Memphis Parent - August 2021

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M E M P H I S PA R E N T.C O M

P L U S

MUSIC BOX

THE GRAND LIFE

SIGN TRIBE

OUTSTANDING TEACHER

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The Answer is YES! ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC SCHOOL

SIGN ON

Sign Tribe helps individuals communicate using sign language.

BACK TO SCHOOL

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OUTSIDE THE (MUSIC) BOX

The Ovando family’s school teaches music as a language.

By Jon W. Sparks

2100 North Germantown Parkway Cordova, TN 38016

901-388-7321 www.sfawolves.org 4

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

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SOUND THE BELL

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf helps children develop crucial skills.

By Abigail Morici

Tycho Collins embarks on his professional soccer journey.

By Samuel X. Cicci

DEPARTMENTS 8 901 FUN It’s fair and festival season!

OUR COVER KID Khoi shares a moment with family.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ZIGGY MACK SPECIAL THANKS: BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

27 OUTSTANDING TEACHER Celebrating unsung heroes

29 CALENDAR AND EVENTS Family-friendly fun all month long

28 DAD LIBS Hoping for a closer-tonormal school year

OUR STAFF

Enroll today!

18 rules to make the most of grandparenting.

By Jesse Davis

14 DEAR TEACHER What’s new in school?

Two-Year-Old Program Grades PK(3’s) through 8

THE GRAND LIFE

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By Risha Manga

5-7 PM

Do you want your child to receive an education that sets the foundation for success?

2021

Editor Shara Clark Art Director Bryan Rollins Advertising Art Director Christopher Myers Account Executive Michelle Musolf Production Operations Director Margie Neal Calendar Editor Julie Ray Social Media Coordinator Kalena Matthews Editorial Intern Risha Manga

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Memphis Parent strives to provide information of value to all who are invested in our children’s future.

Memphis Parent is published by Contemporary Media, Inc. CEO Anna Traverse Fogle Director of Business Development Jeffrey A. Goldberg Special Projects Director Molly Willmott Controller Lynn Sparagowski Digital Services Director Kristin Pawlowski P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 p: 901.521.9000 • f: 901.521.0129 Send advertising queries to: margie@memphisparent.com

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E D I T O R ’ S

N O T E

A FRESH START We hope everyone had a wonderful summer filled with lots of family fun! As the season winds down, it’s time to get ready for the kids to hit the books. After a less-than-normal 2020-21 school year with remote learning and COVID restrictions, children and parents alike are looking forward to a new chapter. Here’s to a fresh start and a great return for all!

In this edition of Memphis Parent, we’ve embraced an educational theme.

Within these pages, you’ll find stories on some of the stellar learning institutions in our area. Beginning with “Sign On” (page 10), our student intern Risha Manga shares the story of Sign Tribe and its founder Dr. Luanne Sailors, whose unique perspective as a child of deaf adults led her to create a program to help individuals learn to communicate with others via sign language.

In “Outside the (Music) Box” (page 16), Jesse Davis dives into Alex and Yelena Ovando’s mom-and-pop music school, which goes beyond traditional music lessons and teaches children music as a language. On page 18, Abigail Morici takes a look at Memphis Oral School for the Deaf in “Sound the Bell.” The organization’s programs help with developing children’s listening and spoken-language skills.

We’ve injected a bit of humor in this issue as well with 18 rules to make the most of grandparenting (“The Grand Life,” page 22), written by Jon W. Sparks, a seasoned, but still-learning Abuelito whose grandkids may or may not have him wrapped around their fingers. We’re betting some of you grands out there can relate.

In the “something to look forward to” department, check out our events listings,

beginning on page 29. It’s fair and festival season! From the Delta Fair to CooperYoung Fest, the Mid-South Fair to Latin Fest (and more!), there’s a lot to be excited about. Mark your calendars now and plan to get the family out for fair food, carnival rides, and community fun.

We’ll see you back here in print in October. In the meantime, be sure to visit memphisparent.com for more stories and comprehensive family-friendly events listings you won’t find anywhere else.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I hear the school bell ringing — better get to class!

Take care,

Shara Clark

Editor

Early Childhood Coffee & Conversation: Nov. 4, 9:30am • 901.842.4600 • pdsmemphis.org 6

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# 901F U N

AUGUST 6

FRIDAY

Soulin’ on the River: J. Buck Mud Island River Park (125 N. Front) hosts this event on August 6th at 6 p.m.

Features music, food trucks, and more.

Free. memphisriverparks.org.

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WEDNESDAY

Elvis Week Head over to Graceland (3734 Elvis Presley) between August 11th and August 17th for an amazing lineup of events celebrating the music, movies, and legacy of the King of Rock-and-Roll. Highlights include a 50th-anniversary concert, Blue Hawaii Luau, Ultimate ETA contests and concerts, tours, first-time experiences, and more. Visit the website for more information and schedule of events. graceland.com. 332-3322.

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SATURDAY

Magic Carpet Ride’s Nutcracker in a Nutshell Participants ages 2 and up will be transported through the wonder of their imaginations to Tchaikovsky’s magical Land of Sweets as part of the Nutcracker at Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School (60 Perkins Ext.), 10 a.m. on August 14th.

With the help of the Buckman Dance Conservatory, children will explore ballet and this holiday classic with interactive storytelling and creative movement.

Pay what you can. Donations accepted. buckmanartscenter.com. 537-1483.

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SATURDAY

Paw Prints House PAWty Benefiting the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County, this online event (from memphishumane.org) runs 3 to 5 p.m. on August 21st. Choose meal options from Pete & Sam’s, Ecco,

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It’s fair and festival season in the Mid-South!

or Restaurant Iris. Tickets include a party pack filled with supplies to help participants host a dinner party with friends and family. Connect online to get local goods from the silent auction. $50$120. memphishumane.org.

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SATURDAY

World Championship Hot Wing Contest & Festival Love hot wings? Gather at Liberty Bowl Stadium (940 Early Maxwell) between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on August 28th to sample wings from more than 70 competition teams who will be vying for the hot wing world championship. Benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. $15. worldwingfest.com.

SEPTEMBER 3

FRIDAY

Delta Fair & Music Festival September 3rd through September 12th.

Features carnival rides, fair food, live music, attractions, vendors, livestock shows, cooking contests, and more.

Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove. $10. deltafest.com.

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SATURDAY

Germantown Festival Germantown Civic Club (7747 Poplar Pike) hosts this community festival on Saturday, September 11th, 9:30 a.m.6 p.m., and Sunday, September 12th, noon-6 p.m. Features live entertainment, dachshund race, community displays, car exhibits, rides, games, festival food, local and regional arts and crafts, and kid’s activities. Free. germantownfest.com.

