Everything Nac

The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House will partner with the Nacogdoches Public Library and its NEA Big Read Nacogdoches project to present a screening of a new William Shakespeare film adaptation by Casey Wilder Mott.

A free, one-night screening of Mott’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, at Cole Art Center. This production is a fresh and stylish reinvention that takes an entirely different approach to one of Shakespeare’s most beloved creations.The story takes place in present-day Hollywood – a place where “glamorous stars, commanding moguls, starving artists and vaulting pretenders all vie to get ahead,” according to the film synopsis at edu.passionriver.com. “Hollywood is sometimes called ‘The Dream Factory,’ and like the world of Shakespeare’s ‘Dream,’ it’s a place where fantasy and reality collide.

“In the tradition of Baz Luhrmann’s rapturous re-imagining of ‘Romeo + Juliet,’ this modern vision breathes new life into a classic tale,” the synopsis continues. “Combined with a cast of established and emerging stars, as well as a pulsing original soundtrack, the film will appeal to ardent fans of the Bard as well as audiences discovering Shakespeare for the first time.”

The NEA Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. This program seeks to broaden understanding of the world and its communities, and of oneself, through the joy of sharing a good book.

This screening of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is just one of many events the Nacogdoches Public Library has planned during October as part of the Big Read initiative.

“I want to thank Cole Art Center for being involved with our city-wide program this year,” said Crystal Hicks, assistant director of the library. “We’re so glad to have such a wonderfully engaged and supportive community.”

There will be time for discussion of the film and the NEA Big Read novel, “Station Eleven,” following the film.

The Cole Art Center is Stephen F. Austin State University’s historic downtown art gallery, located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

SFA horticulture alumnus Dr. Andrew King will present, “You Can Take the Boy out of East Texas, but You Can’t Take the Azaleas Out of His Garden: Growing Ornamentals in a Challenging Environment.”

King was raised in Tenaha, Texas, on a small retail nursery that was founded in 1915 by his great-grandfather. Through four generations, the nursery has remained in the King family. His father, mother and grandmother all instilled in him a love of horticulture. When it was time to further his education at the university level, it was an easy decision. King received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with an emphasis in horticulture from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2004, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Texas A&M University in 2010 and 2015, respectively.

He has served as a lecturer in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at TAMU since January 2016, teaching many of the plant production courses, including nursery management and production, and plant propagation, as well as some introductory courses, such as garden science. Recently, he has introduced a class titled “Wild Edible, Cultivated and Poisonous Herbs” that focuses on the medicinal, poisonous and culinary aspects of plants that people often overlook. His research interests include plant propagation, trialing plant materials and nursery crop improvement.

The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare-plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the PNPC and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St.

For more information, call (936) 468-4129, or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Geology will join the American Geosciences Institute in celebrating Earth Science Week during an event from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, on the third floor of the Miller Science Building.

For the open house event, visitors who have minerals, rocks or fossils they would like to have identified are encouraged to bring them for a free identification service. Guests also will have the opportunity to use an augmented reality sand table and create their own artwork.

At 6 p.m., photographer Paul Brandes, geology professor at Lone Star College-Montgomery and current president of the Houston Gem and Mineral Society, will present “Epic Earth, The Art of Geology” in Miller Science, Room 335.

“Our first Earth Science Week celebration is designed to increase awareness and help our community gain a better understanding of the planet we call home,” said Dr. Wesley Brown, chair of the department. “The enthusiastic faculty and students are eager to open the doors of the Department of Geology to the community and answer all Earth science-related questions.”

This year’s theme, “Earth as Inspiration,” emphasizes artistic expression as a unique, powerful opportunity for geoscience education and understanding, according to Dr. Liane Stevens, assistant professor of geology.

”The Earth is inspirational in so many ways – from children who are inspired to collect rocks, to those who travel to see grand scenery, to those who conduct research,” Stevens said. “The faculty and students in the Department of Geology are excited to work together to share our inspiration with the public.”

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Stevens at stevenslm@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-2024.

By Joanna Armstrong, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Stephen F. Austin State University and the Tyler Independent School District Head Start program will launch their new partnership with a celebration at 11 a.m. Oct. 10 at the St. Louis Early Childhood Center, located at 2800 Walton Road in Tyler. This celebration is open to the public.

In fall 2017, SFA began offering a completely online Bachelor of Science in human sciences with an emphasis in human development and family studies. This new online program offers students, regardless of their location, an opportunity to study at SFA and earn a four-year degree.

Several of the courses in the human development and family studies program are hands-on and require service-learning experiences, such as volunteering at organizations like Head Start and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. A partnership with Tyler Head Start will help provide Tyler area students a place to complete their service learning and gain valuable experiences.

“We are excited about the partnership,” said Dr. Flora Farago, assistant professor in SFA’s School of Human Sciences. “Head Start programs across the country typically serve low-income, vulnerable children and families. Through these Head Start affiliated service-learning and internship opportunities, SFA students can gain the professional and life skills they will need to serve and succeed in an increasingly globalized world.”

With this bachelor’s degree, students learn to become “caretakers of our society,” explained Dr. Rachel Jumper, assistant professor in the School of Human Sciences at SFA. Students learn to understand the growth, change and development of children, adults and the family while integrating a lifespan, multi-contextual and family systems approach.

“Tyler ISD Head Start is excited about the partnership with SFA. In Head Start, we have many opportunities for interns to experience working with the community, families and students,” said Stacy Miles, director of Tyler ISD Head Start. “This experience will prepare students for the work force and discover available job opportunities in the community.”

Upon graduation, students have a variety of career options, including early intervention specialists, lobbyists, directors of child care and senior citizen facilities, Head Start teachers, parent educators and camp directors.

For more information about the program, visit sfaonline.info/human-development-and-family-studies.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.