Category Archives: Special Events

Dani's Dreams Memorial Walk/Run, Donations and Fundraising, Go Green Discovery Center, Special Events, Teacher Resources

They did it and so can you!

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Children at Zion Lutheran Daycare joined with Dani’s Dreams to plan and plant the four plots in the Community Garden at the Go Green Discovery Center June 14. Students then put on their reporter hats and will keep the community up to date with progress at the gardens.

If your Scout, Daycare, Preschool or School group wants to have a unique outdoor activity or project, email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 and Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center will work with you to make it happen – Dream It – Do It!

Dani's Dreams Memorial Walk/Run, Donations and Fundraising, Special Events

Hope For The Future

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Lutheran High School senior awarded Dani’s Dreams Scholarship

A stellar record of academic pursuits and community service characterize Brock Turner, Greenfield, the 2013 winner of the Dani Griffin Innovation in Education Memorial Scholarship. Turner will attend either DePauw University, Wabash College or Hanover College to study biology and communications.

“Whether it is research, medicine or another field within the sciences, I am confident that I can make a difference,” Turner wrote in his scholarship essay. “There will always be diseases to cure, problems to solve and species to help. For example, God created each and every one of the animals, people and plants on this earth. It is our job to help them and save them from sickness, harm and premature death. Science allows us to do so.”

Turner, son of James and Tracy Turner, is a member of National Honor Society and received All Conference Academic Honors in the Indiana Crossroads conference. He is a varsity letterman for the Saints in swimming and cross country, served as a Statehouse Ambassador and is an American Red Cross certified lifeguard, CPR and first aid. He was Zion Lutheran School salutatorian in 2009.

“Science allows us to get an inside look at what God has created for us on this earth. I believe it will only strengthen our faith if we learn more about science,” Turner wrote. “We have learned of marvelous objects that point to God. It is scientific discoveries that merge science and faith; all things lead to the cross.”

 

 

 

Dani's Dreams Memorial Walk/Run, Donations and Fundraising, Special Events

DREAM IT – DO IT! Local Students Share Their Talents, Creativity, Ideas

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Southern Hancock students’ creative talents will be on display this year in the sixth annual Dani’s Dreams Memorial Walk/Run Aug. 3 at New Palestine High School.

Ali Kinder, a student at Zion Lutheran School is the winner of the T-shirt design contest. Kinder’s design will be featured on T-shirts for the event. Second place goes to Katie Taylor, a fifth grader at Zion Lutheran School and third place winner is Rylee Morris, sixth grader at Zion Lutheran School. Their designs will be posted online and used in walk/run brochures and on posters for the event.

Essay contest winner is Emma Mann, third grader at New Palestine Elementary. Her essay, which will be in walk/run brochures follows:

Peace Bear

By Emma Mann

New Palestine Elementary School

3rd grade

Everybody has different dreams. One person wants to be an astronaut. One wants to be a famous singer or a mailman, but my dream is a bit different. I like how people are happy all over the world. Some people are happy about a new toy. I am happy because I am well. Most people think that might be silly, but really it’s not.

One day I dreamed I could even spread a smile over sick people’s faces. So wherever they go, they’ll always feel happy and feel like something special. So I dreamed up the idea of giving a bear to my Aunt Julie who got cancer and was really sick. It was just to make her smile and have something to hold.

When I got the bear back, my teacher got cancer, so I gave the bear to her. I wanted to cheer her up too.

The bear is blue with peace signs all over it, and I call it Peace Bear. I am still waiting to get it back from my teacher. See it is like a traveling bear. I give sick people the bear with peace signs on it so they can have peace in their surgery.

I know I can do nothing about curing cancer, but I love how there are lovely smiles covering their faces. I feel like a hero to do that.

I just found out there is another teacher that has cancer at our school and when Peace Bear returns, I will give it to her and I hope she grins too.

Someday when I grow up I hope to have a bunch of bears to send out to sick people and I hope to see lots of people full of smiles looking back at me.

That’s my dream.

Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is a resource for Hancock County schools, teachers, Scouts and all community groups for hands-on, innovative environmental education opportunities and state standards-based activities and projects. We’ll design a one-of-a-kind tour, activity or project for YOUR CLASS, based on YOUR NEEDS at NO CHARGE. Email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 – Dream It, Do It!

 

 

Earth Day Dedication Event, Go Green Discovery Center, Special Events, Teacher Resources

Learning, Dreaming, Doing – Sugar Creek Students Share Their Knowledge

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The highlight of Dani’s Dreams Earth Day Event was a special presentation by Mrs. Deb Weiler’s fourth grade students at Sugar Creek Elementary in New Palestine. They are partnering with Dani’s Dreams on a composting project. Look for more information on this endeavor in the future. Thanks so much Mrs. Weiler and her smart and caring students who shared their knowledge – Sarah Adam, Sierra Patrick, Madison Schmitt, Mia Thomas, and Laney Scott.

Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is a resource for Hancock County schools, teachers, Scouts and all community groups for hands-on, innovative environmental education opportunities and state standards-based activities and projects. We’ll design a one-of-a-kind tour, activity or project for YOUR CLASS, based on YOUR NEEDS at NO CHARGE. Email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 – Dream It, Do It!

Earth Day Dedication Event, Go Green Discovery Center, Special Events, Teacher Resources

Create, Explore, Discover – Dream It, Do It!

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More than 30 students from Zion Lutheran Sugar Creek and New Palestine elementary schools became Nature Detectives, went digging for fossils, arrowheads and bones, learned about the water cycle and created bird feeders and other crafts April 12 at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center’s Earth Day Dedication Event. The afternoon was topped off with Mama Nita’s pizza, a supporter of Dani’s Dreams, and a special Dani’s Dreams video report by Katie and Kara Morris and Sarah, Emily and Sam Adam. A special thanks goes to all of Dani’s family who helped to make the event happen and who are the heart of Dani’s Dreams — you are all fantastic people!

Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is a resource for Hancock County schools, teachers, Scouts and all community groups for hands-on, innovative environmental education opportunities and state standards-based activities and projects. We’ll design a one-of-a-kind tour, activity or project for YOUR CLASS, based on YOUR NEEDS at NO CHARGE. Email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 – Dream It, Do It!

Earth Day Dedication Event, Go Green Discovery Center, Special Events, Teacher Resources, Uncategorized

Celebrating Earth Day – Making Ideas Happen at Dani’s Dreams

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Recycling and the water cycle became hands-on learning experiences for Zion Lutheran School students thanks to Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center. Dani’s Dreams partnered with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to bring special Earth Day presentations to all grades on April 12.

Preschool through grade four students learned how to recycle and saw the products made from recycled materials. Students in grades 5-8 became water drops and traveled through the phases of the water cycle, picking up beads for their water cycle bracelets

Thanks to Stacy Jones, of IDEM who conducted the presentations.

Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is a resource for Hancock County schools, teachers, Scouts and all community groups for hands-on, innovative environmental education opportunities and state standards-based activities and projects. We’ll design a one-of-a-kind tour, activity or project for YOUR CLASS, based on YOUR NEEDS at NO CHARGE. Email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 – Dream It, Do It!

Donations and Fundraising, Earth Day Dedication Event, Go Green Discovery Center, Special Events, Teacher Resources

Do you have big dreams?

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dreamitdoitflyer
The deadline is fast approaching for the T-shirt design contest at Dani’s Dreams — April 10. Come to the Earth Day Dedication Event April 12, 3:30-6 p.m. and vote for your favorite design! Fun, food and lots of activities are planned – be a part of it!

Earth Day Dedication Event, Go Green Discovery Center, Special Events, Teacher Resources

Dream It – Do It!

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dani logoTO ALL KIDS IN HANCOCK COUNTY:
Enter the Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center’s annual T-shirt design and essay contest.
The theme for this year’s event is “Dream It – Do It!” and all Hancock County classrooms, Scout and youth groups are invited to participate in environmental educational activities, crafts, a movie and dinner at Dani’s Dreams Earth Day Dedication Event 3:30-5 p.m. at the new Go Green Center, located at Zion Lutheran School in New Palestine.
There are now TWO WAYS for you to show your talents.
1. DRAW A PICTURE using the theme for the front of T-shirts. Your drawing could bring Dani’s Dreams to life on T-shirts for the sixth annual memorial walk/run Aug. 3. If your picture is chosen, you will receive a free T-shirt and $50 and your name will be on every shirt. You will be introduced Aug. 3 at the beginning of the walk/run at New Palestine High School.
Last year’s winners:


2. WRITE AN ESSAY based on the theme “Dream It – Do It!” Entries from all ages will be accepted. Winners will be chosen in the following groups: grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. Winners in each age category will receive a free T-shirt and $25. Money raised at this event will go to fund the Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center open to all students in Hancock County.
Turn in your drawing or essay to your teacher by April 10.
Entries will be picked up at each school April 10 or they can be dropped off at Zion Lutheran School. The best of the T-shirt designs and essays will be on display for voting during the Earth Day Dedication Event at Dani’s Dream Outdoor Education Center April 12 3:30-5 p.m. Keep up with all the Dani’s Dreams news at http://www.danisdreamsoutdooredcenter.wordpress.com. Email dgriffins@netzero.com for more information.

Here’s the entry form for the T-shirt design and essay contest:
danifundartcontestindd

Special Events, Teacher Resources

Families Get Creative at Children’s Museum Night

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For the third year, Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center sponsored Children’s Museum Night at Zion Lutheran School. Creativity was the theme of the day with students learning about the art of blown glass and the artist Dale Chihuly who created the sculpture that greets visitors at the Children’s Museum. Families collaborated to create a replica that now graces the halls of Zion. Students and their parents also created paintings and simulated “glass-blown” art.

Special Events, Teacher Resources

FREE Family Time at Children’s Museum Night

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Join Dani’s Dreams for an evening of free, educational and entertaining activities designed for families to learn and interact together when the Children’s Museum comes to Zion Lutheran School Sept. 26, 6-8 p.m.
Bring your family, friends and neighbors

Here’s a Sneak Peek at some of the fun
(7 activities and 2 presentations planned):

Balloon Sculpture
Have you seen the Fireworks of Glass sculpture by renowned artist Dale Chihuly at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis? Families can join in the fun as they try to create their own curly, colored, twisty art pieces out of balloons! Then, by adding each piece to an armature just like Chihuly’s team did, we hope to leave a sculpture at your school that is similar to our museum sculpture.
Hot Shop
Hot’ shop’, n.—A glass working studio containing a furnace, glory hole and glass blowing team. Families can step into our mock Hot Shop to see some glassblowers’ tools and learn about the studio in which glass art is created. Families are invited to match the tool with its name and try to “gather glass” and keep it on a “punty.”
Shape Scape
What do macchias, seaforms and baskets all have in common? In the glass world, they are some of Dale Chihuly’s titles for very eye-catching art! Families create their own versions of these 3-D forms using the closest thing we could find to glass (transparency film) and “safe” heat from a heat gun to form sculptures. We use heat guns for this activity, so adult supervision is a must!
Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is sponsoring the FREE EVENT for all Southern Hancock children. The Zion PTL will provide a Taco bar for concessions.