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SATURDAY

Cooper-Young Fest Cooper-Young Historic District hosts

its annual neighborhood festival from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on September 18th.

A celebration of the arts, people, culture, and Memphis heritage. Free. cooperyoungfestival.com.

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THURSDAY

Mid-South Fair The Landers Center in Southaven (4560 Venture Drive) brings back this annual event, September 23rd through October 3rd. Features a petting zoo, fair food, rides, attractions, exhibits, contests, and more. $10. midsouthfair.com. 662-280-9120.

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FRIDAY

Pink Palace Crafts Fair Features nearly 150 artists from around the country selling woodwork, leatherwork, pottery, jewelry, paintings, sculpture, woven goods, and more.

Benefits MoSH, the Museum of Science & History. $10. Audubon Park, 751 Cherry. Friday, September 24th, through Sunday, September 26th, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. memphismuseums.org. 636-2362.

Bartlett Festival, BBQ Contest, and Car Show Features live music, carnival, vendors, and Judge Freeman Marr 5K. Held at W.J. Freeman Park, 2629 Bartlett. Friday, September 24th, 6-9:30 p.m., and Saturday, September 25th, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Free. cityofbartlett.com.

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SATURDAY

Latin Fest This event in Overton Square (2101 Madison) kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with a family-oriented festival featuring live Latin music, Latin food and drinks, crafts for kids, vendors, and fun.

Saturday-Sunday, September 25th-26th, noon-6 p.m. Free. cazateatro.org.

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F E AT U R E

By Risha Manga

SIGN ON

Sign Tribe aims to help individuals communicate using sign language.

Do you know someone who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, or someone with a special need who is struggling to communicate?

American Sign Language (ASL) can help these individuals communicate independently. ASL is a complete visual spatial language that includes hand movements, facial expressions, and body language. It also has its own grammar and semantics.

As a child of deaf adults (CODA), growing up with deaf parents, Dr. Luanne Sailors learned ASL as her first language, which was a strong influence on her founding Sign Tribe. When she was born, Sailors’ parents would communicate with her in sign language, and she learned to sign back as a 6-month-old baby. “I don’t remember the first word I spoke, but the first word I signed was ‘milk,’” she recollects. “Growing up with both parents being deaf wasn’t always easy.”

A CODA grows up in two worlds — first being the deaf world with their family, and the other being the hearing world — and this puts them in a unique position, with a foot in two cultures. Sailors grew up noticing examples of poor accessibility and communication, or a lack of effort from the hearing world. She was 10

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DR. LUANNE SAILORS SIGNING “I LOVE YOU”

often utilized as a communication bridge between her parents’ deaf world and the larger community’s hearing world.

“It was challenging, and you grow up fast that way,” Sailors says. “Growing up, I felt like my life was normal until I got to first, second grade. Then, I started realizing that other people had parents who could hear.” Her experiences fueled her passion to help adults and children communicate better at home, at school, or anywhere in the community. “My passion in life became working in the field of special education, and that, combined with my knowledge of ASL, was the beginning of Sign Tribe,” she says. “You’d be surprised that families where either kids are deaf or parents are deaf, a lot of times families don’t learn sign language to communicate with each other.”

BENEFITS OF LEARNING ASL Sailors’ goal is to help adults communicate better with their children who face difficulties related to a disability — seemingly easy everyday communication can be challenging to an individual trying to communicate the same way to a person with a disability. “Learning sign language will provide them with other options on communicating; they can communicate their basic wants and needs,” she says.

Some individuals on the autism spectrum lack the ability to convey verbally, which leads to frustration and behavioral issues. With an aim to modify behaviors while also helping students communicate, Sailors integrates rewards along with teaching specific signs or gestures. She provides consistent micro-lessons, and with time, achieves

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Continued from page 10 the results she is hoping for. Sailors says, “What makes me feel humbled is that many families have reached out to me to share that they have experienced less frustration with their children because they now have communication options.”

According to Sailors, there are three main benefits of learning sign language for special-needs individuals — bridging communication gaps, building self confidence, and building independence. “Being able to communicate basic wants and needs independently and finding what’s right for the individual also helps to build confidence while bridging the communication gap,” she says.

Sailors uses a communication strategy paired with sign language, called a communication picture system. An adult or child with autism is taught to communicate their request or thought to another person by giving them a picture of that item. This reduces tantrums, as a person with access to these communication cards along with sign language can easily convey their needs.

WISDOM WEDNESDAY Sailors posts weekly quizzes, called Wisdom Wednesday, on her Instagram stories for her followers. One of Sailors’ students’ parents, E. Kunke, says, “Dr. Luanne engages well with our girls during the workshops and throughout her social media presence. We all love Wisdom Wednesday! Our girls have enjoyed learning ASL and communicating to others using sign language.”

Sign Tribe works with adults, parents, and children who range in ages from elementary to high school. Sailors is also a licensed teacher in Tennessee in the following disciplines — special education, general education, English language learners, and deaf education. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Memphis.

She devoted her time to research and learn more about students with special needs and used this experience and personal knowledge to develop Sign Tribe.

For more information on Sign Tribe, visit sign-tribe.com. You can also find Dr. Luanne Sailors on Instagram: @drluannesailors.

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D E A R

T E A C H E R

By Marge Eberts and Peggy Gisler

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CL ASSROOMS THIS YEAR? Parents: There are a lot of unknowns about how your children’s classes will look when they return to them this fall. It is expected that most schools at all levels will have students back in person in the physical classroom. However, many schools will also have a virtual option for families whose children have immune disorders or other problems. It is expected that most virtual learning, especially at the elementary level, will be done by a fully virtual teacher rather than a classroom teacher. Furthermore, children who are exposed to COVID and need to quarantine may still need access to online learning to keep up with their peers.

We advise parents to keep up-to-date with

what is happening in their local schools. It could vary widely from district to district. No matter what your children’s schools will look like, it is clear, according to experts, that most will not have learned what they would have learned without the disruption of the pandemic. This is especially true for those children who have a special education diagnosis. Many were not able to receive the accommodations that they were entitled to on their Individual Education Plans (IEP).

It is crucial this year for parents to attend Back to School Nights to learn firsthand how their children’s teachers are planning on handling any learning deficiencies their children may have

suffered. There has been a wide variance in how much students have learned in online programs.

Teachers are potentially in the dark about what their students learned last year because of the lack of standardized testing data. For all of these reasons, you need to hear directly from the teachers about what their curriculum will look like for your children and how they plan to close any learning deficiencies.

There are two things that can help you see where your elementary and middle-school children currently are academically. One is to determine their reading level. The San Diego Quick Assessment test will quickly provide you with this information. You can find it online and on the dearteacher.com website. Two, you will find it to be helpful to know what your children should have learned last year in most of their subjects. It is easy to find this information. Just go to your state’s education department website.

