Maryville Academy

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Black History Month Art and An Alumni’s Story

Black History Month - CN ProjectsRecently, we posted a photo on the Maryville Facebook page of the artwork that had been created at our Crisis Nursery in honor of Black History Month.

We received this wonderful anecdote from Bill Coyne, a Maryville Alumni, in response to that post. Bill shared a story with us about his life at Maryville in the late 1960s. We think it reflects the collaborative spirit that still exists on our Des Plaines and Bartlett Campuses today.

Bill Coyne’s Response to our Black History Month Post:

I especially like the collage. As a high school junior at Maryville Academy, enrolled at Notre Dame H.S. in Niles and living in the high school building behind the gymnasium around 1968, I experimented with many art techniques as a hobby. One of our many black schoolmates approached me for help with a project for his art class. He saw me playing with silhouettes of various objects and wanted one of his head for his assignment.

I set up the lamp, taped a construction board on a wall, set him in place and etched it out. He had very interesting features that stood out well on the shadow. Then he saw my little collages and wanted to paste pictures on his work. “I want lots of black people!” All I had were a few National Geographic magazines, which really wouldn’t suffice. Not enough pictures and nothing that reflected the current black consciousness and the struggle for its achievements.

We went through the building asking for unwanted magazines and explained why. We soon had a few dozen periodicals, and a few others helping us cut out pictures. With the new wealth of material my friend said, “We got enough to show the whole history of black people!” Light bulbs clicked on and immediately everyone in my room was contributing. I sat back and occasionally offered a suggestion about gluing and where a picture might be positioned. There was lots of excited discussion, cutting, and gluing for an hour. And then it was done.

We all just stood around for a few minutes very much in awe of the accomplishment. We didn’t really have the vocabulary to express the feeling of pride and admiration we felt. I just stood, mouth agape among the “Cool, man. That is really cool!” and “Wow! I want one in my room!” For someone who thought he had no talent, he scored an Everest on this one. He got an A for the project and for the class. People couldn’t enough of it. It appeared in the school paper and in some of the surrounding dailys. At the high school dorm we watched as Black Power fist collages, African continent collages and others went up in a lot of rooms.


Black History Month and student art projects are just a few of the topics that generate fond memories for our alumni. If you have a story about Maryville that you would like to share with us, please send an email to geraghtyk@maryvilleacademy.org. Thank you for your support and your continued interest!

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Black History Month, collage art, student projects

Jen School Launches Fundraiser for Flint, Michigan

Jen School faculty members Mr. Williams and Ms. Holland were on hand to sell baked goods at the Coffee Cart on Friday, February 5, as part of the school’s “Water for All” fundraiser. Jen School students have been learning about the water crisis taking place in Flint, Michigan and have decided to help.

Flint’s drinking water became contaminated with lead in April 2014 while the city was under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager. As a cost-cutting move, the city began temporarily drawing its drinking water from the Flint River and treating it at the city water treatment plant while it waited for a new water pipeline to Lake Huron to be completed.

Previously, the city used Lake Huron water treated by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. The state Department of Environmental Quality has conceded it failed to require needed chemicals to be added to the corrosive Flint River water. As a result, lead leached from pipes and fixtures into the drinking water.

During the month of February, Jen School will collect funds to donate to the “Flint Michigan Water Crisis” cause. Coffee Cart proceeds are part of this effort. Jen School will contribute to the band Pearl Jam’s fundraising page on Crowdrise.

Pearl Jam and a group of friends and partners have pledged $300,000 to support relief efforts for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. They encourage all fans and supporters to join in their efforts. Donations will be made to The United Way of Genesee County’s Flint Water Fund which serves both the immediate and longterm needs of the community.

Please help the students and faculty of Jen School to “Jam” with Pearl Jam to raise funds for Flint, Michigan. Call 847-390-3020 for more info.

Filed Under: Media, News Tagged With: flint michigan, Jen School, water crisis

Tow Trucks for Tots

Maryville was the recipient of a large donation of toys before Christmas, courtesy of our friends at Tow Trucks for Tots. They also underwrote the food for our all-program Christmas Banquet in Des Plaines. We couldn’t have been more grateful! So, imagine our surprise on January 4 when we received six large boxes of sporting goods, athletic attire and other kid-friendly gear donated by The Sports Authority and delivered to us by the guys at Tow Trucks for Tots!

A Special Delivery from Sports Authority, courtesy of Tow Trucks for Tots, arrives at Maryville.
A Special Delivery from Sports Authority, courtesy of Tow Trucks for Tots, arrives at Maryville.

Tow Trucks for Tots has designated Maryville as its go-to charity for this donation. (They know how much our kids love sports!) Among the boxes we found brand-new, wish-list items such as backpacks and golf clubs as well as everyday necessities like coats, jerseys, sweatpants, shoes and socks. We’re talking cool merchandise from top-notch vendors like Nike, Adidas, TheNorthFace, Under Armour… the list goes on and on!

Aside from sharing this news with our readers, we wanted to present a little background on this great philanthropic organization. Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC’s “Tow Trucks for Tots” is a non-profit group made up of members of the towing community, its suppliers and the wonderful volunteers who raise toys for children during the holiday season.

A sample of some of the donated merchandise.
A sample of some of the donated merchandise.

Tow Trucks For Tots has three main goals: To bring a much-needed toy to a very deserving boy or girl; to further enhance the image of the towing industry; and to break the “Guinness Book of World Records” for the largest tow truck parade.

