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  • A LAB Update: September 2011
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  • The Lab: Off to the races for 2nd Session! (January 30, 2011)

Blogger – Marilou, Lab Mentor/Volunteer:

I have always considered myself “navigationally impaired” and one who always gets lost and needs turn by turn directions. Don’t tell me to head east or west. Tell me turn left or right. Tell me landmarks. This morning as I was doing some research on the North Star as I work on developing more lesson plans for the animal assisted education work that Ahnung and I are doing at The Lab.
(Pictured above  - Marilou, Lab mentor & her therapy dog, Ahnung) Read more

Geriann, one of The Lab’s MSW Interns, has been working with youth from Hazel Park Middle School in a Mask-making group. Students learn how to make masks in the style of puppet making used by the Minneapolis-based In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre. Youth have been exploring notions of “creative self-expression, self & identity“ through this creative activity and process.

Jennifer Troy with Paws for Learning has been making a big difference at The Lab.  She and her dogs have been facilitating groups at each Enrichment program, offering youth an opportunity to connect with dogs, and learn many valuable life lessons in the process.  Click the arrow link below to hear Mary Tinucci talk about the impact of Paws for Learning work at The Lab.

Ahnung is one of the dogs that comes to The Lab to work with our youth in the Animal Assisted Education groups.  Students are learning about responsible pet ownership, dog obedience, reading body language (of dogs & humans!) and many great lessons about things like trust, communication and boundaries.  Check out the Mentor Blog (left) to read a blog post from Marilou for more!

My volunteering at The Lab began with a mentorship experience with a young man “R”. The healing I witnessed with the young man and the bond/trust that developed between “R” and Ahnung helped me in my own healing.

This morning I found myself reflecting back on when Ahnung first came into my life. From the first time I laid eyes on Ahnung I just knew there was something about her … I can’t pin point what it was exactly. Call it gut instinct, a knowing, a feeling. I guess I’m learning that truth and wisdom speak to us, not in words and even tangible things, but often in symbols and signs and “gut instincts.” Read more

Thanks to many donors who have contributed to our recent Donors Choose.org projects, The Lab received several digital cameras and 3 HP Photo printers to use on the iMacs in the Tech Lab.

Now our students are able to participate in a cool Digital Photography unit where they work on a self-portrait project. Students learn from mentors about the camera, photography techniques and styles, and how todigitally manipulate the image using iPhoto.  In this project, they are able to leave the Lab with several 4×6 photo prints of their self-portraits. Students are gaining confidence and practiceusing the technology and developing their creative visionsthrough digital photography.

Check out these cool photos taken by some of our students!

Stephan wrote and recorded his poem “I’ve Lost Count” in The Lab’s recording studio with mentor, Glo Pesci. Click the“Download” link below to hear the piece!

Jesse, a student at The Lab, and Bill, a Lab volunteer (who is also a St. Paul Public Schools district painter), talk about their mentorship together, music, learning, teaching, and volunteering.

We are so fortunate to have a fantastic Team at The Lab.   Here we are after a staff meeting in January, hamming it up!    We are off to a great start to the new year, offering Enrichment programming, Staff Development sessions with staff from our 9 school sites, 1×1 youth mentorships and small group experiences for our students.

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