Type in curriculum or content standards and the grade you are looking for.

Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com or to the Dear Teacher website. ©Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2021

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F E AT U R E

OUTSIDE THE

(MUSIC)

BOX Alex and Yelena Ovando’s mom-and-pop music school teaches music as a language.

When it was time to enroll their two children in a music education program, Alex and Yelena Ovando found themselves thinking outside the box. They were on the hunt for the Goldilocks of music education — not too strict to be fun, but still rigorous enough to teach the basics of music theory. They wanted something that would teach the kids to read music, but not at the expense of learning to improvise. When they couldn’t find that “just right” music program, the Ovandos decided to make their own.

“We’re literally a mom-and-pop shop,” Yelena says. “Alex and I are a husbandand-wife duo.” And what’s more — the idea for Music Box originated with the kids, Marco and Sofia. “What I’ve learned early on in my career is that you should always involve the folks that you serve into the journey, into the ‘making of’ process. Our kids are guinea pigs for ev-er-y-thing,” Yelena says. “We were 16

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watching The Greatest Showman, and the kids were like, ‘You should open your own music school.’ And we were like, ‘Riiiight.’”

But the idea stuck with them, and before long, Alex and Yelena were planning their very own music school.

They took a year to do research and plan. They designed their logo, business model, and curriculum, found a location for the school, and got to work. Music

Box opened in Germantown — about six months before the coronavirus pandemic.

The Ovandos wouldn’t let that stop them though. So, just half a year into its journey, Music Box pivoted to a remote learning model. “We didn’t know how we could help,” Yelena remembers. “We decided we should keep going. We made sure that all of our educators were taken

By Jesse Davis care of. We took instruments to their homes.”

Now the instructors and the students are back in the school, in oneon-one, group, and band-style lessons and performance opportunities. “We had all of our showcases and masterclasses online, but now we’re back in the building, which feels great!”

But how to describe the Music Box curriculum? “We teach music as a language,” Yelena explains. “We’re a trilingual family. I am from Russia, my husband is Guatemalan, and the kids are just confused half of the time. They speak three languages. They think everybody else is that way.

“We know a little bit about how to learn other languages, so we apply that same concept to music.” Yelena says parents of young children often ask if they should wait until their child is older to begin music lessons.

But, she says, “We always say ‘Well, when did you start talking to your child?’” Music has rules, yes, but there are patterns based on those rules — patterns a child can begin to intuit if they are surrounded THE OVAND OS by music from an early age.

“This is our approach,” she explains.

“When a kid is talking, they make mistakes. They are not saying things right, but you embrace those. There are no wrong notes. Don’t be intimidated.”

Yelena invokes bassist Victor Wooten as she explains, saying that one should never lose the groove to find the right note. In this way, the instructors at Music Box create a non-judgemental environment, where students can make mistakes without fear.

That’s not all the instructors at Music Box do to meet students where their interests lie.

“The first question we always

ask is, ‘What kind of music are you into?’” Yelena says. “You can learn how to speak ‘music’ as well on ‘Old Town Road’ or ‘Baby Shark’ just as well as you would on ‘Moonlight Sonata.’” So, for piano, guitar, bass, drums, and voice, they teach students to play (or sing) along with backing tracks — in a wide variety of styles and genres. That way the student can internalize what it feels like to play in sync with other music.

They incorporate an app, video, and recordings — technology is part of the process, too, making Music Box a truly 21st century-style learning experience.

They’ve taken the things they learned from remote teaching and incorporated those elements into the lessons.

Yelena says that all of the things taught at Music Box — how to read music, improvise, play with others, and more — are designed to help create wellrounded, confident individuals. They’re not setting out to create Mozarts or Jimi Hendrixes, but they do hope students will have more confidence to go along with a well-developed skill.

Maybe it will even yield other benefits.

“I went to college on a full scholarship because I knew how to play piano,” Yelena says.

In the end, though, it’s about cultivating a love of music, a goal borne out by their business model. “To this day we don’t have a contract,” she says. “They take lessons for as long as they love it.

“We come from an honest place.

We really want to make a difference,” Yelena says of the Ovando family business. “We come home exhausted, but we come home happy and accomplished.”

Music Box is located at 7516 Capital Dr., Germantown. For more info, visit musicboxinc.com.

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By Abigail Morici

F E AT U R E

SOUND THE BELL Memphis Oral School for the Deaf helps children develop crucial skills.

In Shelby County, one in four infants who fail their newborn hearing screening do not complete their follow-up testing. “We could’ve very easily been one of those statistics,” says Lauren Hays, executive director of Memphis Oral School for the Deaf (MOSD). “It was just one of those mama intuitions, so we went back and are glad we did. A lot of parents share similar stories.”

Hays gave birth to twin boys August and Landon in 2014, and Landon failed his newborn hearing screening. “My biggest fear as a parent was that they would not be able to communicate with each other,” Hays says. “For my family, our choice was listening and spoken language, so he could talk to his brother.” So at 3 months, Landon was fitted for hearing aids and enrolled in Sound Beginnings at MOSD for weekly sessions with Katie McLeod, an auditory-verbal therapist with certification as a listening and spoken-language specialist. Hays would bring both brothers in, pulling them in a wagon since she couldn’t carry them both. Hays and McLeod now smile at the memory as Landon is about to start first grade having completed the programs at MOSD. MOSD offers three programs for each 18

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stage in a child’s development of listening and spoken-language skills — Sound Beginnings, Sound Transitions, and Preschool — all of which implement evidence-based practices and research. Hays says, “Our goal is that by the time they leave us when they go to kindergarten, they can go to their local district kindergarten programs in a typical classroom, talking like their hearing peers.”

MOSD’s Sound Beginnings is the only program in the area that serves children with hearing loss under the age of 2. The youngest infants they’ve seen have been 6 weeks old. “A child’s brain can really only accept and learn spoken language until they are 6,” Hays says. “We have such a small window before that auditory nerve starts to not be as reliable to learn spoken language. We want to make sure we get

them in as soon as possible.”

While their Sound Transitions and preschool are focused on listening and spoken language and do not teach sign language, Sound Beginnings welcomes families who are still learning about different communication options and might be exploring manual options. “We want to make sure that they have a smooth transition into whatever communication method they choose,” says McLeod.

“There’s no right or wrong [choice],” Hays adds. “It really comes down to what the family is most proficient at in the home setting because a child is only as successful as what they’re exposed to with their families, friendships, and communities.” As such, MOSD collaborates with other Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) programs, as well as professionals with different educational philosophies, so parents can know and understand all their options and resources. “It’s a journey,” says Hays, “so we want to make sure we provide them with all the resources they may need.”