With those goals in mind, it should come as no surprise that Worldwide Equipment Sales, LLC’s Tow Trucks For Tots does currently hold the “Guinness Book of World Records” for the largest tow truck parade. Every 2nd Sunday in November, towing companies throughout the Midwest converge on Rockdale, Illlinois, (Hollywood Casino) and line up for the world’s largest tow truck parade.

The parade route is 42 miles long.  It travels from Rockdale, Illinois, to Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois.  At Toyota Park, towing companies unload their collected toys into semi trucks to be distributed to children in need. Also at Toyota Park, the tow truck driver is given a free Tow Trucks For Tots T-Shirt, all are treated to lunch, live band and the camaraderie of their fellow towers.

While Christmas may be a warm and fuzzy memory for us, the folks at Tow Trucks for Tots are already preparing to do their St. Nick routine in 2016. During the months before the parade, towers are encouraged to collect toys for children ages 0-18 years old.  They do this by putting drop boxes at their places of businesses.  Some even have large parties and fundraisers to collect toys.  Details about the toy drive are posted on their website: www.towtrucksfortots.com  (All toy donations must be NEW and UNWRAPPED.  Please NO GUNS, SWORDS, or STUFFED ANIMALS.)

Please join us in saluting our good friends at The Sports Authority and Tow Trucks for Tots!

Filed Under: Media, News

Music Therapist Goes the Distance for Maryville’s Girls

Dalphne Sommario, a Board Certified Music Therapist, works with girls at the Bartlett Campus.
Dalphne Sommario, a Board Certified Music Therapist, works with girls at the Bartlett Campus.

A resident of the Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, Dalphne Sommario travels more than 200 miles every week to work with the young women at Maryville’s suburban Bartlett Campus. “Depending on traffic and weather conditions, the trip can range from 1 hour to 2 ½ hours each way,” Dalphne said. “If I take a train from Union Station, that’s an hour-long ride each way.” What inspires a city girl to journey to the far-flung suburbs twice a week?

It’s her absolute, all-consuming love of music — a gift that Dalphne shares with the residents of Maryville’s Casa Salama, Casa Carino and Casa Imani homes. Most of the young women (ages 13-21) at our Bartlett Campus are in DCFS care. The vast majority of them have survived childhood trauma or abuse. Some have learning or emotional disabilities. Some are parenting small children of their own.

Yet, when Dalphne, a Board Certified Music Therapist, visits with them, they can be creative and joyful as they learn to heal.

“Music Therapy allows those afraid to speak, or those without a voice, the ability to be heard, whether with their own vibrations, voice, movements, or music,” Dalphne said. “Music touches everyone. The waves, the emotions, the beat, the mood – it reaches everyone, even the deaf, even those that ‘don’t care’ for music.”

Music therapy has become a vital component of the specialized treatment and mental health services Maryville provides for residents of the Bartlett Campus. These sessions allow the girls to express complex feelings and develop coping skills to deal with fear, stress and anxiety. The Music Therapy program has been funded by grants from the Hanover Township Mental Health Board since 2012.

Dalphne uses music and musical activities to increase self-awareness, self-exploration and self-expression, and to foster creativity within a social structure. “In most of the residential homes, many of the girls find it difficult to create and respond to positive interactions and friendships,” Dalphne said. “Most of my sessions focus on the vital skills that allow the girls to interact appropriately in social situations. These include focus, memory, teamwork and eye contact.”

Dalphne also emphasizes the importance of repetition in playing music or developing other abilities. “In order to learn anything, one must practice and repeat over and over again,” she said. “Many of the girls don’t understand this concept and how it transfers to everyday interactions and skills. In my sessions, we constantly speak about the importance of repetition and routine in learning.”

In music therapy sessions, certain interventions can bring about feelings of frustration and sadness. “Many of the students don’t want to ask for help and feel bad about themselves when they are not able to repeat a particular melody or rhythm,” Dalphne said. “In these instances, we talk about self-acceptance and the fact that we all are human and it’s OK to ask for help. This can turn into discussions about peer pressure or low self-esteem.”

Each week the young women take part in individual and/or group singing sessions. They analyze lyrics, write their own songs, dance and play the guitar. They also learn about different styles of music and might even add a game of Musical Bingo to the mix.

In the therapy sessions, songs preferred by the participants are augmented with songs Dalphne chooses to teach the girls how music can affect mood and behavior. Popular songs are used to spark discussions on struggles and stressors, coping with anxiety, healing from past trauma, hope, inspiration, and building self-confidence. They also are used to demonstrate how music works through meaning, pitch, melody, harmony, duration, and rhythm, which helps the young women learn how to create their own music.  In 2015, drumming and the drum circle were also introduced as part of the music therapy sessions.

Dalphne has more than 10 years of experience in providing music therapy to adults with autism, seniors in nursing homes, hospitalized children and adults, and special needs students. A graduate of Indiana University, she holds degrees in clarinet performance and psychology and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling.

“I was born to do this,” she said. “As a young girl, I hid behind my clarinet because I had self-esteem issues. I understand why many musicians live that way. But music therapy is active, it’s not passive. In the sessions, even though there may be a listening activity or a meditation, we are engaged and working toward a goal.”

Above all, Dalphne recognizes that music therapy is a tool through which she can reach Maryville’s young women. “Music can allow people to express themselves and it can provide comfort when you are feeling alone. It’s powerful and it’s available to anyone…it really is limitless.”

And as for the long and winding road Dalphne has to travel to deliver that music? “I love working with the girls so much, even if Bartlett were farther away (from my home), I think I would still do it!”  

Filed Under: Media, News Tagged With: anxiety, music therapy, trauma

Support Maryville with Amazon Smile

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Maryville Academy every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. Choose Maryville and support the children in our care.

Filed Under: Media, News

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