John Foster, Naturalist
From the New England Naturalist Training Center
John Foster presents hands-on ecology-focused environmental science programs. John has trained naturalists across new England and conducts wildlife research for groups like U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Mass Wildlife. He has extensive knowledge of the area's animals and plants. Many, many students, from first grade to grad school, have benefited from his infectious enthusiasm and creative teaching skills. John can also conduct outdoor programs at his center or at an off-site location in the area. For more information, visit his
website or email foster@nentc.com.


Musical Presentations by David Coffin
http://www.davidcoffin.com/
David presents Music for the King's Court: Exploring the Early Winds. Music for the King's Court is a one-hour interactive musical presentation. Participants will have the opportunity to see and listen to a wide variety of Early Wind Instruments from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. David has an excellent rapport with the kids and an outstanding musical talent. For more information about David and his performances, visit his website or email dcoffin@cove.com.


Casey Carle's Bubblemania
http://bubblemania.com/science/
Casey Carle's Bubblemania science programs combine entertainment and science in effective ways to engage students of all ages. From the website: "Bubblemania easily engages both hemispheres of the brain - the creative and the analytical - showing students that beautiful art can be made with the help of science and that scientific discovery is enhanced by imagination." Wonderful presentation!


Claflin Hill Music Outreach
The Claflin Hill Music Performance Foundation, Inc.
Claflin Hill provides not only the symphony concerts but workshops and clinics to promote music education. For more information on available programs, visit the website at http://www.claflinhill.org/Music%20Outreach.htm or contact Claflin Hill at online@claflinhill.org.


Destination ImagiNation
Massachusetts Open Minds
Visit their website for more details.
From their website:
"Destination ImagiNation, Inc. is a non-profit organization offering a global, youth-centered, creative problem-solving program. Destination ImagiNation emphasizes creativity, problem solving and teamwork. DI Challenges have open-ended answers, empowering participants to create solutions that are imaginative, original, divergent and ingenious! Students work together in teams to tackle these challenges under the direction of a team manager.

Once team members develop a solution, they present it in a performance. The team designs and creates, without adult assistance, all props, costumes and other artistic and technical elements necessary to bring the solution to life. The team’s solution can take from several weeks to several months to develop. But the team's solution is not complete until they receive their final improv from the appraisers just before the presentation! Teams showcase their solutions at a MADI tournament.

Competitions are held statewide. Regional Tournaments begin in February followed by our State Finals in late March or April. The DI year culminates with Global Finals in May, where the best of the best match wits, imaginations and personalities to become world champions. MADI (Massachusetts Destination Imagination) also conducts training for team mangers and appraisers. Team mangers are merely facilitators since this program is 'hands on' for kids and 'hands off' for adults. All members receive problem-solving competition materials and rulebooks."


MadScience
Local branch:
Mad Science of Central MA
383 Lincoln Street
Franklin, MA
http://www.madscience.org/CentralMA/
Hands-on science classes and workshops presented in engaging and entertaining ways. Class series can be tailored to specific topic needs. For more information, visit their website listed above, or request a brochure by email, mad.science@verizon.net, or phone, 508-541-9213.


Cartooning Classes
Just in Jest, Inc.
52 Eliot Street
South Natick, MA
(508) 652-9090
Email Rich Parsons at RichParJIJ@earthlink.net
Classes in cartooning and preliminary animation at "Sir Jestalot's Drawbridge Academy"; homeschool classes available. Call for details.


Art Classes

Specialty Camps and Weekend Classes
Bancroft School
110 Shore Drive
Worcester, MA
(508) 853-2640 ext. 263
Special weekend and summer programs such as Chemistry for Kids, Lego Robotics (Mind Storms), Study Skills, Phonics I or II, Math Mania, Learn to Draw (Art), Watercolor, Computer Graphics, Fun w Literature, Multi-Media, Keyboarding, Intro to French and more


Foreign Language Tutor
Pamela Ringrose
Available to teach French, Italian, German or English as a second language in the Franklin area. Pamela used to be a BBC news reporter. She is willing to work with students on any level. For more information, contact Pamela at 508-520-1763, or email pamela_ringrose@comcast.net.