Tag Archives: Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center

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

“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”

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Dani’s Dreams is all about growing, discovering, becoming – little seeds are planted, take root and reach toward the sky. The Go Green Discovery Center is in the seedling stage, changing and morphing to meet the needs of Hancock County schoolchildren. Be a part of the process – meaningful, environmental activities, crafts and demonstrations are planned this Friday 3:30-5 p.m. We’ll end with a showing of “The Lorax” and snacks.

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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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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!

Donations and Fundraising, Earth Day Dedication Event, Go Green Discovery Center, Uncategorized

Every Little Drop Helps Dani’s Dreams Grow!

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Dream It – Do It! at Dani’s Dreams
Hancock County students can take the lead and Dream It – Do It! during the fifth annual Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center Earth Day Dedication Event April 12, 3:30-5 p.m. at the center, located at Zion Lutheran School, 6513 W. 300 S, New Palestine.
Join the student-led interactive demonstrations on recycling, composting, and saving water; be a Dani’s Dreams Nature Detective and win prizes, create crafts, sign up for space in the Community Garden and tour the Go Green Discovery Center that features interactive exhibits on environmental and conservation education.
Stay for a free will donation pizza supper and a showing of “The Lorax” and don’t forget to vote on drawings for the T-Shirt design contest for the Dani’s Dreams Walk/Run Aug. 3.
Bring your nickels, dimes, pennies and quarters for our “Every little drop in the bucket helps Dani’s Dreams grow” to raise funds for a garden watering system.
Learn how you can be a member of Dani’s Dreams Club and make a difference in the world around you. Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is open to all classes, Scout Troops and community groups for state standard-environmental education lessons, projects and activities – AT NO CHARGE.
Log onto to http://www.danisdreamsoutdooredcenter.wordpress.com or email dgriffins@netzero.com for more information.

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.

Go Green Discovery Center, Special Events, Teacher Resources

Go Green Discovery Center Update

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Work is continuing on the Dani’s Dreams Go Green Discovery Center. The outside is nearly completed and inside the walls are going up and soon activities will begin. Remember there are seven learning centers available for area classes, preschools, scout troops and other community groups – Dani’s Dreams is FREE! We will design a lesson and activities around your class or group needs. Special activities will be held each month after school involving environmental education. Be a part of Dani’s Dreams team! For more information, email Donna Griffin, director, at dgriffins@netzero.com.

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

Running for Dani’s Dreams. . .

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PHOTOS BY ELYSE SOMBKE, ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL
New Palestine residents, friends and family of Dani Griffin and others showed up in force for the fifth annual Dani’s Dreams Memorial Walk/Run Aug. 4 at New Palestine High School, on what would have been Dani’s 30th birthday. The event raises funds for the Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center at Zion Lutheran School, New Palestine.
Watch ‘Em Grow is the theme for this year’s event and the title of the new Go Green Discovery Center, open this fall, funded in part by the Hancock County Community Foundation. The Go Green Center is open to all Hancock County students and will be powered by solar and wind energy and contain interactive exhibits and activities to enhance science education in the area.
Hancock County students talents were on display at the walk/run and T-shirt design and essay contest winners were recognized: Katie Taylor, Zion Lutheran School is the winner and her design is on all the race shirts. Second place went to Lee Ann James, Sugar Creek Elementary and third place to Sarah Maynard, Sugar Creek Elementary. Drake Shadle, New Palestine Elementary and Ireland Crabtree, Zion Lutheran, are the essay contest winners.
Christina Harkleroad was also honored as the 2012 recipient of the Dani’s Dreams Memorial Scholarship.
Race winners are: Riley Wilson, men’s division and Sue Gaudreau, women’s division.
Thanks to all the race and event sponsors: Hancock County Community Foundation, Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District, who donated four rain barrels to the Go Green Discovery Center; Hillcrest Tree Farm, Noll Landscape Group, Team Image Screenprint and Embroidery, Hancock Regional Hospital Foundation, Dr. Brian Schoppel, McDonald’s of New Palestine, Mama Nita’s Pizza, K&K Fence Company, Auto Air and Heating, Greenfield Walmart, Greenfield Home Depot, Dr. Sharon Paluga, New Palestine Gentle Dentist, Sam’s Club, Greenfield Home Depot, 10th and Post, Johnson-Melloh Solutions and Michele Conti.
A special thanks goes to the Dani Griffin Innovation in Education Memorial Committee (you know who you are) who provide their time, talents, love and commitment to keeping Dani’s Dreams alive, including Claudia Griffin, Buttons and Bows, whose face painting made the day so special.
Love, you all!