“And sometimes that path can change,” McLeod continues. “Parents may have one goal in mind, and we begin working with a family, and they decide as a family to make a different decision. We are there to support them fully with that decision. It’s not like you make this decision at 6 weeks, and it’s not flexible. We are here to support that entire process.”

What’s more important to McLeod and Hays is early identification and intervention, especially through the newborn hearing screening. Still, even if a newborn passes their hearing screening, they can develop progressive hearing loss. One of the causes for this can be congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), which impacts about one in every 200 babies. Not all newborns with CMV will have hearing loss, but CMV is the number-one non-genetic cause of hearing loss. “It may be the greatest reason for hearing loss at our school,” says McLeod. McLeod also says that Methodist hospitals are now screening all newborns for CMV. Other factors that might lead to progressive hearing loss include a family history of hearing loss, a NICU stay, and chemotherapy. “Trust your intuition,”

Every day, we strive to build better men for tomorrow.

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McLeod says. “If your child’s listening and language are not progressing as you’d expect, bring it up to your pediatrician.”

Parents can also reach out to MOSD for help with getting a referral.

In addition to its programs, the school offers a clinic for outside therapy clients and adult patients. (Children in the outside clinic do not need a diagnosis of hearing loss.) This coming school year, the school will also offer PEP (Parents Empowering Preschoolers) Talk, a monthly support group for parents to discuss different topics and mingle. “Ultimately, parents are the teachers,” Hays says. “We try to empower them before they leave us, so they can continue advocating for their child.”

Alyssa Washofer, one of MOSD’s 2-year-old teachers, will lead the new support group and offer her own insights as someone who has overcome hearing loss and developed impeccable spokenlanguage skills. “It’s important for us to have our professionals step up and share their own experiences and knowledge,” Hays says. “Our staff members understand that struggle during the hearing loss journey.”

The cost to educate each child is $50,000 a year per child, so MOSD, as a small nonprofit, relies on community support to continue providing the quality of care and education for these infants and toddlers. “People in the community may say, ‘I don’t have any personal experience with hearing loss. Why does it impact me?

Why should I become invested in this organization?’” Hays says. “The truth is that our students are coming back [to Memphis] as alumni, as adults, as teachers, as doctors.

There are long-term investments to be made in the lives of these kids.”

Once COVID-restrictions allow, the school will be giving tours and will be open to volunteers. For more information or to donate, visit mosdkids.org or follow the school on Instagram and Facebook.

Where every child belongs

Coed | Age 2 - Grade 8 | Midtown Memphis Apply today at www.gslschool.org MEM PH I SPA R ENT.COM

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F E AT U R E

By Jon W. Sparks

18 rules to make the most of grandparenting.

1.

When I first learned I was going to become a grandfather, I made a plan. I would be the wise but amusing counselor and confidant, teaching the finer points of life and culture. I was quickly reminded of what happens to people who make plans.

2. So, Plan B was to be actually useful by being able to whip up six ounces of formula in a quick minute and (uncomplainingly) learn how to change a diaper with high efficiency.

Having done this with the children a few years previously, I excelled in this department.

3. Despite achieving a high level of proficiency at these basics, I still upped the ante by playing Mozart and Mingus. It was the least I could do toward making Plan A come about.

At least I enjoyed it, and hoped that maybe the baby would pick up on diatonic harmonies and understand that strict notation is not always necessary for great music.

4. I quickly learned the finer points of car seats, the most important aspect of which was to get my son to make sure they are correctly installed. As the daddy, he would find a YouTube video of a no-nonsense policeman demonstrating the proper way to get the seat tightly secured. So that’s how it got done.

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I have learned things as a grandparent and feel ready to share my wisdom. My qualifications are Alice (age 7) and Aggie (fast approaching 8 months), who have been my patient instructors. Here are 18 things I found to be true.

5. If you do it that well, however, you can never unattach the seat. Just sell the car.

6. The most important quality a grandfather can have is to be married to (or be in an amicable relationship with) the grandmother. Whatever he thinks he knows, she knows more.

7. The correct response to anything she says is either “Yes, dear” or “I’ll do it.”

Remember that ensuring “domestic tranquility” is in the United States Constitution.

8. Similarly, if the grandchild wants you to sit uncomfortably on the floor, talk to a doll and/or a unicorn in the next chair and participate in a tea party, always answer in the affirmative.

These are moments to be seized and remembered, despite the backache.

9. If she has dug into some old DVDs and decided she really, really wants to watch Caillou or Barney & Friends, go along with it. You should do some suffering for not being prepared.

And then be ready the next time to show her something from YouTube for children. There are about 3,010,000,000 possibilities, or so says Google. But remember that if you let them hear Baby Shark even once, you’ll be singing “doo doo doo doo doo doo” for a very long time.

10. One of the first things an infant does is to use her hands to grab

11.

12.

13.

14.

things. Being able to hold her bottle is important, but going after your beard is the big recreational pastime.

If having your beard tugged hard is going to be a problem, reconsider your desire to be a wonderful grandfather.

You don’t get to choose what you are called. I put in early for Paterfamilias, but was instead assigned Abuelito.

The other grandfather got Papaw.

We couldn’t be happier. If what you are called matters too much, you’re missing the point. It’s more important to be called often.

Unless they get past the adorable stage and start calling you Hey. Or Old Man. Then you should have a talk.

And a separate discussion with the parents.

Reading a story at bedtime means reading with them more than reading to them. Bring them into the tale, discuss the words, have fun. It will last.

The other side of reading is listening.

Even when she doesn’t know too many words. If you’re driving around and she’s in the back seat freeassociating about all the trees and colors and trucks and people and buildings, don’t turn up the radio, even if it’s Mingus. Listen to what’s in her world. Also, hilarity will ensue. I once heard her declare I’d build her a house in a tree that we passed going

M E M PH I SPA R ENT.COM 23

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18.

down Walnut Grove Road. Still waiting for lumber prices to go down.

When you’re invited to the elementary school’s grandparent’s day, you are required to go. It’ll be nice to meet the teachers and check out the library.

But you must also eat a meal in the cafeteria. Resist the impulse to say the food was better back in your day.

It probably wasn’t, but attitude is important here. Your little one is proud that you’re there and wants you to meet all her friends and examine all the projects. Don’t give an unwelcome lesson in snark. There’s enough in the world already.

When you’re in a store where they want all of everything, don’t be that grandparent and get them everything.

Do what the parents do and tell them they can choose one piece of candy, or one toy. They will still love you.

If you’re taking the family to Erling Jensen’s restaurant, leave the infant at home. Don’t forget to get a babysitter.

