March 5, 2026 • 30 mins
Alzheimer’s Association Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter Presents "Unforgettable"
Alzheimer’s disease continues to impact millions of families across the country, and here in our region alone, hundreds of thousands of older adults are living with the disease while loved ones step in as caregivers. Raising awareness about the early warning signs, the importance of diagnosis, and greater participation in research is critical—especially in communities that have historically been underrepresented.
The Alzheimer’s Association is using the power of storytelling to spark those conversations through a live theatrical production called Unforgettable. Joining us now is Amba Kasongo, Programs Director for the Alzheimer’s Association Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, to talk about the impact of this initiative and an upcoming performance in our area.
Event Information for Listeners:
Unforgettable will take place Saturday, March 14th at 2:00 p.m. at William Penn Charter School – Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts. The performance runs until approximately 4:15 p.m. Attendance is free, but registration is required at www.unforgettableplay.com. For more information about the Alzheimer’s Association, follow Instagram @Alzdelval or Facebook and LinkedIn at Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter. https://www.alz.org/delval
Greene Street Friends School – Summer Friends Camp
Summer is just around the corner, and many families are searching for meaningful opportunities for young children while school is out. Greene Street Friends School in Germantown is offering Summer Friends Camp, a joyful and supportive experience designed especially for children ages 3 to 5. The camp blends outdoor play, arts and crafts, themed activities, and experiential learning in a nurturing environment rooted in Quaker values of community, inclusion, and curiosity. Joining us are Michelle Holland, Head of School; Darien Headen, Associate Head of School; and Nicole Fisher, Director of Auxiliary Programming, who oversees Summer Friends Camp. They also discuss a new opportunity for families to receive financial support through the Youth Access to Opportunities Grant. Summer Friends Camp
June 15 – August 7, 2026
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Greene Street Friends School – Lower School
20 West Armat Street
Philadelphia, PA Camp Registration
https://schools.procareconnect.com/form/601d9c11-6fdc-49c4-babe-c308fff2b85d Youth Access to Opportunities Grant (YAOG)
Lottery Opens: March 2, 2026
Lottery Closes: March 27, 2026 More Information:
https://www.csfphiladelphia.org/youth-access-program/ Website:
https://www.greenestreetfriends.org Social Media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenestreetfriends
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenestreetfriendsschool/
Little Smiles – Bringing Joy to Children in Hospitals
For families with children undergoing serious medical treatment, hospital stays can be long and emotionally difficult. The nonprofit Little Smiles is working to bring moments of joy and normalcy to children and their families across the Delaware Valley. From “Junk Food Runs” that transform hospital hallways into pizza-and-candy celebrations to game nights at Ronald McDonald Houses, the organization creates meaningful experiences that lift spirits during incredibly challenging times. One of their signature events is the Stars Ball, happening April 11, where children receiving treatment are treated like celebrities with red carpet arrivals, autographs, and a magical evening dedicated entirely to celebrating them. Joining us is Steve Grandizio, Executive Director of Little Smiles, to talk about the impact of these moments of joy. Website:
https://littlesmilespa.org Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LittleSmilesPA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlesmilespa
Alzheimer’s disease continues to impact millions of families across the country, and here in our region alone, hundreds of thousands of older adults are living with the disease while loved ones step in as caregivers. Raising awareness about the early warning signs, the importance of diagnosis, and greater participation in research is critical—especially in communities that have historically been underrepresented.
The Alzheimer’s Association is using the power of storytelling to spark those conversations through a live theatrical production called Unforgettable. Joining us now is Amba Kasongo, Programs Director for the Alzheimer’s Association Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, to talk about the impact of this initiative and an upcoming performance in our area.
