A New and Exciting Place For Kids!

Today, I made a fascinating discovery. My new find isn't necessarily new by any means. It appears to have been around for quite some time.

I am not really sure why I haven't heard of this program before, or why the specifics aren't more widely known in our community.

I first heard about my new find through a dear friend who teaches cartooning at The Renzi Center.

Yes, that is my new find, The Renzi Education and Art Center. It is a program that has many offerings for students in grades 1-12.

From my friend, I learned all about how much fun he has teaching at the center and how wonderful the program, students and staff all are.

He brought over DVDs of some of his student's works that include several films that have been written and put together entirely by these students at the center with the guidance of their instructors.

The work is amazing. My eldest son, who happens to be 13, saw the films, and started asking how he could be a part of the next installment.

The advertisement for the Film Camp for this summer ran recently.

Today, I ran the application and the registration fee up to the school to make sure that Bregon would have a spot in the camp for this summer!

I had little trouble finding my way to The Renzi Center. I even figured out where to park!

I think it must have taken me all of five minutes from my driveway to theirs, even in after school traffic.

I had absolutely no idea what it would be like, just that my dear friend was super happy to be teaching there and that my son seriously wanted to find a way to be a part of this program.

As I walked up the stairs to the door, I heard music coming from inside. Then, I wandered into the front office where I met Amy for the first time.

Of course, I had heard a lot about her from my friend, but I never expected to feel so comfortable or so at home so quickly.

We chatted a bit about film camp, and how I was apparently the first to turn in my application or so it sounded.

Here I was all worried that we wouldn't be able to get a spot in the camp! The more we chatted, the more I discovered about the center program.

Amy gave me all of the after school program information as well, and I looked over it.

The children have two 25 minute academic classes and one 50 minute art class daily.

The after-school program meets Monday-Thursday and classes begin at 3:45 each day and last until 5:30.

The children that I met while in the office were all so excited and happy to be there. It just seems like the place my son would love to be as well.

Yep, you guessed it, I was hooked. I ended up signing up my eldest for classes at the center.

He will have missed the first 2 weeks, but he will get to go until the session ends which will be

May 15.

I could have stayed and talked with Amy forever, or so it seemed. Our kids are about the same age-range apart and appear that maybe, just maybe my baby girl and hers could become friends!

As I left the center, with my child signed up for everything that could be signed up for, I called him to surprise him with the news.

After last year's bad experience with a less than stimulating art teacher and class, I have high hopes that this might revive and renew his lost love of art.

Art used to be my child's favorite past time until that ill-fated class. But, I was to be super surprised when I called and told him that he was all signed up and ready to go.

Bregon became all sorts of excited, all but jumping up and down while on the phone with me!

When I got home, and showed him the paperwork, he became even more excited.

He is actually looking forward to the academic part of the program as well as the possibility of getting to have a class with our friend who teaches there.

I, too, am excited. The Renzi Center is a cheerful, happy place. Heck, I wish that I could go!

For all of those interested, please check it out! The website is HERE and the after school program is free.

The film camp is for grades 2-12 and cost $150 for the entire 3 week session which will be from 1-5 M-Friday and the website for that is HERE.

If you need more information, or would like a copy of the film camp application sent to you, please direct all inquiries to Amy by either phone (318) 222-1414, or email Renzi@shreve.net.