The sweetest baby will be a terror just when the Seared La Belle Farm Foie Gras is brought to the table. The people in adjacent tables will stare frostily even as your group tries to help with holding, feeding, saying coochiecoo. Do not try to placate the tiny one with the foie gras.

If you have grandchildren learning at home, get with the program. As we discovered in the last academic year, the principal job of the grown-up in the room is to reboot the tablet when needed and otherwise make sure the tech is working. Should you be monitoring a first-grader and they are doing Common Core math, do not attempt to help them unless you actually know something. “Well, you add these numbers,” I once explained with great obviousness, “and then you carry the one.” Alice looked at me patiently and said, “Abuelito, we don’t carry the one.” I stepped back and she worked it out. But it did make me want to say, “Consarn it! Why, in my day, we could carry any number that we had to!” But I didn’t. I just retreated and put on Mozart.

F E AT U R E

By Samuel X. Cicci

PHOTO COURTESY MEMPHIS 901 FC

PRACTICE MAKES

Tycho Collins embarks on his professional soccer journey as 901 FC’s first academy player.

Near the end of an important match against Indy Eleven earlier this season, Memphis 901 FC head coach Ben Pirmann quickly motioned to his bench. Up trotted a player with a jersey bearing the number 17, readying himself for a tough battle before the final whistle blew.

There were no nerves or jitters in the young silhouette, just cool composure and confidence. For seasoned pros, a lategame substitution might feel routine. But for 19-year-old 901 FC academy player Tycho Collins, that substitution marked the beginning of a budding professional soccer career.

During the summer, Memphis officially unveiled Collins as the franchise’s first-ever academy signing. The player had spent the entire preseason with the squad,

and signed a contract with the team in May. As an academy player, he’s able to gain experience at the professional level, all while maintaining college eligibility should he choose to pursue that path.

At the time, sporting director Tim Howard said the signing highlighted the club’s intent to create a professional pathway for local talent. And despite joining a high-level team at such a young age, Collins has stayed grounded. “The experience has been great,” he says. “I’m just focused

PERFECT

on this season, trying to do my best in training and improving as much as I can.”

The work that Collins has shown in practice alongside fellow academy players Max Talley, Matt Brucker, and Simeon Betapudi has impressed Pirmann. “They’re taking major steps forward,” he says.

“There are some natural physical limitations at first, but so far they’ve been excellent and are really pushing the group.”

While a jump from youth to professional leagues can be tough for some athletes, Collins has been challenging himself all his life. Born in Shanghai, he started kicking a ball when he was 5 years old.

With readily apparent skills, he joined up with academy squads for two of the city’s biggest club teams, Shanghai SIPG [now Shanghai Port F.C.] and Shanghai Shenhua. But a move to Memphis in middle school saw him take his talents to Houston Middle School in Germantown. “It wasn’t a hard adjustment,” says Collins. “My dad’s American, so I already spoke English.”

That adaptability served him well as he continued to explore opportunities both at home and abroad, training with teams overseas in England, the Netherlands, and back in China. One of his fondest memories is of a two-week trial with Chelsea, one of the English Premier League’s foremost clubs. “I spent two weeks there training with the U-16 team,” he recalls. “I actually got to train with Callum Hudson-Odoi [now one of Chelsea’s first-team players]. I knew it was going to be tough since I didn’t have European citizenship, but I embraced each of the experiences. It’s important to go out there, give everything you have, and be willing to learn.”

Before his current stop in Memphis, Collins graduated from high school in Boca Raton, Florida, before a six-month stint with the youth team for Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo. The pandemic in March 2020 meant that Houston had to shutter its academy team, but that gave Collins a chance to regroup and come back to his first American hometown.

So far, his time in Bluff City has been fruitful. His teammates have been welcoming, and he’s had a chance to work closely with coaches Pirmann and Devin Rensing. “Everyone’s really friendly, but they MEM PH I SPA R ENT.COM 2 5

Continued from page 25

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A U G U S T 2 0 22 11

push you to become better, too,” he says.

“Roland Lamah and Leston Paul especially, they’ll pull you aside in training and tell you specific things they see that you should work on, and how you can improve as a player.”

And Collins is clearly listening to all the feedback, enough so that Pirmann decided the teenager was ready to take to the pitch during the end of a tight away game against Indy Eleven on June 5th. For the time he was on the field, Memphis held a slender 2-1 lead over its rivals. Indy cranked up the pressure, its fans screaming, flares going off from the stands, and brightly colored smoke billowing onto the field and obscuring everyone’s vision around Memphis’ goal. Not the most welcoming environment, but Collins got right to work.

“I want to say I was nervous,” he laughs, “but I was just ready to go. It was a crazy feeling. It was my dream come true. When you step out there, the fans are cheering, yelling. It was near the end of the game, everything on the line, and it was amazing.”

With plenty ahead of him, Collins is still putting the work first. When talking about one of his favorite players, Cristiano Ronaldo, he focuses on more than just style of play. “It’s his mindset and his mentality, how he approaches training and games,” he says. “Everything he does is focused on how he can improve. He always wants to win.”

The first professional appearance is just the start, but that firm mentality will be key going forward. There are hurdles aplenty for young players, but Collins is taking them one at a time. “I’m not sure what the future holds, but I’m focused on this season, doing my best, and getting better all the time.”

O U T S TA N D I N G

T E A C H E R

AMANDA BOMPREZZI

Amanda Bomprezzi has been teaching third grade for the past seven years at Bon Lin Elementary School. She has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Memphis.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE Amanda Bomprezzi is thankful to her former teachers and her mother, for helping to hone her love for reading and providing her emotional support during stressful periods of life. And she reminisces about them often. “I have four special ladies to thank for helping me to discover my love of teaching,” she says. “Kim Wiggins, Carol Lane, Judy Marston, and my mom, Sheila Bomprezzi.”

Growing up, Bomprezzi’s mom worked at the family’s church’s Mother’s Day Out program every summer. When she was old enough to have a job, one of her first was teaching at Mother’s Day Out. It was there that she discovered her love for working with children. Her mom showed her the value of working hard for something she

is passionate about, and now she teaches in the same school as her mom, Bon Lin Elementary.

Bomprezzi’s fifth-grade teacher had a huge impact on her career choice as well, and also on her style of teaching. “She [Carol Lane] is my role model for how a teacher should encourage her students and be emotionally available for them in their everyday lives,” she says. And she hopes that her own students will remember her for years to come. “Once my student, always my kid. My hope is that years from now, when my students look back on their time with me, they will remember how much I cared about them.”

“TAKE CHANCES …”

“Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”

Ms. Frizzle’s [a character from The Magic School

by Risha Manga Bus book series] catch phrase sums up Bomprezzi’s teaching style.

