Sandcastles Children’s Museum receives grant for workshops. 

Sandcastles Children’s Museum was among the recipients of the funds.

Sandcastles Children’s Museum receives grant for workshops. 

LUDINGTON — Sandcastle Children’s Museum has been awarded a grant of $3,567 from the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The grant was awarded through the MCACA  peer review process and was one of 594 applications to compete for MCACA fiscal year 2022 funding.

Organizations receiving a MCACA grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. Sandcastles Children’s Museum receives significant financial and volunteer support from members of the community

The grant will pay for a STEAM Education Week, a series of workshops for children ages 8 – 12, during the Summer of 2022 at the museum  and will include five days of classes:

Science – EATS (Eating and Tasting Science) In this hands-on workshop, all of the labs (biology, chemistry, physics, earth science) will involve food and often art in some way, e.g., designing and building “functional” towers out of gumdrops and spaghetti or DNA models from other foods. Erika Fatura, teacher at Pentwater Public Schools, will teach science.

Technology – Tricks of Videography: Manipulating Speed participants will learn tricks videographers and editors use when they speed up, slow motion, and transition to trick the audience. They will video their experiments and, if time allows, learn simple video editing themselves. Rana Findling, Kalamazoo Public Schools, will teach technology.

Engineering – Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) Using various sizes of PVC pipe, participants will build an ROV for underwater exploration, working in teams to design the vehicle and figure out how to connect the remote box. Then they will test the designs and the vehicles in large, fairly deep black plastic pools. They will take the vehicles, equipped with cameras, to the marina to gain an understanding of the use of ROVs for deep sea exploration. Gary Reynolds, Underwater Technology, ROV, will teach engineering

Art – Painting in Acrylics Learning by doing, children will learn the basic steps of acrylic painting: formulating a concept; painting a background; and completing the painting with detail work. They will explore the use of acrylic paint while expressing themselves through the medium, including how to work with and create different colors through mixing paint. They will experiment with value and contrast in colors to enhance personal creativity. Mary Case, Art By

Mary Case Gallery and Studio, will teach art.

Mathematics – Visual Mathematics and A Little Bit of Logic Through examples and drawings they create, participants will discover the beauty and aesthetics of mathematics — from ratios and proportions and how they appeal to the eye to how mathematics is used in art and architecture. Chadd McGlone, Mathkind Global, will teach math.

The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support the project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences.

“We are excited to partner with MCACA to bring this math and science focused programming to Sandcastles. A talented group of educators are leading our STEAM workshops.” said Sandcastles Executive Director Kristin Korendyke. “Kids are going to have so much fun learning with these engaging teachers.”

A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241-4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at www.michigan.gov/arts.