Event Information for Listeners:
Unforgettable will take place Saturday, March 14th at 2:00 p.m. at William Penn Charter School – Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts. The performance runs until approximately 4:15 p.m. Attendance is free, but registration is required at www.unforgettableplay.com. For more information about the Alzheimer’s Association, follow Instagram @Alzdelval or Facebook and LinkedIn at Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter. https://www.alz.org/delval
Greene Street Friends School – Summer Friends Camp
Summer is just around the corner, and many families are searching for meaningful opportunities for young children while school is out. Greene Street Friends School in Germantown is offering Summer Friends Camp, a joyful and supportive experience designed especially for children ages 3 to 5. The camp blends outdoor play, arts and crafts, themed activities, and experiential learning in a nurturing environment rooted in Quaker values of community, inclusion, and curiosity. Joining us are Michelle Holland, Head of School; Darien Headen, Associate Head of School; and Nicole Fisher, Director of Auxiliary Programming, who oversees Summer Friends Camp. They also discuss a new opportunity for families to receive financial support through the Youth Access to Opportunities Grant. Summer Friends Camp
June 15 – August 7, 2026
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Greene Street Friends School – Lower School
20 West Armat Street
Philadelphia, PA Camp Registration
https://schools.procareconnect.com/form/601d9c11-6fdc-49c4-babe-c308fff2b85d Youth Access to Opportunities Grant (YAOG)
Lottery Opens: March 2, 2026
Lottery Closes: March 27, 2026 More Information:
https://www.csfphiladelphia.org/youth-access-program/ Website:
https://www.greenestreetfriends.org Social Media
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenestreetfriends
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenestreetfriendsschool/
Little Smiles – Bringing Joy to Children in Hospitals
For families with children undergoing serious medical treatment, hospital stays can be long and emotionally difficult. The nonprofit Little Smiles is working to bring moments of joy and normalcy to children and their families across the Delaware Valley. From “Junk Food Runs” that transform hospital hallways into pizza-and-candy celebrations to game nights at Ronald McDonald Houses, the organization creates meaningful experiences that lift spirits during incredibly challenging times. One of their signature events is the Stars Ball, happening April 11, where children receiving treatment are treated like celebrities with red carpet arrivals, autographs, and a magical evening dedicated entirely to celebrating them. Joining us is Steve Grandizio, Executive Director of Little Smiles, to talk about the impact of these moments of joy. Website:
https://littlesmilespa.org Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LittleSmilesPA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlesmilespa
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Welcome to What's going On, a show about
making a difference in our lives and our communities. I'm
Lorraine Ballotmorrow. As families start planning for the summer, many
parents are looking for camps and activities for their children,
but some worry it may be beyond their budget. Today
we'll talk with Green Street Friends School about their summer
camp and a program designed to help make it more affordable.
Will also introduce you to a wonderful nonprofit called Little Smiles,
(00:23):
which brings moments of joy, fun and relief to children
undergoing serious medical treatment. But first we'll talk about a
play that uses the power of storytelling to spark conversations
about the impact of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease continues to
impact millions of families across the country, and here in
our region alone, hundreds of thousands of older adults are
(00:46):
living with the disease, while loved ones step in as caregivers.
Raising awareness about the early warning signs, the importance of
diagnosis and greater participation in research is critical, especially in
community that have been historically underrepresented. The Alzheimer's Association is
using the power of storytelling to spark those conversations through
(01:08):
a live theatrical production called Unforgettable. Joining us now is
Amba Kasongo, program director for the Alzheimer's Association Southeast Pennsylvania Chapter.
She's here to talk about the impact of this initiative
and an upcoming performance in our area. So, Amba, before
we talk about the play, can you give us a
little bit of information about the mission of the Alzheimer's
(01:30):
Association and the work that you do in your Southeastern
Pennsylvania chapter. What are you doing to support families impacted
by Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Of course, thank you for having me, Lorraine. So our
goal here, especially with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, as you
spoke to over five hundred thousand in Philadelphia, but over
seven hundred and eighty in the Tri state area. We
want to give access to resources that the Association has
while going through the different phases of getting the diagnosed
(02:00):
and other forms of dementia, but then also just getting
talking about it. So with the play with Unforgettable, for example,
the goal here is to strike a chord to allow
a safe space for people to be able to talk
about it in the first place, because to a point
you made in the black and brown community, there is
a taboo, if you will, it is negative to talk
(02:22):
about certain health conditions. And so my job, as well
as that of my peers, is to create that safe
space to not only have the conversation, but hopefully get
to a space of diagnoses and what the association our
goal is to be part of finding that first cure.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I know there are a lot of folks out there
who don't really know what they need to know about alzheimer.