“Many times, kids think they don’t know how to do something, when in reality, they are simply lacking the confidence to try,” she says. “I want my classroom to be a place where they can take chances without fear of failure. I also make sure my students know that everyone makes mistakes — even teachers!” And she always encourages her students to try new things. “Sometimes skills are going to be hard; however, if students don’t take chances, how will they ever experience success?”

Bomprezzi believes in hands-on learning and its ability to make lasting impressions. “In my classroom, we get messy! Whether it’s making solar ovens for s’mores to talk about conducting heat, using Cheez-Its to build arrays for multiplication, or watching as caterpillars transform into butterflies, I believe doing hands-on activities makes learning not only fun, but memorable.”

Bomprezzi cherishes the relationships she makes with her students and loves to discover fun things about their personalities. She believes in the need for stability and consistency in her students’ lives. “I strive to be an adult in each student’s life that they can depend on to be consistent,” she says. “Consistent in encouraging them to learn new skills. Consistent in challenging them to give their best effort each day.

Consistent in being someone they can be silly with. Consistent in being a ‘safe place’ to share their worries. And most importantly, consistent in showing them that they are loved like they are my own.”

In addition, Bomprezzi believes that the academic, social, and emotional skills that her students learn will have a direct impact on the future of tomorrow. “My effort toward helping students grow academically, socially, and emotionally will hopefully positively impact each of their futures,” she says.

Bomprezzi’s students motivate her to be her best, and she always encourages them to be respectful. “I encourage my students to treat each other with kindness and respect,” she says. “Each year, we brainstorm what a kind and respectful classroom looks like and write a class kindness pledge that we promise to honor throughout the year.”

We want to shine a light on your child’s teacher, or even a teacher who made a difference in your life.

Submit your nomination today by emailing teacher@memphisparent.com.

M E M PH I SPA R ENT.COM 27

D A D

L I B S

By Jeff Hulett

BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO NORMAL

This dad hopes for a closer-tonormal school year.

It was September 2020, and my kids were headed back to in-person learning at Midtown Montessori School for the first time in what felt like forever. As someone who works from home, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. While I love having my family around, peace and quiet on the home front was palpable and welcomed for my work productivity.

My girls, Ella and Bea, and my wife Annie, who teaches primary education ages 3 to 6 at MMS, had just completed nearly seven months together in our house with no real breaks. That’s four online Zoom meetings happening concurrently every day with only so much space to utilize. Not to mention emotional bandwidth, in addition to internet bandwidth.

Sometimes it felt like the walls were closing in.

Let’s just say, I know I can get on their nerves. So it goes, my girls went back to school with a whole litany of new and unusual protocols to follow. They included daily temperature checks to be taken before school, mask wearing at all times, no sharing of food or snacks, social

distancing, etc. Montessori education is a practice, and many of the traditional Montessori standards had to be shelved for safety reasons. Children adapt quickly, and it is something that should be appreciated and celebrated. I think we can all learn from the young people living through an unprecedented event like the COVID-19 global pandemic.

You name it; the school was prepared to keep our kids safe. For that I’m grateful, but I am so looking forward to normal. Normal drop-off, normal pick-up, normal, normal, normal. Normal never sounded so appealing. Personally, I’ve always kind of been obsessed with normal. Like when I go to the doctor and they take my blood pressure or when my

kids get their check-ups. Maybe that’s just what all parents do. Is that normal?

So as the summer nears an end and vacations get wrapped up, I look forward to a return to normal. Well, maybe not completely, but a normal that looks more normal than abnormal. And if safety protocols remain in place, I will be 100 percent behind the leaders of my kids’ school. After all, kids under 12 can’t be vaccinated quite yet. And until mine are, I’m going to follow any and all CDC recommendations so that my family can be and remain safe. And I hope grace will be shown and shared with the educators in our city, as this crisis is not over.

Let’s have a great school year!

Jeff Hulett is a freelance writer, musician, and PR consultant in Memphis. He lives in the Vollintine Evergreen neighborhood with his wife Annie, two girls Ella and Beatrice, and two dogs Chalupa and Princess Freckles.

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C A L E N DA R

By Julie Ray

HISTORY AROUND MEMPHIS POETRY SLAM SATURDAY, AUGUST 28TH ORPHEUM THEATRE, 200 S. MAIN, 7 P.M.

Be inspired by local poets as they collaborate in a performance designed to engage the entire community in the lead-up to Memphis performances of the revolutionary Broadway musical Hamilton.

FREE ORPHEUM-MEMPHIS.COM 3 • TUESDAY Prehistoric Plant Trail Party. Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry. 9 a.m.

Celebrate the new exhibit improvements and meet the intern responsible for the sign redesign and artwork. Enjoy lemonade, a dino-themed activity, and a special storytime. Free with garden admission. memphisbotanicgarden.com. 636-2362.

MPL Storytime at Wild Encounters Stage.

Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place in Overton Park. 1:30-3 p.m. Hear a story and meet some zoo animal friends. Free with zoo admission. memphislibrary.org.

6 • FRIDAY Soulin’ on the River: J. Buck. Mud Island River Park, 125 N. Front, 6 p.m. Features music, food trucks, and more. Free. memphisriverparks.org.

7 • SATURDAY Lightfoot Farm August Market. Lightfoot Farm, 7420 Ward, Millington, TN. 9 a.m.2 p.m. Enjoy the market, food trucks, and kids watermelon-eating contest on the farm. lightfootfarmtn.com.

11 • WEDNESDAY Elvis Week. Graceland, 3734 Elvis Presley.

Through August 17. An amazing lineup celebrating the music, movies, and legacy of the King of Rock-and-Roll. Highlights

include a 50th-anniversary concert, Blue Hawaii Luau, Ultimate ETA contests and concerts, tours, first-time experiences, and more. Visit the website for more information and schedule of events. graceland.com. 332-3322.

13 • FRIDAY Soulin’ on the River: Jordan Occasionally.

Mud Island River Park, 125 N. Front, 6 p.m. Features music, food trucks, and more. Free. memphisriverparks.org.

Memphis Made: Ghost Town Blues Band.

Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School, 60 Perkins Ext., 8 p.m. One of the Mid-South’s most acclaimed blues bands, Ghost Town’s Memphis-soaked sound is drenched with roots, funk, soul, New Orleans jazz, rock, and hip-hop infusions. Lauded for its dynamic live performance, this septet uses an unusual array of curious instruments. $20. 5371483. buckmanartscenter.com.

Now I Am Alone. Hattiloo Theatre, 37 S. Cooper. August 13-September 5. Performance written by William Shakespeare, conceived and performed

by Geoffrey Owens of stage and screen. hattiloo.org.

