pet ownership. They are learning about how dogs (and people!) use body language to communicate.

As the students learn about the stories of these dogs that have been abandoned and neglected (and subsquently rescued), the students are learning important skills in empathy, forgiveness and compassion.   Positive mentor relationships are begin established between animal rescue volunteers, and students.  One such student from, R., has been working with dog trainer, Danielle and the dogs, Tokey and Ahnung.
Click this link to see more pictures: Read more

“I like to read”, said J, a River East Day Treatment 6th grader. “It just gives me quiet time.”

For the past 5 months J and all of his classmates have been nose deep in fiction books, sports books, poetry books, you name it, trying to reach a classroom goal of 5,000 pages read. The previous month, the classroom celebrated their 4,000 pages read victory with a Subway Sandwich party, so needless to say, all of the students were eager to continue reading to find out what 5,000 pages would bring.

“Reading is so important and is something that I love to do,” said Mr. Ayer’s. “So I wanted to come up with something to encourage the students to read.”

The students keep track of their progress on a public poster that is updated by each reader on a daily basis. The poster details when the next reward is coming, but it does not say what that reward might be.

Read more about the reading celebration: Read more

Ginny Brodeen  has been volunteering with The Lab since the fall of 2008 and has quickly become a household name with many students. She excels in her ability to teach and mentor students in The Visual Art Lab and challenges students to think outside of the box, or in this case, to color outside of the lines.

“I love the great artists that I work / play with every Tuesday,” said Brodeen, “I get to see them challenge themselves and try new things. I also learn a lot from them about challenges, patience and their own exciting lives.”

Read more about Ginny: Read more

While the winter season is starting to slow down, The Lab has been keeping busy with a flurry of activity. This semester, we have been working with guest artists, mentors and volunteers to develop cool, new experiences that inspire youth.

Listed below are just some of the extraordinary happenings that are being offered at The Lab this semester:

Read more

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