Certainly going to this play is going to be really important.
But for those who are out there maybe concerned, they're going, hey,
I walked out the door, and I forgot my keys
and I had to go back and all those sorts
of things. So what distinguishes just natural forgetfulness and then
(03:01):
something that's more serious? What do people need to look
out for.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I have a personal friend who, ironically enough, their father
was a chemist, very important feel to not forget things right.
He went from being able to naturally get himself to
work and do what he needs to do to now
he doesn't remember how to get there and he's just aimlessly.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Driving or being able to cook.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And I forgot completely that I even had something on
the stove. That's not the same as I needed to
go into the room to grab something and I forgot,
and I walked out and I remembered. Those are two
very distinctly different things. And so as the family is
the caregivers of the person that's possibly dealing with Alzheimer's
(03:46):
or another form of demensia, it is on us to
have that uncomfortable conversation with each other.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Hey, something's wrong with her.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
We need to get her valuated, because those different things
could be life changing, both were that individual and that
of those that are beyond your walls. And I think
people forget that that's extremely important that we treat it
like a village, because I would never if there was
someone that was outside visibly not in the right space,
(04:14):
I would hope that if.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
That was my loved one, that I'm at the.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Very least able to keep their attention and get help
to make sure that they're supported properly. But we have
to start making that a norm in terms of our
culture holistically, so to.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Be able to distinguish the two.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Ambo So tell us about the play. Where is it
going to take place, the date, the time, the location,
and what people need to do in order to attend.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Unforgettable's ultimate goal is to raise awareness of the Alzheimer's
disease and other forms of dementia in the African American,
Hispanic and Latino communities. It's going to be in its
twentieth show, it's last and final show in Philadelphia on
March fourteenth, Saturday, at two pm. It will be hosted
at the David El Kurt Center, which is part of
(05:00):
of the William Penn Charter School. We will be opening
doors for people to check in at one pm. We
do ask that you register ahead of time, and we
are marketing in every possible way for you to do so.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It is completely free.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
We encourage every person possible to come see it. It
may be that one thing that allows you and your
family to say, you know what, this is an issue
we need to address. Let's start having that conversation. And
we want to make sure we're supportive of that safe
space for you.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Fantastic and so where is the website that people need
to go to in order to register.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You can register if you visit ww dot unforgettableplay dot
com and you'll be met with a register now link.
All it's going to ask you is for your name
and email address and telephone number to make sure we
have everything secure for you.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
And of course if people want more information about Alzheimer's
and all the great resources that your organization provides, where
do they go for that?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
So we have a twenty four to seven highline that
they can reach, but also you're able to find all
of those resources on our website at altaalz dot org.
It'll connect you to our hotline, any local resources in
terms of programming, and make sure that you're able to
access any needs and support that your family needs in
this time.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Thank you so much for joining us. Amba Kasango, program
director for the Alzheimer's Association Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, talking about
the impact of this incredible production. It's called Unforgettable. It's
raising awareness about the importance of recognizing the symptoms of
Alzheimer's and also encouraging people to become part of clinical
(06:38):
studies because that is so important. Amba, thank you so
much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Thank you, Lorae, and I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Many families with children undergoing serious medical treatments spend long
days and nights in hospitals. A nonprofit called Little Smiles
is working to bring moments of joy and normalcy to
those children and their families across the Delaware Valley. From
junk food runs that turn hospital hallways into pizza and
candy parties to game nights at Ronald McDonald houses, the
(07:12):
organization creates small but powerful experiences that lift spirits during
difficult times. One of their signature events, the Stars Ball,
is coming up April eleventh. It's an unforgettable evening where
kids receiving treatments are treated like celebrities, complete with red
carpet arrivals, autographs, and a night dedicated entirely to celebrate them.
(07:33):
Joining us now is Steve Grandisio, executive director from Little Smiles,
to talk about the impact of these moments of joy.
