The Rise 'n shine Workshop series is on the move again, this time in the community of Mt Lambert. Auntie Thea (Theodora Ulerie) entered into yet another of her many creative collaborations, when the mystic storyteller welcomed the Clarke family into her ever-widening circle of friends on April 10. On invitation from Joanne Ferguson (née Clarke), Auntie Thea conducted a Rise 'n Shine workshop with 25 children, comprising the grandchildren and a few friends of the Clarkes at the family home located on Grant Avenue in Mt Lambert. "This is a model family if I ever saw one! Congratulations, Clarkes," wrote Auntie Thea on the wall of her fan page.
This family's unique form of gathering, which has become a tradition in this clan, encompasses creative activities ranging from birthday parties to community gatherings, and now, edu-cultural learning. Joanne and her eight siblings hired Auntie Thea's services to bring their offspring and their children together with a few close friends, in an atmosphere of fun and creativity, all aimed at imparting values education to the eager participants. Under the watchful eyes of parents, grandparents, other relatives and friends, the children enjoyed trust games, visualisation and imagery, constructive dialogue/happy talk, story time and role play. Some of the themes explored during the two-hour session were trust, imagination, innovation, wholesome living and the value of education, as they engaged in fun-filled activities that held their attention throughout.
The high point of the morning was the story-time session. The first story, for the under fives was Princess Nitatuki, followed by Anansi and the Golden Box of Stories, which were thoroughly enjoyed by all and were instrumental in bringing Auntie Thea's methodology Personal Positive Value System (PPVS) to yet another group of children, who were urged to inculcate the principles from the story into their day-to-day lives. This collaboration with the Clarkes will be a catalyst for communities in the upcoming Family Festcon 2012, the first Festival Conference of Families in T&T. Family Festcon is an initiative of Culture House Arts Education Resource Centre, a facility for developing cultural awareness in young people. Auntie Thea is creative director of Culture House, which is located at Three Zoo Road. "Thank you Auntie Thea. You were great! The children benefited, and that was the purpose (apart from having fun that is). "Next stop Mt Lambert Community/School," promised Ferguson.