"At AMA, I can be creative with friends and family!" Jordan Rinker

Jordan, Spencer and Karter are siblings who love to come to Awakening Minds Art and paint together. They have been coming for six years. Their mother, Crystal, originally was looking for a place to “Paint and Partake". Once on the AMA website she saw possible opportunities for her oldest daughter Jordan, who has Cerebral Palsy. She also saw it as a place where all three of her girls could do an activity together and all be on the same “playing field. They are a great trio. They support each other and are very patient with each other.” “Most of the time, “ Crystal clarifies.
 
Crystal explains that all three girls get to tap into their creative side. For Jordan, it has specifically improved her fine motor skills. She has progressed from “hand over hand” painting to doing all the painting completely herself.
It helps all three sisters to be focused and attentive as they love art. Their masterpieces are on the walls of the Rinker home and kept in binders so as to flip thru and see the over time progress.
 
“Although the brain injury that causes Cerebral Palsy cannot be healed, the resulting physical impairments can be managed with treatments and therapies. Jordan loves art, and AMA provides an alternative to traditional therapies. AMA has given her more confidence and a special place to be creative.” Crystal Rinker
 
Crystal, who is a board member of AMA and has worked very hard on the new building project, is very excited about many aspects of the new building. It has great accessibility allowing Jordan to navigate with her walker or wheelchair. There is close parking access in the back. A key point Crystal emphasized was the security of the new building. You must be let in AND out of the new building which is key to students to have a tendency to wander off.

​​At The Center for Autism & Dyslexia in Findlay, Courtney is doing her regular class with the students who have a wide variety of Autistic spectrum disorders. She has been teaching at Awakening Minds Art since last May, after graduating from Bluffton University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Art. “This is a perfect job for blending my education and skills.”
She meets with the students at The Center for Autism & Dyslexia three times a week for an hour (each) where AMA has a designated classroom for the classes on site.  Her students at The Center for Autism & Dyslexia range from sixth graders through high school aged students. (Other AMA instructors come into the center for other age groups & classes.)  Courtney had several students today as she taught them visual skills and coordination by painting with a fly swatter! The students had fun as they created their masterpieces of art under her direction and close guidance.  Awakening Minds Art excels at creatively disguising work and developmental skills through art.
 
Courtney not only teaches at The Center for Autism & Dyslexia. She spends much of her day traveling to different sites such as nursing homes and public schools. She also spends time in the studio, especially on Saturdays, when she runs the Saturday Morning Painting Class that is open to the public!   Courtney is on the Therapeutic Instructor Team, which also means she instructs private, one on one programs to special needs individuals focusing on developmental goals that aid in success outside of the studio.

Courtney is excited about moving into the new studio for several reasons, but at the top of her list is having private rooms for her one on one students that she works with.  Majority of Courtney's one on one students are distracted very easily and struggle to maintain focus in the main studio room.  The phone, the administration, people walking in, parents viewing close by... all of these make it extremely difficult to work on the goals set for each individual student. 
Having more room to do lesson planning and having a space that is more handicap accessible are two other items at the top of her list! 

​Many parents these days have chosen to homeschool their children. They are always looking for innovative and diverse methods to teach their children and for opportunities to expose their students to other experiences. I met with two moms in such scenarios as they dropped off their children at Awakening Minds for Homeschool Visual Art class. They also use the class time as a chance to take a break from parenting and have “mom talk” over a cup of coffee.
 
Julia L. has a son Noah, who is six years old and has been a student at AMA for over two years. He and his mom drive up from Ada to attend Awakening Minds Homeschool Visual Art class. Julia learned about Awakening Minds through the internet, where she found a homeschool Facebook group. She was impressed with the reasonable cost and the diverse classes taught. The art skills were much more advanced than anything she herself had experienced in school. “This is not just a class where you pick up a brush and paint.”
 
Noah adapted quickly, and interacts well with the other students and instructors. She has seen his creativity develop as he now can draw what he imagines. It has also helped his handwriting improve.
 
Having seen the layout of the new building, she is impressed with the safety designs, the security of it entrances and having so many classrooms.
 
Her coffee date partner for the day is Lindy G. and Lindy looks forward to classes for a variety of reasons. She looks forward to a break and adult conversations while her three daughters are safely and busily working away on art projects. 
 
Therese, Catherine and Lillian are 8, 6 and 5 and have been attending Awakening Minds for three years. “Art is not my strong point and I can’t teach that to my daughters at home.” She found AMA during a home school curriculum swap.  Lindy finds the teachers very knowledgeable and comfortable. Her daughters were shy at first but quickly adapted and look forward to class.
 
It has been a struggle for her to get her girls to class especially during the downtown construction. She has had to walk several blocks in the cold with four children, crossing busy streets. “ I am excited about having a parking space right next to the building.”
 