Thank you so much for joining us here today. And
although this is radio and for those who might be
seeing us on social media, you do have a great smile.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
So wow, thanks for your joy for having.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, your joy is coming through. For listeners who are
not familiar with Little Smiles, I did kind of talk
a little bit about it, but tell us more about
the mission behind the organization and how did you get started.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Yes, so we act as a silent checkbook for the
direct care professionals who work with kids who are going
through traumatic situations, mostly illness, but it could be a
chronic condition, could be a life changing accident. And then
we actually work with an abuse agency and a couple
shelters as well, so we've really expanded who we serve
(08:30):
and we want to deliver smiles. Those direct care professionals
are on the front lines. There are our eyes and ears,
and we act as their silent checkbook. So anytime they say, gosh,
wouldn't it be cool to do this or I wish
we could do that for a certain kid, they put
in the request to us and we make it happen.
The other cool thing is our dual mission is to
(08:53):
recharge the direct care professionals batteries. So when they put
that request in nine times out of time, we send
the request back to that direct care professional so that
he or she can get the hug and the tears
and thank you and we truly act as this silent,
behind the scenes checkbook for them.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Oh that sounds wonderful. How did you guys get started?
Speaker 4 (09:17):
So actually, my brother stepbrother started in Florida twenty five
years ago and started by doing video drives for hospitals
because these kids were in treatments for months and months
and months, and they needed more than just one copy
of Toy Story. They needed multiple copies of Toy Story.
Back before we had them on our phones and devices.
(09:40):
You need to, you know, have a VHS cassette player.
And so it started as a charity called Videos for Kids,
and then it evolved into much more than that because
the requests were more than just movies. Once you start
putting yourself out there, then you know, you open yourself
to and better requests. And that's when they started coming in.
(10:02):
And it was a letter from a parent who said,
it's the little smiles that you put on my kid's
face that got us through. And that's when they changed
the little smiles His Villainova Buddy and I brought it
to Philadelphia twenty years ago, back in two thousand and six.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
One of the programs that people love hearing about is
the Junk Food Run. Tell us what happens during these
visits to hospitals like chop Neymores and Shriners and why
something as simple as pizza and candy can mean so much.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
That's a great question, Lorraine, and we are truly the
everyday stuff like the requests we fell are the everyday things,
not the bucket list items like a make a wish,
so junk food runs when you're if you've ever had
an overnight stay in the hospital, the food's not great
and these kids crave salty or sweet food, so and
(10:54):
in a lot of cases, the doctors just want them
to eat. So we come in and we bring pizzas,
we bring snacks. It's more than just those, the pizza
and the snacks. It builds community. You go to a
place like Shriners where we go every month, and you'll
have families literally from a dozen different countries there and
(11:16):
in many cases they stay in their rooms. They kind
of stay to themselves, and this kind of builds community
because they're all sitting and eating together and sharing pizza,
and they get to know each other. And it's amazing.
How you know, when you have two kids who have
the same condition, who may not have anything else in common,
how that whole family connects. And we help facilitate that
(11:37):
by doing these these jump food runs.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah. Now, Little Smiles also supports families staying at places
like Ronald McDonald House with dinners and game nights. Why
is it important to care for the entire family during
a child's medical journey.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Another great question. Obviously, they're a part of a big
part of their journey. And you know there's probably no
medicinal studies that show what a smile can do. And
you know, these game nights and fun nights you see
these kids, but I guarantee you the little chemicals inside
(12:12):
their bodies are reacting a little bit differently. So by
going to the Ron McDonald house in Philadelphia, we go
to the one in Camden and the one in Wilmington
and doing things like Karaoke night or Bingo night or
quiz O Nite and getting a bunch of prizes and
giving them out again, builds that community, gets these these
(12:35):
families to connect even more and allows them to feel
quote unquote normal for a couple hours.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Now, let's talk about the Stars Ball coming up on
April eleventh. I did a little quick description, but it
sounds like it's such a very fun and special event
for the kids who are chosen to be the stars
for that night. Tell us a little more about how
that looks.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Yeah, so it is a magical night. It is modeled
after the Oscars, but the kids are the stars and
kids from chop from Shriners, from the Moors, from Saint Christopher's,
we have a couple kids from a shelter in Kensington.
