Everything Nac

Faculty members in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Education Studies were awarded funding through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Community Outdoor Outreach Program to support their East Texas Adventurers program, an environmental education-focused camping initiative.

The funding will support the creation of four camping trips that invite students from Nacogdoches’ McMichael Middle School to interact with and learn from nature.

Associate professor Dr. Sarah Straub and assistant professor Dr. Melissa Hulings were awarded the $98,491 COOP grant, which provides funding to tax-exempt organizations for programming that engages under-served populations in TPWD mission-oriented outdoor recreation, conservation and environmental education activities. Additionally, Dr. Summer Koltonski, assistant professor of education studies, has joined the program to support programming for students with special needs.

“I am thrilled to once again collaborate with McMichael Middle School for the East Texas Adventurers program,” Straub said. “Working alongside returning teachers and administrators is so exciting because we can bring in the lessons we learned from our first go-around to make the experience so much better for our students. I can’t wait to continue the exploration, discovery and connections through our adventures!”

The James I. Perkins College of Education faculty members will partner with nearby state parks, including Mission Tejas, Caddo Lake and Tyler, to organize overnight camping trips that will foster a deeper connection to nature and engage in academic topics in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

“Each of the four camping adventures will focus on a different topic that directly relates to student learning in the classroom through a variety of activities,” Hulings said. “I am most excited about seeing students connect with the outdoors and see how their learning in the classroom can be applied to their lives. I hope that children participating in this project will gain an appreciation for the outdoors and develop a greater connection to their local environments and parks.”

Recruitment for adventure counselors will commence this spring. Individuals interested in outdoor overnight adventures are encouraged to email Straub at straubsm@sfasu.edu for further details.

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to integrate outdoor experiences into our collaboration, thanks to our invaluable partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,” Straub said. “By combining our efforts, we aim not only to enrich the academic journey of the students but also instill in them a profound appreciation for nature and the world around them.”

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

By Parastoo Nikravesh, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of “Kabluey,” a dark indie comedy film written and directed by and starring Scott Prendergast, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 5, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House.

Prendergast started his career as a comic writer and improviser at L.A.’s Groundlings Theater. In the late ’90s, he began making short films, which he wrote, directed, produced and edited, on top of frequently playing all the roles. “Kabluey” (2007) was his first feature-length film, with a plot inspired by incidents in his own life. The film is set in Austin and was filmed there.

In “Kabluey,” an inept Salman (Prendergast) comes to help his sister-in-law tend to his holy terror nephews while Salman’s brother is off fighting in Iraq. Salman must take a humiliating job as a giant blue corporate mascot in order to help make ends meet and hold the family together, according to https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816545/.

In addition to Prendergast, “Kabluey” stars Lisa Kudrow, Teri Garr, Christine Taylor, Conchata Ferrell and more. The film is rated PG-13 for some sexual material including a crude reference and brief strong language.

The School of Art’s Friday Night Film Series is sponsored in part by filmmaking Professor William Arscott. The Cole Art Center, SFA’s historic downtown gallery, is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre and Dance will present the student-directed dramedy for young audiences “Nice & Slow” by Lojo Simon at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 5, and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6, in the Black Box Theatre in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, on the SFA campus.

Directed by Denton senior Connor Molen, “Nice & Slow” is the story of Sam, who is slow getting dressed on a particular morning. The grown-ups in the house expect their kid to share their hurried lifestyle, and they’re not pleased. Just as Sam prepares to hop to it, the sloth living in Sam’s upper bunk tickles the child’s nose and triggers a sneeze. Sam goes from rushing to get ready for school to having the day off … and going on fantastical adventures with sloth! As the pair zip from adventure to adventure inside Sam’s bedroom, Sam learns that there is indeed a time to go fast, but even more important in our fast-paced, hurried world, a time to go “Nice & Slow,” according to a synopsis at https://www.youthplays.com.

“This play is intended for young audiences,” Molen said. “All performances will be presented as sensory friendly theatre.”

The cast includes Magnolia sophomore Earial Paul as Sam; Portland sophomore Riley Spencer as Goo; Santa Fe junior Sarah Birkmeyer as Sloth; Keller junior Zoie Dorn as First Cheetah; Texarkana junior Deontae Whaley as Second Cheetah; and Dallas senior Sami Hurley as Nonni.

