Everything Nac

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “Given” at 7 p.m. Friday, July 12, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

The website https://www.giventhemovie.com describes “Given” as the simple yet powerfully contemplative story of a unique family legacy come full circle. Told through the visceral experience of a 6-year-old, “Given” follows legendary surfers Aamion and Daize Goodwin from their island home of Kauai through 15 different countries in the quest for surf and to fulfill a calling handed down through generations. Set in wave after wave of stunningly visual Earthscapes, “Given” blooms into a tender yet stirring exploration of a young boy’s understanding of life through his familial bonds and their reverence for nature.

Directed by Jess Bianchi, “Given” runs 72 minutes.

This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Film Series and is sponsored in part by William Arscott, Nacogdoches Film Festival, Karon Gillespie, Mike Mollot, David Kulhavy, John and Kristen Heath, Galleria Z, Jill Carrington, Jean Stephens, Jim and Mary Neal, Richard Orton and Main Street Nacogdoches.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Area residents are seeing SummerStage everywhere!

Stephen F. Austin State University theatre students involved in the School of Theatre’s SummerStage Festival have entertained young and old at East Texas libraries and at the Texas Blueberry Festival in downtown Nacogdoches. SummerStage posters are all over town. Ads and feature articles are in local newspapers. Students’ interviews have been heard on area radio stations.

But the only place to experience the SummerStage Festival is in W.M. Turner Auditorium in Griffith Fine Arts Building on the SFA campus. Sponsored by Tipton-Ford-Lincoln, the festival, which runs June 27 through July 12, features the musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and the beloved children’s story “The Reluctant Dragon.”

Based on the book by Kenneth Grahame and adapted by Mary Hall Surface, “The Reluctant Dragon” is the charming tale of an unlikely friendship between a young boy and a peace-loving dragon, and it’s about overcoming prejudice and fear in a small medieval domain. Theatre students have been taking the tale on the road where area children have enjoyed a sampling of what’s to come when the play opens the festival on Thursday, June 27.

“The children at the library performances really seemed to engage with our actors, and that was only a reading of the story,” said Dr. Slade Billew, assistant professor of theatre and director of “The Reluctant Dragon.” “I know that young people and adults alike will connect with the full performance and enjoy the fun and energy of the show.”

Attending a live theatre production like “The Reluctant Dragon” together as a family can strengthen relationships, according to Cleo House, director of the School of Theatre.

“Theatre inspires creativity in children, and a by-product of that creativity is self-expression and the ability to problem solve,” House said. “Of course, it is a fun time for them and the entire family. Believe it or not, research shows that families that attend the theatre together can increase their bonds to each other. It’s helpful to know that while you’re attending the theatre, you are doing many positive things at once.”

“The Reluctant Dragon” will be presented at 10 a.m. June 27 and 28 and July 5, 8, 10 and 11; at 2 p.m. June 27; and at 6:30 p.m. July 12. General admission tickets are $8.

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with additional material by Jay Reiss and originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine, is about an eclectic group of sixth graders who make their way through a spelling competition where each, eager to win, reveals his/her hopes, struggles and passions through songs. The play will be presented at 7:30 p.m. July 3, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11, and at 2 p.m. July 9 and 12. General admission tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students/youth. This show has some adult themes and is recommended for mature audiences (PG-13).

Pay-what-you-can performances for both SummerStage shows are on July 8.

All performances are in Turner Auditorium. Griffith Fine Arts Building is located at 2222 Alumni Drive. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu.

Work is well underway to make this year’s 12×12 Scholarship Fundraiser for the Friends of the Visual Arts at Stephen F. Austin State University another success.

The silent auction features 12-by-12-inch pieces of art created by approximately 80 artists from Nacogdoches, Lufkin and other areas of East Texas. Anyone may silently bid on the unique one-of-a-kind pieces, according to Crystal Hicks, event committee chairwoman.

“The 12×12 event is the main fundraiser for the FVA,” says Hicks. “It’s a fun and lively night, and the FVA members work for months to collect the art and plan the evening.”

Silent bidding ($250 minimum) begins Tuesday, July 2, at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House and will continue up to the day of the art party, which is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the art center. Starting bids drop to $100 the night of the event, and raffle tickets will be sold five for $20.

“You could possibly take home a valuable piece of art for a $20 investment,” said Lisa Steed, events coordinator for SFA art galleries.

The purpose of 12×12 is to raise funds for the FVA scholarships and grants that that are awarded to SFA art students. Between $12,000 and $15,000 is awarded annually in scholarships to deserving students in the School of Art.

The awards help students defray the costs of special projects for art classes or M.B.A./B.A. exhibitions. Some recipients have attended conferences or gone on school trips that will help with their professional development. This has included Maymester trips for art students to go to Italy. The organization also awards scholarships for elementary school students to attend the SFA Art Academy.

“The FVA’s mission is to support the arts in our community,” said Hicks. “Thanks to events like the 12×12 and other initiatives throughout the year, we’re able to see firsthand how the funds we raise benefit students and art lovers alike.”

The annual 12×12 art auction and party is a summer favorite of many East Texans, but no one appreciates the effort that goes into the planning and the donated art more than the students who benefit from the work of generous volunteers and artists.

“I became involved in the 12×12 event when I was an adult student at SFA,” said Michelle Filer, donating artist. “I saw firsthand how the scholarships and grants allowed students the opportunity to create art and follow their dreams by enabling them financially to afford to do so. I believe a sign of a strong and thriving community shows through the viability of its support of the arts.”

“Local artists, as well as former students and professors, provide original works of art for this event,” Hicks said. “It’s a blast to rub elbows with the artists and other art lovers. The 12×12 show is more than just a fundraiser; it’s a way to celebrate and grow the art community in the area.”

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information about 12×12 or to become a sponsor, call The Cole Art Center at (936) 468-6557.

Stephen F. Austin State University has received $1.8 million in funding from the Greater Texas Foundation, the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and the James I. Perkins Family Foundation to support the JacksTeach STEM teacher preparation initiative in the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

JacksTeach is a replication site of the UTeach Institute, a nationally recognized STEM teacher preparation program. Students in the program earn a four-year bachelor’s degree and a secondary teaching certification without adding any additional semesters of coursework.

Immersing students in a curriculum geared toward STEM education and connecting them with master teachers, JacksTeach ensures students graduate prepared for a variety of career options, including teaching, business, industry or continued study.

“This targeted approach to STEM secondary-teacher preparation is a positive step toward alleviating the severe shortage of qualified secondary STEM teachers throughout the primarily rural East Texas region and across the state,” said Dr. Kimberly M. Childs, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

The first two JacksTeach courses provide an opportunity for students to explore STEM teaching as a career option. Tuition rebates are issued upon successful completion of the courses with additional scholarships and internships possible for those who continue to progress toward certification.

“Our focus is on the support of JacksTeach students as they navigate through their own education to a career in teaching,” said Dr. Lesa Beverly, co-director of JacksTeach and professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. “We will provide mentoring and encourage a strong sense of community among the JacksTeach students while they are at SFA and after they enter their own classrooms.”

For more information, call (936) 468-3960, email jacksteach@sfasu.edu or visit the JacksTeach Center in the Bush Mathematical Sciences Building, Room 103.

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