Boys get their tuxes, the girls get gowns and shoes.
(13:21):
Stephen Singer does costume jewelry for all the girls. The
day of, they get their hair, their makeup, their nails
done at a local salon and they get picked up
in limos and brought to the event. And when they
get there, they either walk or roll the red carpet,
sign autographs. We give them sharpie pens, but we put
(13:43):
their headshots inside the program so that all of us
line the red carpet. So we'll have three hundred and
some people lining the red carpet in a black tie optional.
So they're all decked out and they're getting autographs from
these stars, and they get Red Carpet interviews, they get
a replica oscar. The night's truly about them. You'll see
(14:05):
a lot of these other events that happen, and no
offense to those events, but they'll have celebrity speakers and
different things. These kids are our stars, so we put
them front and center for that night.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, well, i'd like to dig a little up close
and personal into stegrunds you. So, yeah, you definitely exude
a lot of joy and positivity, and I wonder if
you can tell us a little bit about your own
personal journey that led you to this point where you
are doing this thing. I mean, there's always kind of
(14:38):
an origin story, I think for people's missions. Tell us
what your origin story is.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Yeah, so mine's not probably as simple as most, and
it's going to involve my stepbrother. Who's my brother. It's
my stepbrother for this conversation. But my dad left when
I was six. Fortunately, my mom remarried when I was
eight years old, married an amazing guy who was incredibly
film fropic in writing checks, but more in rolling up
(15:07):
the sleeve and doing things. He actually was the Delaware
County coordinator for a group called Aid for Friends, which
was like a meals on wheels, but it was local.
It was started in Northeast Philadelphia and he was the
Delaware County coordinator. So I remember watching The Cosby Show
as a kid, and we'd be stuff in trays, putting
(15:30):
trays into bags and with labels so that people could
make meals. And we didn't even know we were volunteering.
We were just stuffing trays, that's what we did. So
I think he kind of instilled that in myself and
my stepbrother. Prior to my parents, my mom and my
stepdad getting together, I inherited two great step brothers, but
(15:51):
in between them was a stepsister who died of cancer
and my stepbrother who started Little Smiles in Florida. Will
never isn't really talk about that being the impetus, but
between losing his younger sister and having this roll up
your sleeves volunteer volunteerism kind of ingrained in us. Those
(16:14):
two combined were the impetus behind him starting Little Smiles
and then me and his Villanova body bringing it to Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah, Well, it sounds like you get a lot of
a joy from doing what you do. It's very clear
and just how you present yourself and sounds like just
an incredible, wonderful gift to kids and their families. I
know there are a lot of people who'd love to
help you out, So tell us more about how people
can donate, volunteer, or support this upcoming gala.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
They can email me at s grand Disio my first
initial last name at Little smilespa dot org. You can
go to Little smilespa dot org and check us out.
There's a there's a donate and volunteer button there, or
you can connect with me on social media. So Little
Smiles Pa is on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. I'm on LinkedIn,
(17:11):
so you can connect with me on LinkedIn. Message me
there really any way that works works well for your listeners,
I'm open to it.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
That's great, and what is your website again, Little smilespa
dot org, thank you so much for joining us today.
It sounds like if people want to get a little
hit of joy, they might want to check out this
event called the Stars Bag. In my mind, I'm picturing
all these kids coming out of limos and wearing all
their tuxedos and gowns and wow. I mean, I'm sure
(17:42):
there's a lot of smiles to be had at that event,
and certainly all the events that you sponsor.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
I tell everybody make sure you wear waterproof mets garat
because there are definitely tiers flowing.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
I love it. Tears of Joy Steve Grandizio, executive director
from Little Smiles, a nonprofit that's working to bring moments
of joy and normalcy to those children and families across
the Delaware Valley who are undergoing serious medical treatments, spending
long days and nights in hospitals. Little smiles, bringing big
smiles to a lot of people. Thank you so much,
(18:14):
Steve for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Laurene, thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
I remember a time when I would need to do
a lot of research about the best places to put
my son for camp during the summer. That was always
kind of stressful. And so what we're going to do
is we're going to help you out by giving you
information on one very excellent choice of summer camp. Summer
is just around the corner, and for many families, that
(18:42):
means finding meaningful and enriching opportunities for young children while
school is out. Green Street Friends School in Germantown is
offering Summer Friends Camp, a joyful and supportive camp experience
designed especially for children ages three to five. The program
blends outdoor pla, arts and crafts themed activities and experiential learning,
(19:05):
and a nurturing environment rooted in Quaker values of community
inclusion and curiosity. Joining us to talk about the program
and a new opportunity for families to receive financial support
through the Youth Access to Opportunities Grant joining us to
talk about the program and new opportunities for families to
receive financial support through the Youth Access to Opportunities Grant.
