376 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike, P.O. Box 316, Bridgehampton, NY 11932

631-537-8250

December 2015 – LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

10931028_10152954723350791_3959420195047943607_nDear Friend,

I’m delighted that so many of you have donated gifts—both in person and from our Amazon Wishlist—for children participating in CMEE’s partner organizations. Because of you, children involved in Head Start, The Retreat, Riverside Rediscovered, and the Wuneechanunk Shinnecock Preschool can have a festive holiday season! To give you a better sense of how CMEE is collaborating with these organizations, I decided to interview CMEE’s Education Coordinator, Liz Bard, about our community programs.

Describe how these organizations have been involved with CMEE this year.
CMEE presents weekly family programs in art, gardening, and cooking for children involved with the Wuneechanunk Preschool, The Retreat and Riverside Rediscovered. And as many people know, CMEE hosts a Head Start preschool at the Museum and works closely with the other Head Start centers in Bridgehampton, Riverhead, Southampton and Southold.

What have been some of the reactions to the programs?
I love getting to know the families week after week. One of the little boys in the Riverside program tells me that the class is his favorite time of the week. His mother, who arrived recently from Latin America is getting her bachelor’s degree in education. Right now, she’s student teaching and she’s been incorporating ideas from CMEE’s program into her own lesson plans. Through their participation, all the children have developed friendships that have carried over into their lives outside of the program.

The initiatives were designed primarily for children, but have parents gotten involved, too?
Definitely, what’s so amazing is to see how parents are participating in the art or cooking classes right alongside their children. For example, a mother who is involved with the Retreat said the class was the first opportunity she ever had to express herself through art. While her children were engaged with their art projects she had a full hour to focus on exploring her own creativity.

Have you been able to witness instances when children discovered something new and exciting during the program?
Recently, we had the kids make volcanoes to learn about “cause and effect,” but really because it’s SO MUCH FUN! They had never made them before. During the process of building the volcanoes, we defined “hypothesis” and then we hypothesized about what would happen if we added different “ingredients” to the volcano. The kids were astounded by the initial eruptions, but what was so amazing is that they began to investigate, hypothesize and experiment totally on their own.

———

I’m so proud of Liz and the education staff for sparking imagination, building a sense of community and helping parents to realize dreams for their children. And I am especially grateful to you for supporting these efforts.

As 2015 draws to a close, please consider donating to our annual appeal. By investing in CMEE, you’re ensuring that the Museum can make a huge difference for families across the East End.

Sincerely,

Steve

Translate »