14 • SATURDAY Magic Carpet Ride’s Nutcracker in

a Nutshell. Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School, 60 Perkins Ext., 10 a.m. Participants ages 2 and up will be transported through the wonder of their imaginations to Tchaikovsky’s magical Land of Sweets as part of the Nutcracker.

With the help of the Buckman Dance Conservatory, children will explore ballet and this holiday classic with interactive storytelling and creative movement.

Pay what you can. Donations accepted. buckmanartscenter.com. 537-1483.

17 • TUESDAY MPL Story Time at Wild Encounters Stage. Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place in Overton Park. 1:30-3 p.m. Hear a story and meet some zoo animal friends. Free with zoo admission. memphislibrary.org.

20 • FRIDAY Amateur Night. Halloran Centre, 203 S. Main. A talent show of R&B to rap and comedy to dance — any form of talent.

The format is that of the Apollo Theater with the audience as the judge. Three-hour show featuring 15 acts. Prize money to the winner. $20. orpheum-memphis.com.

21 • SATURDAY Paw Prints House PAWty. Online from memphishumane.org, 3-5 p.m. Choose meal options from Pete & Sam’s, Ecco, or Restaurant Iris. Tickets include a

MEM PH I SPA R ENT.COM 29

C A L E N DA R party pack filled with supplies to help participants host a dinner party with friends and family. Connect online to get local goods from the silent auction. $50$120. memphishumane.org.

Full Moon Kayak. Mud Island Boat Ramp, Island Drive. 7-9 p.m. Paddle the Mississippi River at night. Free. mississippiriverparks.org.

26 • THURSDAY Whet Thursday. Metal Museum, 374 Metal Museum. 6-9 p.m. Features live music, a food truck, metalsmithing demonstrations, and a gallery talk. Free. metalmuseum.org.

27 • FRIDAY Hello, Dolly! Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Ext. Through September 19. In 1890s New York City, the bold, brassy, and enchanting widow Dolly Levi is a socialiteturned-matchmaker. Her “meddling” includes clients seeking assistance in love as she tries to cover up her own secret romantic designs on her own perfect match. theatrememphis.org. 682-8323.

28 • SATURDAY History Around Memphis Poetry Slam.

Orpheum Theatre, 200 S. Main.

7 p.m. Be inspired by local poets as they collaborate in a performance designed to engage the entire community in the lead-up to Memphis performances of the revolutionary Broadway musical Hamilton.

Free. orpheum-memphis.com.

World Championship Hot Wing Contest Festival. Liberty Bowl Stadium, 940 Early Maxwell. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sample wings from more than 70 competition teams who will be vying for the hot wing world championship, benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. $15. worldwingfest.com.

31 • TUESDAY MPL Story Time at Wild Encounters Stage. Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place in Overton Park. 1:30-3 p.m. Hear a story and meet some zoo animal friends. Free with zoo admission. memphislibrary.org.

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SEPTEMBER

3 • FRIDAY Delta Fair & Music Festival. Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove.

Through September 12. Features carnival rides, fair food, live music, attractions, vendors, livestock shows, cooking contests, and more. $10. deltafest.com.

9 • THURSDAY The Marvelous Wonderettes. Landers Center, 4650 Venture, Southaven, MS. Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 9-12. This smash off-Broadway hit takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom, where we meet Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy: four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts. $20. dftonline.org.

10 • FRIDAY Hummingbird Migration & Nature Celebration. Strawberry Plains Audubon Center, 285 Plains, Holly Springs, MS. Friday-Sunday, Sept. 10-12. Highlights include guest speakers, guided nature walks, live animal shows, and more. $16. strawberry.audubon.org.

11 • SATURDAY Germantown Festival. Germantown Civic Club, 7747 Poplar Pike. Saturday, Sept. 11, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 12, noon-6 p.m. Features live entertainment, dachshund race, community displays, car exhibits, rides, games, festival food, local and regional arts and crafts, and kid’s activities. Free. germantownfest.com.

Lightfoot Farm August Market. Lightfoot Farm, 7420 Ward, Millington, TN. 9 a.m.2 p.m. Enjoy the market, food trucks, and kids watermelon eating-contest on the farm. Free. lightfootfarmtn.com.

Building Seminar for Scarecrow Building Contest and Exhibit. Lichterman Nature Center, 5992 Quince. 10 a.m. Get tips on how to create a scarecrow for the center’s seasonal exhibition. Judging on Sept.

30. Scarecrows will be on display from Oct. 1-Nov. 19. $30 contest entry fee. memphismuseums.org. 636-2362.

18 • SATURDAY Cooper-Young Fest. Cooper-Young Historic District, Cooper and Young.

9 a.m.-7 p.m. A celebration of the arts, people, culture, and Memphis heritage.

Free. cooperyoungfestival.com.

Full Moon Kayak. Mud Island Boat Ramp, Island Drive. 7-9 p.m. Paddle the Mississippi River at night. Free. memphisriverparks.org.

SneakFest Sneaker Expo. Agricenter, 7777 Walnut Grove. 1-6 p.m. Buy, sell, and trade your hottest sneakers and apparel.

Featuring vendors from around the United States selling sneakers, clothing, and accessories, live DJ, food trucks, and sneaker competition. $20. sneakfest.org.

23 • THURSDAY Mid-South Fair. The Landers Center.

4560 Venture Dr., Southaven, MS. Through October 3. Features a petting zoo, fair food, rides, attractions, exhibits, contests, and more. $10. midsouthfair.com.

662-280-9120.

24 • FRIDAY Pink Palace Crafts Fair. Audubon Park, 751 Cherry. Friday-Sunday, Sept. 2426, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Features nearly 150 artists from around the country selling woodwork, leatherwork, pottery, jewelry, paintings, sculpture, woven goods, and more. Benefits MoSH, the Museum of Science & History. $10. 636-2362. memphismuseums.org.

The Secret Garden. Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Ext. Through October 10. An orphan is sent from India to live in her distant family’s gloomy mansion on the desolate English moor. Once there, she discovers a sickly cousin who has never seen the light of day, a magical boy who can talk to the animals, a mysterious uncle haunted by the memory of his dead wife, and a long-forgotten secret garden hidden behind a locked door. theatrememphis.org.

682-8323.

Bartlett Festival, BBQ Contest, and Car Show. W.J. Freeman Park, 2629 Bartlett.

Friday, Sept. 24, 6-9:30 p.m., and

Saturday, Sept. 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Features live music, carnival, vendors, and Judge Freeman Marr 5K. cityofbartlett.com.

Free.

25 • SATURDAY Latin Fest. Overton Square, 2101 Madison.

Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 25-26, noon6 p.m. Kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with a family-oriented festival featuring live Latin music, Latin food and drinks, crafts for kids, vendors, and fun. Free. cazateatro.org.