(19:28):
Our Darien Heaton, Associate head of School, and Nicole Fisher,
Director of Auxiliary Programming, who oversees the Summer Friends Camp. So, Nicole,
let's start with you. For listeners who may not be
familiar with Green Street Friends School, can you share a
little bit about the school's Quaker values and how they
shape the environment for students and families.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
Sure. I was first introduced to Green Street Friends School
as a parent about twenty twenty one twenty twenty two.
My son attended Green Street Friends for middle school, and
I just fell in love with the schools values that
are based in spices that we call see on my
(20:07):
shirt hair it says simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity, and stewardship.
Those are our Quaker spices spice Okay, yeah, And that
fuels the school community. And if you walk into the space,
you just feel every aspect of the environment just radiates
(20:27):
these values, from faculty to staff to students. It is
a beautiful place to.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Be Darien, let's talk with you, because just to amplify
about the impact of Quaker spice to education, how does
that apply to kids, especially kids so young?
Speaker 6 (20:47):
Sure, you know, I look at Friends Schools as being
transformative experiences for kids. I am a product of Friends Education.
I went to Friends School from kindergarten through twelfth grade,
both in New Jerk and here in Philadelphia, and I saw,
even as a young student, what I learned, the core
values that I learned, they resonated and they grew as
(21:08):
I grew. So to have a camp that is directly
impacting young students that we want to impart those values
of being change makers, of being able to look at
others and see the light in others regardless of you
know where they come from or what differences that they
may share or they may not share. Those sort of
(21:31):
qualities are really important. So being able to do that
with young children and having them do it through experiential learning,
through play, through outdoor time, and through a camp that
is both going to grow them as young learners and
young students, but also impart that joy and that fun
in them. That is the essence of what I believe
(21:52):
Quicker schools to.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Be Nicole back to you. The Summer Friends Camp is
something very distinct, and I wonder if you can talk
about what distinguishes what you do there from maybe the
average camp experience.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Sure, we are integrating students into the holistic Green Street
Friends School community through this camp. We see it as
a wrap around introductory summer program for our youngest learners
ages three to five, instead of looking at it as
a daycared sort of introduction. We are offering them a
(22:29):
camp based on weekly themes, and our themes are really beautiful.
They're based in exploration of nature and stem and storytelling.
In the arts, examples are garden explorers, bug detectives, water wonders,
animal and habitats, joyful movement of music. And we are
bringing in educators and club vendors who are well versed
(22:54):
in these themes to provide a variety of activities throughout
the day for our students. So I think it's going
to be really, really fun and just throughout the holistic day,
they will be well entertained and very tired when they
go home with their families.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
I'm sure that's a very important point there, because we
want our kids to be tired by the end of
the day. For sure, Darien, let's talk about access to
these summer camps, because many times people think summer camp, Oh,
it's going to be beyond my ability to afford that.
So let's talk about affordability. You're doing a lot to
make it affordable for those who don't think they can
(23:31):
afford it. Tell us more sure.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
As mentioned before, Green Street Friends is a place that
is a very beautiful community. It's a well rounded community
with folks coming from many different walks of life, and
I think that's a testament to our long history of
having a lot of socioeconomic diversity on campus. We want
to make sure that Friends education is accessible. Education in general,
(23:55):
especially within independent schools, has been climbing over the years.
In Green has been really intentional about ensuring that we
can still create a community that has a lot of
socioeconomic diversity, and we wanted to impart that with this camp.
