Igniting the Spark Conference March 17 in Whitefield

Above, Fiddler Extraordinaire, Patrick Ross, provided many "art moments" for particpants during the Conference. Here he's playing as people arrived and registerd.

Igniting the Spark; Integrating the Arts and Creativity into Youth Programming was a huge success on March 17, 2010 reaching 37 participants. From educators to youth program staff, to poets and musicians, the full day of activities provided hands-on techniques to particpants on how to involve young people and support creativity.

Participants in Cartooning Workshop above.

To the right, the Movement Workshop by Gretchen Berg got everyone expressing themselves in slow motion.

Supported by the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund, the conference workshops included learning how to cartoon and produce cartoons, movement and engaging young people in their autobiographies and story scripts for individuals and groups. Many of the participants cartoons have been posted on Marak Bennett's blog for all to see and enjoy. A link to his blog is at www.marekbennett.com/comicsworkshop/2010/03/aannh-igniting-the-spark-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-274

The conference was a partnership between North Country Health Consortium and the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire.

Mentoring Volunteer Celebration Dinner

On March 1st, over 50 volunteer adult mentors for youth gathered at the Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa to be honored for their dedication and committment to youth in the North Country. Celebrants had a chance to meet each other and enjoy a meal together. Rebecca Rule, well known NH storyteller was also there to lighten the mood and share some of the wonderful stories that she has heard for many years.

After dinner mentoring organizations had an opportunty to award their volunteers. The Youth Alternatives Court Diversion Program, NFI-Davenport, Lifebridges, Girl Scouts and the Youth Leadership Project all had a chance to say thank you.