The crew includes Ali Maxey, Houston junior, stage manager; Robin Villarreal, Houston senior, assistant stage manager; Jesus Duarte, Galena Park junior, scenic designer; Dylan Mosera, Plano junior, costume coordinator; Lee Geiger, Texarkana senior, lighting designer; AJ Warden, Brownsboro freshman, sound designer; and Josiah Richardson, Wylie senior, props designer.

Molen is pursuing a BFA in acting/directing. In his time at SFA he has performed on the mainstage in “Ride Share/Overshare,” “The Maids,” “Ajax in Iraq,” “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Everybody” and “Once Upon a Mattress.” Molen is a member of Alpha Psi Omega and On Display: Devised Theatre. He also served as assistant director for “Women Who Weave” and “The Moors.” Last year, Molen directed “30 Neo-Futurist plays from Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” and “Sagittarius Ponderosa.”

Faculty advisor for this student-directed play is School of Theatre Director Cleo House-Keller.

Tickets are $5 for SFA students and faculty/staff and $8 for adults and youth not affiliated with SFA. To purchase tickets, visit the SFA Fine Arts Box Office online at sfasu.edu/boxoffice or call (936) 468-6407. Available tickets may be purchased at the door. Griffith Fine Arts Building is located at 2222 Alumni Drive. For more information about the play, call the School of Theatre and Dance at (936) 468-4003 or visit sfasu.edu/theatre-dance.

Clarinetist Dr. Vanguel Tangarov and pianist Ekaterina Tangarova will present a guest recital featuring works by Carl Maria von Weber, Alamiro Giampieri, Francis Poulenc and Marin Valtchanov when the duo performs at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, in Cole Concert Hall on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

The program will include von Weber’s “Fantasy and Rondo,” Giampieri’s “Carnival of Venice,” Sonata by Poulenc, and Rondo by Valtchanov.

An associate professor of clarinet at Texas State University and an artistic director and founder of the annual international clarinet event Texas State Clarinet Fiesta, Tangarov performs as a principal clarinetist for the Austin Opera, Mid-Texas Symphony and Victoria Symphony orchestras, and previously was principal clarinetist of elite symphony orchestras in Bulgaria, Italy, Germany and Mexico. Tangarov has performed in more than 20 countries on four continents and has been awarded prizes in multiple national and international clarinet competitions.

A lifelong performer, Tangarova resides in Austin with her family. She enjoys an active teaching career and is a founder of a vibrant and diverse private piano studio. Since 2005, she has been the pianist at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Austin. She is also a frequent guest artist and collaborative pianist and performs on a regular basis with a wide range of faculty and students from the Texas State University School of Music. Since 2016, she has held an appointment as a resident pianist for the International Clarinet Association.

While on campus, Tangarov will present a master class for SFA clarinet students after the recital. The class is open to the public.

Concert tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit finearts.sfasu.edu. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

Dr. Scotty Horey, instructor of percussion at the Music School of Delaware, will present “Yin and Yang, Marimba and Drums” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, in the Music Recital Hall, Wright Music Building, on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

Through repertoire and original songs, Horey will express the two balanced energies of his creative spirit, one of introspection and inner poetry, and the other of exuberance, groove and celebration, both of which will be achieved with his “two voices” – the marimba and the drumset – and drawing on the traditions that have spoken to him the most throughout his artistic career: classical, contemporary, Latin and progressive rock.

He will perform works by Arkadiusz Katny, Preston R. Gunderson and Johann Sebastian Bach, along with his own original compositions.

“Anyone can enjoy this concert,” he said, “not just percussionists and not just musicians.”

A respected solo percussionist and teacher, Horey is also a health and wellness advocate and cultural exchange coordinator. He advocates for holistic awareness and has taught classes with a “body-mind-heart-spirit-culture” philosophy across the United States and in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Greece, Mexico and Colombia. From 2020-2022, he lived in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico, where he was professor of percussion at the Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, the top percussion school of Mexico. From 2012-2020, he served as both principal percussionist of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and lecturer of percussion at the University of Minnesota. He has performed at festivals and universities around the globe.

While he is on the SFA campus, Horey will conduct a clinic on “Mindfulness, Learning Science, and Health and Wellness for Musicians” at 1 p.m. in Room 124, Wright Music Building. Any musicians and/or teachers are welcome to attend.

Admission to the concert is free. Majestic Percussion is helping to make these events possible. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.