CACTUS Fine Arts Day Camp
CACTUS 2008 will be held July 28 to August 1, and Sunday, August 3.
Creativity abounds at CACTUS Fine Arts Day Camp, as children and youth entering grades 3-8 explore, study, create, and produce music, drama, dance, and visual art. Master teachers offer instruction in vocal development, Orff instrument instruction, Kodály techniques for music literacy, drama, motivating musical games, dance, visual art and creative writing. Participants gain a wealth of knowledge, as well as increased confidence in using the imagination. The week-long camp concludes on Sunday morning as campers participate in morning worship, sharing their creativity with the congregation.
Click here to download a CACTUS registration form.
Camp Schedule and Activities
Camp activities begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Each camper rotates through five classes with students of the same grade level. Between classes, campers enjoy snack breaks, lunch and recreation. Participants bring their own sack lunch and beverage each day. Parents are encouraged to make a donation of $15/child. (Actual camp cost is approximately $30/child).
Registration
Parents are encouraged to make a donation of $15/child if possible; however, donations of any amount are welcome. (Actual camp cost is approximately $30/child). Checks can be made to Westminster Church with a memo to CACTUS – donation. Please send your donation with your registration form.
What to Bring
On the first day of camp, students are asked to donate a can of juice or a bag of snacks for use by the group during the week. Each day, students are to bring their own sack lunches.
Meet the Camp Staff
REBECCA GRUBER, Vocal Development: Since the founding of CACTUS in 1998, Rebecca Gruber has often been a part of the camp staff. Rebecca has conducted the Des Moines Public Schools Honor Chorus and the Southwest Iowa Children’s Honor Choir. She has presented seminars on children’s music to the Iowa Music Educators Association, the Central Iowa Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and the Iowa Choral Directors Association. She has conducted at the American Baptist Summer Music Conference in Greenlake, Wisconsin, the Great Plains Music Camp in Nebraska, “Listen and Love: Make a Difference for Children” in Chicago, and in All-State clinics throughout the Midwest. She has published a music literacy curriculum for elementary children as part of the Stepping Stones series. Rebecca holds a Master of Sacred Music degree from Perkins School of Theology and a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Southern Methodist University. She is music director of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Des Moines.
KATHLEEN HURLEY, Dance: Kathleen Hurley is the founder and Artistic Director of Hurley & Dancers, and was also the founder and Artistic Director of The Chamber Dancers (1996-2001). Her dance career includes performances with Yancey Dance Theatre and the Doris Humphrey Dance Ensemble in New York City, and guest appearances in Germany and Mexico. In addition, she was a member of Pennsylvania Dance Theatre, touring the East Coast and Europe. Kathleen is an honors graduate of the University of Iowa where she toured Hong Kong with the Dancers to Go Company. Her Iowa dance career includes performances with Iowa Dance Theatre, The Neuman Project, Co’Motion Dance Theatre and the Westminster Fine Arts Series. She teaches at Lind Dance School, Hoover High School’s Drama Department, and Grinnell College. Her resume also includes teaching for the Limon Institute in Manhattan, Perry Dance in NYC, Dance Space in NYC, Long Island University, and Iowa State University workshops.
MARK GRUBER, Creative Drama: Mark Gruber holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh. His credits include more than 42 productions while serving as professor of theatre and speech at the University of Pittsburgh, El Centro College in Dallas, and Grand View College in Des Moines. His acting credits include 14 productions of Shakespeare’s plays. Mark most enjoys the development of original plays and characters interpreted from Scripture. He is a frequent worship planning contributor and guest artist in the Westminster Fine Art Series. Mark is a featured presenter at arts camps and workshops. He co-produced and directed seven seasons with the Dallas Children’s Theatre and directed The Adventures of Paddington Bear for the Lincoln Playhouse in Nebraska. With Iowa Dance Theatre, Mark’s credits include Drosselmeyer in the Nutcracker and Captain Hook in Peter Pan.
KRIS VERSTEEGT, Orff Instruments: Kris VerSteegt is currently teaching K-5 general music at Terrace Elementary in Ankeny, Iowa. In 2000, she graduated with honors from Iowa State University, where she majored in voice. Kris’ past teaching experiences include the Nevada Community Schools (2000-2003) and Paton-Churdan Community Schools (2001-2002). She has worked as co-director of the Prep Choir in the Ames Children’s Choirs organization, and also served as Executive Assistant to Director Dr. Sylvia Munsen (2002-2003) for that organization. Kris is Orff Certified through level II, Kodály Certified through level I, and was the founding president of the Kodály Educators of Iowa (KEI), an affiliate chapter of the Organization for American Kodály Educators (OAKE). She is a self-professed classical music enthusiast and has sung in many ensembles in the Ames area.
BETH ANN EDWARDS, Connecting Musical and Visual Art: Beth Ann Edwards is a free-lance graphic designer and fine art painter. Her liturgical commissions for installations and paintings have been exhibited in several local churches. She presents lectures on historical liturgical art, and art and the word of God. Beth Ann received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Drake University in 1999, and holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Beth Ann is a member of the Westminster Chorale, the Oratorio Choir, and the Westminster Chimes. She directs youth handbell and vocal choirs at Westminster and curates art exhibits for youth and adults.
AMY MIRACLE, Creative Writing: Amy Miracle came to Westminster in January 2004 to serve as senior pastor and head of staff. Amy’s greatest passion in ministry is helping people deepen their relationship with God. Amy grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and attended Princeton University. Following graduation, a Marshall scholarship sent her to Northern Ireland where she received a Master of Social Sciences in Irish political studies from Queen’s University of Belfast. Upon returning to the United States, Amy earned a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. In her life away from the church she enjoys writing short stories and essays. Amy will guide the older students in writing activities, and shape the liturgy of the CACTUS worship service.
MARY BETH MARDIS-LeCROY, Creative Writing: Mary Beth Mardis-LeCroy was ordained in the summer of 2005 and began her ministry at Westminster the following September. She serves as the Associate Pastor for Spiritual Development, and focuses much of her ministry on helping people hear and know God in “the everyday.” Mary Beth grew up in Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. Mary Beth loves language – she majored in French and especially enjoyed Biblical Hebrew when she was in seminary. She writes songs.
RUTH HARRIS, Accompanist: Ruth Harris, AAGO, received her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music degrees in organ and church music from Northwestern University and has done doctoral work at the University of Michigan. She studied as a Fulbright scholar in Paris. Later, she studied for a year at the Academy of Music in Vienna. Organist at Westminster since 1976, Ruth has served as a member of the Worship Committee of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, on the staff of the national Montreat Worship and Music Conferences, as a music contest adjudicator throughout the Midwest, and, on occasion, as organist with the Des Moines Symphony. She teaches organ as an adjunct instructor at Drake University.
BECKY MILLER, Administrator: Becky Miller is a long-time member of Westminster Church. She has had numerous opportunities to share her organizational skills through stage-managing several Fine Arts Series productions at Westminster, serving as an Elder on Session and past chairperson of the Worship & Music Committee. She served as vice chair of one of Westminster’s Pastor Nominating Committees, and also served on the church’s Long Range Planning Committee. Becky’s “real” job entails serving ninth through twelfth graders at East High School as a counselor and department chair of the East High Counseling Department. She has been a counselor with the Des Moines School district since 1991.
"Nothing in your life is so insignificant, so small, that God cannot be found at its centre."
Mother Frances Dominica |
