The professional dancing chef has been producing for over 7 years. She creates programs teaching participants how to cook healthy foods using alternative options that are moderate. Last week at BCAL Saturday, Jeanine and her crew created a delicious nutritious meal of curry carrot soup, black rice and beans and some healthy fruit salad of bananas and blue berries with homemade lemonade to quench our thirst.
Diana Gonzalez is the creative genius at BCAL-Saturdays. She is known for her innovative ideas such as recycling plastic bags to create amazing totes and wallets. This week at BCAL, everyone had a blast painting owls and recycling old wooden boxes. They used their imagination and creative ideas to make something appealing to them. A memory box was created with the old wooden boxes which can be used to keep unforgettable moments and pictures. Students designed their own ceramic owls with a splash of color, taking home an original Diana Gonzalez keepsake .
The original songs coming out of the music studio on Saturday’s are nothing short of brilliant, or, as our students would say…waavy! The “Untouchables” performed their title song this past Saturday, check it out.
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Untouchable
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Growin’ Up
Every Saturday morning at BCAL 20 High School juniors prepare themselves for the process of applying to college by practicing for the SAT’s. The BCCP, in collaboration with Kaplan and New York Cares, provides an amazing opportunity, free of charge, to these students helping them with test-taking strategies while sharpening their mathematical and verbal skills. As the year-long program progresses, they become more familiarized with the exam, more confident in their abilities and better equipped to embark on the exhilarating journey of college education.
This Saturday, students focused on their math enhancement; with formulas buzzing all around the room and the sounds of calculators clicking, the atmosphere glowed with the student’s future accomplishments.
Up one flight of stairs, a whole world of difference — BCAL students made lip balm with all homemade materials. With the help of our Teaching Artist Diana, students mixed shea butter, olive oil and bees wax to create their very own lip protection for the blistery winter that is soon to come. In addition to their lip creations, the students also designed and created purse-like boxes to carry the balms in.
BCAL set out on the first trip of the new school year to see The Flying Chinese Acrobats at our very own Brooklyn Center! The day itself was exciting with the shock of the morning snow. With the snow flurries on our heads and anticipation in our hearts we hurried to the show. The diversity that surrounds us everyday living in the heart of Brooklyn is nothing compared to the change of scenery that was waiting for us on the stage. Flying through the air, jumping through hoops, and contorting their bodies into beautiful shapes; the Chinese Acrobats wowed us into speechless appreciation. They say you learn something new everyday, today the kids learned through their vision — the world is filled with many wonders and the Chinese culture is just a tiny sliver.
The creative juices of the BCAL students are never out of pulp. From fresh to innovative, the array of flavorful talents can be observed in every nook of the BCAL space. With the help of the teaching artist, Diana, students spent their Saturday Afternoon creating body scrubs made from sugar. Combining olive oil and sugar with the tranquil scents of lavender and honey, students transformed BCAL into a pseudo bubble bath playroom. On the opposite side of the space, a group of boys were collaborating their dance moves as students in the music lab learned the ropes of melody creation.
With summer over and school back in session, the shift in pace brings about a lot of change both for the BCAL students and the weather outside. With Autumn in full swing, the trees are shaking off their extra baggage and though it isn’t litter, it sure does look like it. Mountains of leaves are scattered all throughout the green lands of Brooklyn, limiting the activities that people so often utilize these spaces for. To help out and clear some space, BCAL students put on their “give-back gloves” and took a trip to Brower Park in attempt to free the grass from all the weight of the fallen leaves. Equipped with racks, shovels, brooms, garbage bags and lots of energy the students set out on their mission to help out the community .
Our students have a hectic school week, so on Saturdays they come down to BCAL for the yoga workshop led by our certified instructor Ira. In the workshop, they do exercises to stretch, relax and to develop focus and concentration, all the while having fun! They leave looking and feeling refreshed and ready to take on more challenges.
Join us this afternoon when guest artist, the Craftaholic Diana Gonzalez will teach us how to make quick, easy, colorful Envelope Books. To make them, we will bind 4-5 envelopes together like “pages” in a book, the pockets can hold small gifts, tickets, mementos and keepsakes, or whatever you wish! And what book is complete without a fabulous cover, you can choose decorative fabric, make a collage, leather, or maybe use decorative paper. The books are quick simple to make, are beautiful when finished.
They make great gifts and are even good for everyday use, you decide. They are so easy, you can make new ones with supplies easily purchased from the local discount store, or by asking your BCAL Saturday Arts and Crafts Instructor to lead another Envelope Book Workshop 
Drop in and sign-up to make envelope books. We’ll be at BCAL at Brooklyn College, Saturday April 9 from 1-4pm. Bring a friend! Or come alone, make a book and make a gift to give to a loved one
Come join us, we hope to see you! Stay posted for pictures of the workshop!
the Busy Hands
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