The Van Geons Experience

THURSDAY MORNING SEMINAR SERIES

The Thursday Morning Seminar Series at Gray Stone Day School is offered as an opportunity for students and faculty to broaden their knowledge beyond their specific areas of study. The Seminar Series works diligently to provide a full agenda of speakers and events that represent a wide variety of interests. Please contact Mrs. Tara Van Geons for additional information about the series or if you would like to present to the Gray Stone community: tvangeons@graystoneday.org

Thursday, September 24, 2009- 8:15am to 9:15am-Milton Iossi- retired Foreign Affairs Diplomat. Mr. Iossi has spent a great deal of his career working in Muslim-majority countries and will present a seminar titled “Understanding Islam.” All English II students are required to attend. All faculty, students, and parents are invited to participate. This seminar will be presented in the Pfeiffer University Chapel. More info about Mr. Iossi: http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/item/2006/0103/life/firstpost_iossi.html

Thursday, October 8, 2009- 8:15am to 9:15am- Gray Stone Day School welcomes Mrs. Ester Hoeben Marsh to our Thursday Morning Seminar Series. Mrs. Marsh is the Associate Executive Director of the YMCA of Rowan County and a contributing writer for the Salisbury Post in a column that promotes healthy living and wellness. She is originally from the Netherlands, a graduate of CIOS (Central Institution of the Education of Sport instructors), and has been a fitness trainer since 1982. She has been with the YMCA of Rowan County since 1997. Mrs. Marsh will discuss issues relevant to teen athletes including good nutrition and optimal fitness training.  This seminar will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at 8:15a.m. in the Harris Building/Gray Stone Day School Lecture Hall. This seminar is open to faculty, staff, and students of Gray Stone Day School. More info: http://www.rowanymca.com/

Thursday, October 15, 2009- 8:00am to 9:15am- Yoga Seminar with Lewellyn Padgett in the Stokes Hall, third floor, bring your yoga mat! Mrs. Padgett’s interest in yoga started in 1996 when she began to practice the ancient art. In February and March of 2001, Lewellen went to the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Nassau, Bahamas to study to become a Certified Yoga Instructor. An extensive education was provided in diet and nutrition, anato my, spirituality, pranayama or breathwork, and asana or the yoga postures. She has studied with Baxter Bell, Cora Wen, John Friend, Paul Grilley, and Eric Schiffmann, among others. Thai Yoga has become part of her focus as well. Learning to help others to relax and care for themselves has become an important part of her life. Classes are offered weekly at her studio, Artemesia Artworks & Yoga Studio in Salisbury, North Carolina, often surrounded by art! She continues to offer and practice body work to help practitioners mine their own creativity. Visit Mrs. Padgett's website at http://www.artemesiaartworks.com/

Thursday, October 22, 2009- 8am-9:15am- Coffee House- This is an opportunity for students to gather and share their talents in an informal social environment. Students interested in sharing their poetry or students who enjoy jamming on their instruments are encouraged to sign up. Talents of all forms are encouraged at Coffee House.  Audience members are e ncouraged to bring breakfast, bring coffee, and hang out with good friends and great student performers. Coffee House will be held in the Lecture Hall. Students interested in performing/sharing should see Mr. Hodges for additional information: ahodges@graystoneday.org

Thursday, October 29, 2009- 8am-9:15am- What do missionaries, tattoos, anime, punk rock, the Twilight series, heavy metal, fraternities, and fire-eating have in common? Find out October 29th at 8:00 a.m. in the Harris Lecture hall (first floor), where Dr. Broome will present the Thursday morning seminar. This event is open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members. Watch as Dr. Broome combines psychology, sociology, criminology, ethnomusicology, film theory, political science, media studies, postcolonial theory, and postmodern pedagogy into a Grand Unification Theory of Adolescent Subcultures! Will she use Gray Stone students as examples? Will she explain why video games are good for you? Will she distribute candy and brain erasers? Come and see while she stuffs some knowledge into your frontal lobes! (psst…ask your social studies teachers for extra credit!) Email Dr. Broome for additional info: jbroome@graystoneday.org

Thursday, November 5, 2009- 8:15am to 9:15am- All JUNIORS AND SENIORS are required to attend.  Shriners Hospital and Samaritan's Feet will be presenting in the Lecture Hall on November 5 at 8:15am. Shriners Hospitals for Children is a one-of-a-kind international health care system dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Children up to the age of 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate are eligible for admission and receive all care in a family-centered environment at no financial obligation to patients or families"  (http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/Main/)

"Samaritan’s Feet is a non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives though Shoes of Hope distributions around the world. 300 million people wake up each morning without a pair of shoes to protect their feet from injury and disease. The goal of Samaritan’s Feet is to provide shoes to 10 million of these individuals in the next 10 years by teaching [stories] of faith, hope, and love, demonstrating those truths in [giving needy individuals] a new pair of shoes and socks" (http://www.samaritansfeet.org/our-mission)

Thursday, November 12, 2009- 8:00am to 9:20am-Coffee House-  Students interested in sharing their poetry or students who enjoy jamming on their instruments are encouraged to sign up. Talents of all forms are encouraged at Coffee House.  Audience members are encouraged to bring breakfast, bring coffee, and hang out with good friends and great student performers. Coffee House will be held in the ART GALLERY on the Pfeiffer Campus.  Mr. Andrew Hodges, the man, the myth, the legend, will serve as Master of Ceremony. Students interested in performing/sharing should see or email Mr. Hodges for additional information: ahodges@graystoneday.org

Thursday, December 10, 2009- 8:15am-9:15am- Mrs. Jessica Crum will present a seminar about Social Media. More info TBA.  Email Mrs. Crum for more info: jcrum@graystoneday.org 

Thursday, January 14, 2010- 8:00am to 9:15am-Coffee House with Special Guest Dr. David Palmer, Pfeiffer University “History of Rock”- Students are encouraged to attend this special Coffee House event. We are pleased to have Dr. Palmer, a Pfeiffer University professor and prominent jazz and rock musician on the Charlotte music scene. The Goode Hall Art Gallery will be a rockin’! Students are encouraged to come to the Coffee House with breakfast and coffee for this remarkable musical extravaganza.  The Pfeiffer Music Department can be found at: http://www.pfeiffer.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=875&Itemid=1907

Thursday, March 25, 2010- 8am-9:15am- Coffee House- This is an opportunity for students to gather and share their talents in an informal social environment. Students interested in sharing their poetry or students who enjoy jamming on their instruments are encouraged to sign up. Talents of all forms are encouraged at Coffee House.  Audience members are encouraged to bring breakfast, bring coffee, and hang out with good friends and great student performers. Coffee House will be held in the Lecture Hall. Contact Mr. Hodges for additional information at ahodges@graystoneday.org

Additional events to come! Contact Mrs. Van Geons for more information at tvangeons@graystoneday.org