National Public Land Day Hike. Reelfoot Lake State Park, Hwy. 21 East, Tiptonville, TN. 9 a.m. Join park staff at the visitor center for an interpretive hike on the boardwalk over the lake. tnstateparks.com.

Free.

O N G O I N G

E V E N T S

Museums & Exhibits

Graceland Exhibition Center. “Inside the Walt Disney Archives.” Through January 2, 2022. Exhibition celebrating the legacy of The Walt Disney Company archives.

Features behind-the-scenes access never before granted to the public. 332-3322. graceland.com.

Buckman Arts Center Ley Gallery. “After the Storm.” August 13-October 11.

Exhibition of acrylic paintings by Meghean Warner and pottery by Amy Hertz. buckmanartscenter.com. 537-1483.

Memphis Botanic Garden. “Escape to Water and Sky.” August 7-September 30.

Exhibition of realistic and impressionistic oil paintings by Ann Brown Thomason. memphisbotanicgarden.com. 636-4100.

The Dixon Gallery & Gardens. “Piece of Cake.” Through September 26.

Exhibition of confectious sculptures by Greely Myatt. dixon.org. 761-5250.

The Dixon Gallery & Gardens. “Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints, and Drawings.” Through October 3. Exhibition of oil paintings organized by The Crocker Art Museum. dixon.org. 761-5250.

Every HERO needs a mentor, every mentor

needs a GUIDE. memphisparent.com

MEM PH I SPA R ENT.COM

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C A L E N DA R Metal Museum. “Tributaries: Tiff Massey | Everyday Arsenal.” Through September 25. Exhibition of work inspired by African standards of economic vitality, includes both large-scale and wearable sculptures, music and performance. Massey counts the iconic material culture of 1980s hiphop as a major influence in her jewelry.

She uses contemporary observances of class and race through the lens of an African diaspora, combined with inspiration drawn from her experience in Detroit. metalmuseum.org. 774-6380.

Classes & Workshops

Outdoor Total Body Burn. Grind City Brewing Company, 76 Waterworks.

Thursdays, 6:15 p.m. A high-energy, fastpaced 30-minute workout that will require nothing but a little space and your own body. Bring some water, a mat, and a friend. $16. grindcitybrew.com.

Sunset Yoga. Fourth Bluff Park, 51 N. Front. Sundays, 4 p.m. Through October 3. Join instructor Bridget Sisney of Universoul Wellness. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Free. downtownmemphis.com.

Kaleidoscope Club. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park. Weekly on Wednesday, 4 p.m. Children ages 5-9 participate in projects that spark interest in horticulture, art, or literature. Free with registration. dixon.org. 761-5250.

-Ology. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park. Weekly on Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Provides youngsters ages 10-13 a chance to discover new interests and build on social, critical thinking, artmaking, and community skills. Every month follows a new theme from drawing to printmaking to gardening and more. Registration required. $5 members, $10 nonmembers. dixon.org.

761-5250.

Sprouts. Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park. Weekly on Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.

Children ages 12-24 months are invited to a program that focuses on building social and motor skills and encouraging creative 32

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play — and having a ton of fun. $8 per child. dixon.org. 761-5250.

Storytime

Mini Masters at Dixon Gallery & Gardens.

Every Tuesday, 10: 30 a.m., starting Sept.

7. Parent-child workshop designed for toddlers. Features storytime, art activity, and snack. $8/child. Call to pre-register and pre-pay by noon the day before class. dixon.org. 761-5250.

Morton Museum presents Toddler Storytime. Every Friday, 10:30 a.m. Hear a story, enjoy a snack, and work on a craft Free. colliervillemuseum.org.

Family-Friendly

Food Truck Friday. Dixon Gallery & Gardens. Every Friday through Sept. 24, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Features food trucks and lunch in the gardens. Zio Matto Gelato will also be onsite for a sweet treat to cool off in the gardens. dixon.org. 761-5250.

Birds of Prey Program. Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, Nature Center.

Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m. Meet some of Tennessee’s native birds of prey.

Registering guarantees a spot. Adding a donation helps provide food and care for the birds. Free with registration. tnstateparks.com. 876-5215.

Reptile Program. Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, Nature Center. Saturday and Sunday, 3:30 p.m. Meet some of Tennessee’s native reptiles. Register to guarantee a spot. Free. tnstateparks.com.

876-5215.

CUBA: Journey to The Heart of The Caribbean. CTI 3D Giant Theater at the Museum of Science and History (MoSH). Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.

Ongoing. Tells the powerful story of a land preserved in time, yet poised on the cusp of dramatic change. $8, kids. $10, adults. memphismuseums.org. 636-2362.

Dinosaurs Of Antarctica. CTI 3D Giant Theater at the Museum of Science and

History (MoSH). Wednesday-Saturday, noon. Ongoing. The backdrop of the story goes beyond the dinosaurs to showcase the powerful forces of geologic change over time. $8, kids. $10, adults. memphismuseums.org. 636-2362.

Great Barrier Reef. CTI 3D Giant Theater at the Museum of Science and History (MoSH). Wednesday-Sunday, 2:30 p.m.

Ongoing. Grab your mask and snorkel and come on an unforgettable adventure with majestic manta rays and sea turtles, witness the birth of baby seahorses, participate in a coral watch expedition, and discover the exotic splendor of fluorescent corals at night. $8, kids. $10, adults. memphismuseums.org. 636-2362.

Sea Lions: Life by a Whisker. CTI 3D Giant Theater at the Museum of Science and History (MoSH). Wednesday-Sunday, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. An inspiring tale about a colony of endangered Australian sea lions and the journey of one sea lion pup. $8, kids. $10, adults. memphismuseums.org.

636-2362.

Watermelon Festival. Priddy Farms, 4595 N. Germantown. Features a petting zoo, bounce houses, giant water slides, hayrides, train rides, watermelons, and more. Through August 15. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Free-$8. priddyfarms.net.

H2Oh! Splash Water Park. Children’s Museum of Memphis, 2525 Central. A garden-themed exhibit with 40+ sprayers including jet streams, mists, geysers, and water tunnels. Through September 5. Free with admission. cmom.com. 458-2678.

Discover the Greenway. Wolf River Greenway at Mud Island, Wolf River Greenway at Epping Way, and Kennedy Park. Saturdays through October 16.

Features Paddle the Greenway canoeing, Sweat the Greenway fitness classes, and Explore the Greenway nature hikes at various parks. Free. For the full schedule, visit wolfriver.org.

The best place for kids, 11 years in a row.

Once again, Le Bonheur has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals. This recognition exemplifies the commitment of our dedicated team to provide the compassionate, safe and the highest quality pediatric care to our patients and their families. It’s the kind of care that you will find only at Le Bonheur.

lebonheur.org