Ms. Emily & Ms. Brittany, both who lead the Homeschool Visual Art programs, are excited about the new studio for many reasons.  The classroom will be designed with security at top of mind, which will make it easier for them to control who is entering and leaving the classroom.  They also are excited for a classroom that is less cluttered and has educational elements displayed throughout the space.  Lastly, Ms. Brittany & Ms. Emily, who design lesson plans for over 50 homeschooled children, are ready to have more space to do their lesson planning, which right now happens in the middle of the current classroom with their plans stored in one small 12"x12" cubby in the studio.  Fingers are always crossed their lesson plans don't accidentally get tossed into the trashcan or even into the fishtank!  

​TO HELP AWAKENING MINDS ART CONTINUE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN LIKE ANDREW, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TOWARDS THE AWAKENING MINDS ART CAPITAL CAMPAIGN!

Sitting in the waiting room, while her son Kobe participated in Art in Music, Tonya M. chatted with me about her son, the joy he gets from his work here at AMA, and what she sees in the future.
 
They have been coming for two years having learned about AMA after Ms. Megan Hall came into Kobe’s school to teach one of their Awakening Minds sessions. Tonya says she is impressed that Kobe, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, does the art, not a teacher holding his hand. He actually focuses on the task at hand. “Kobe is really into painting and it is very calming for him.”
 
She initially brought him to class to have other activities beyond school and to get additional support for herself. Tonya is a retired Findlay police officer but “Nothing prepared me for the challenges of rising Kobe. Every day is different, and I am totally relearning parenting after raising two older boys. Some days I feel like I am floundering.” She is watching and learning new coping mechanisms and tactics from watching AMA instructors work with her son. It is here Kobe can interact with peers like himself and learn appropriate behaviors from typical peers. Both Tonya and Kobe learn keywords that trigger POSITIVE behaviors.
 
Tonya enjoys the break while Kobe is in class and she looks forward to time with other moms, who are understanding adults, in similar situations. “They get it.”
 
She is excited about the new building as it will provide much more room for one on one private classes. Also, a relief is that there will be a locked security check-in point and the children are secure. “Kobe is a runner and we must watch him closely if he is near a door. I will feel much safer in the new building.”

On any typical day at Awakening Minds Art, you will find parents, students, teachers all engaged in one purpose, to expand the horizons for the individuals who often have learning or developmental disabilities. The focus is not to just teach a person to paint. It is to learn patience, creativity, sensory recognition and behaviors that carry into other facets of life. The instructors are professional, possess skills through education and driven by love and passion for the students.
 
Today, at the Findlay studio, there is a combined therapy activity that has Amy Foley of Heartstrings Melodies teaching music as a therapy, the class is called "Art in Music". While Amy has the students rocking to guitar and tambourines, Ms. Megan, from Awakening Minds, is preparing to have the students explore creativity & their senses through art.
 
I caught up with two moms in the waiting room as they chatted about kids, life and the challenges they face. Barb H. has brought her son Andrew to Awakening Minds Art for three years. She was seeking an outlet for sensory expression for her son. She was initially afraid how the teachers might respond if Andrew had a “meltdown” during a class. She felt very welcomed and comfortable. She was relieved that it was a one on one scenario with student and instructor. “It was a very happy place.” Instructor Ms. Megan was patient, and in control, not allowing Andrew’s behaviors to derail the class. Instead she gently controlled the behavior and led the focus and Andrew back on task.
 
Barb has seen Awakening Minds, and his school, work together to improve Andrew’s socialization skills, fine motor skills and his relationship between teachers and other students. At home, art is a calming reward and Andrew is becoming very proficient with sculpting.
“I get joy as Andrew grows and creates art. I watch him grow at each class. I even come to paint classes for my time to relax.” Barb mentioned.

"There are many things that I'm looking forward to and find exciting about the new building.  One major concern I have always had with the current studio is the parking.  I am ecstatic about AMA having parking available at the new building.  I feel it will take a great amount of stress off the parents AND their kiddos."  Barb says, clearly stressed about the situation.  
Ms. Megan & Ms. Sarah notice the stress during every visit, not just in Barb, but in Andrew too.  Andrew comes in with a heightened stress level from the parking situation not only because he knows his mom is frustrated, but he fears he's going to be late for his class.  Keeping a schedule is extremely important to Andrew, and being late is unacceptable to him AND mom!
"Parking will provide an end to the 20 minute 'I-Spy a Parking Spot!' game that Andrew and I play to lighten the mood while hunting for a spot.  Parking will not only make it better to access your car for the big art projects that need carried in and out of the studio, more importantly, it will provide a much safer 'in & out' of the studio for my child.  
 
Next blog we meet Tonya M. and her son Kobe.