South Ridge students performed to a full house at the “Fall Family Night” in the school’s Forum. Performances included “Orpheus and Eurydice” (3-4th Grades), “Persephone and the Six Pomegranate Seeds” (3rd-6th Grades, afterschoolSTEAM), “Fischer and the Birds” (7th Grade morning Design class), and “Shingebiss and the Wintermaker” (7th Grade afternoon Design class).
Frank teaching artists Wendy Knox and Emily Zimmer have worked with students for 8 weeks writing, retelling stories, playing theatre games and acting out stories to build skills in writing, public speaking, body language and story telling. Activities built student’s ability to clearly express themselves in a public venue. Each group sang a song composed by Marya Hart (with lyrics supplied by students). Videographer Mark Tang has documented the process and will work with Wendy Knox and South Ridge teacher Carolyn Olson to produce videos that tell the story.
Video of the performance, Fall 2015.

South Ridge School again has received the Art’s Learning grant through the Minnesota State Arts Board! This grant provides funding for professional teaching artists Wendy Knox and Emily Zimer to work with 3rd – 7th grade students building writing, and public speaking skills through theatre games and creative writing. Two residencies have been designed – the first in the Fall, the other in the Spring. Both residencies will explore traditional and cultural stories from around the world with the Spring residency focusing on the stories told to us through the stars taught in Ojibwe culture.



