About Ripples:
Ripples is our summer cultural program that was inspired and funded by Paula Spellman, one of our community members. She has a great passion for exposing youth to diverse experiences outside of their comfort zone that will provoke questions and motivate them to seek new opportunities. Ripples offers a wide variety of events for youth 12-18 years of age, which has included tango lessons, culinary experiences, tours of the Disney Animation Studio and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, live theater performances, as well as improv and visual arts workshops. Ripples is designed to give students the knowledge needed to appreciate culture, as well as a learning environment in which they can integrate into their lives the lessons learned from these events.
Get the 2012 Ripples Flyer | ||
Ripples:
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“One of the things that is missing for our youth today is the opportunity to get outside of their own neighborhoods." -Paula Spellman |
Paula Spellman believes in the power of cultural arts experiences to be turning points in young lives. She says, “One of the things that is missing for our youth today is the opportunity to get outside of their own neighborhoods. When I was in school we had field trips. We went to the Philharmonic. We went to museums. We saw more of the world, but today there is no funding for this. Ripples is about reversing this short-sighted mentality.” Spellman is an author, speech writer, literary consultant, public speaker on memoir and ghost writing and a pastel artist. She is also a Living Treasure and former executive director of the mentor and role model program, and has served on many boards within the Ojai valley.
She says that OVYF was the clear choice to implement the program. “I had planned to start a foundation to provide broader experiences to our youth, but when I saw what the OVYF had accomplished, it was obvious that they could do a much better job than I could, so I approached them with the Ripples concept. Much of our learning and success comes from exposure to new ideas and the development of awareness. Ripples sparks a curiosity in our youth to seek out more than what is directly in front of them.”
We continue to incorporate Paula’s passion in this unique summer program. Her vision to provide young people with an interactive and educational program through the arts has created a wonderful partnership with OVYF. We are grateful to be able to work with one of Ojai’s Living Treasures who passionately supports our mission.
- Steve Bauer - Tango lesson
- Tree Bernstein - Poetry workshop
- Barbara Brandt - Etiquette workshop
- Demitri Corbin - Improv workshop
- Nancy Michali - Culinary Arts Studio
- Donna Granata - Focus on the Masters
- Ted Gall – Studio tour
- Stephen Geering – Musical workshop
- Nomi Morris – Journalist talk
- Joan Nicholson – Poetry workshop
- Ojai Valley Inn – Culinary workshop
- Sylvia Raz – Art workshop
- Kate Russell – Art workshop
- Bill Spellman – Theater tickets
- Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Whale’s Tail Deli – Santa Barbara - Dinner
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| Paula Spellman, Creator of Ripples |