So when we were conceptualizing this whole idea, we wanted
(24:16):
to make sure that we sat right in the market
of not being too out of the reach of our
community members, but still being able to run a camp
and make sure that we have all of the experiences
and opportunities as Nicol just shared. For our young students,
what you'll see is camp is four hundred and fifty
dollars a week. However, we offer discounts for signing up
(24:39):
for multiple weeks. We've also partnered with Children's Scholarship Fund.
They partner with us throughout the school year and they've
been a great partner, and it's really nice to see
that partnership extending throughout the summer. And they'll be offering
opportunities for parents or caregivers who make up to one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars to apply for a grant
(25:01):
essentially to reduce the cost of camp. So in this
case it's about two hundred dollars that you can take
off of the camp fee.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
That's fantastic and I like that that you've sort of
expanded what is a support because there's there are people
that are able to afford things because they make a
lot of money, and there are a lot of people
who are not able to afford anything because they're really
in the poverty line. But there's that middle ground of
folks in the middle class who still can't afford a
(25:32):
lot of these things, whether it's private school or whether
it's a camp that kind of experience. So to be
able to provide that opportunity for that segment of the
population is really wonderful and exciting, because a lot of
middle class folks, you know, they just simply can't afford
or don't believe they can afford something as enriching as
a Summer Friends Camp. So Nicole tell us the specifics.
(25:55):
When does the camp run, where does it begin, when
does it end, what are the outs? Where is it located?
Give us all the details.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Sure, a Summer Friends Camp will be located on the
campus of Green Street Friends School. We're located at twenty
West R. Matt Street in Germantown. The camp will run
in our lower school building and it will take place
from eight am to three point thirty pm. And the
dates are June fifteenth through August seventh.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
And if people want to sign up, where do they
find out more information?
Speaker 5 (26:31):
They could go to our website Greenstreetfriends dot org and
there's information there to sign up for the program. They
could also email me at n Fisher at Greenstreetfriends dot
org and I'd be happy to share more information directly.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Fantastic and Darian, I'm going to give you the last word,
you are the product of a Quaker education. Tell us briefly, really,
what does that meant for you?
Speaker 6 (26:58):
Oh, It's meant the world to me. I mean, as
you said, I'm a product of Quaker education. My mom
and her brothers went to Quaker schools as well, and
I think that set the trajectory for me. But as
an educator and as a product of Quaker schools, I
think it's really made me the person that I am today.
I think Quaker education has really helped me to have
(27:21):
an open mind and a holistic view of people in general,
being able to relate to others, being able to understand
and hear others, being able to have conversations across lines
of difference. Because one of the core ideas within Quaker
school is that we all have or Quaker rism, I
(27:41):
should say, and it's important in Quaker schools, is that
we all have an inter light within us. So if
you're able to see that interlight within someone else, whether
you agree with all of what they have to say,
or you come from a different community from them, or
a different background, a different identity marker, it allows allows
you to have that level of humanity. And I think
(28:04):
in Quaker schools. We're doing that with young kids. We
just started a preschool this current school year. We'll be
going into our second year of preschool with three year
olds next year. We're imparting that within them, and that
trickles throughout student's trajectory at Green Street Friends. By the
time they're eighth graders, they're writing to local state officials,
(28:24):
and they're doing service learning with local organizations. They're doing
service projects on campus. They're really actively involved as change
makers and they see themselves as that. They're writing essays
and writing plays. We've partnered with Philadelphia Young playwrights, and
that's just a testament of the work that students are
(28:47):
doing here in Philly and even abroad. We have a
Costa Rica program that's been running over twenty years where
our students are getting to go outside of the States
and into other communities and flex their language skills. We
teach Spanish all the way from preschool through eighth grade,
and they're getting to use that and I think that
is just a testament a Quaker education and being able
(29:08):
to be the leader of our academic program and know
that I had those same sort of experiences at other
Quaker institutions. It just means the world to me.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
I love that, and I love the idea that it's
about teaching people to see the light in each other.
And of course we all need more spice in our
lives right and we certainly need some of the qualities
that you talked about in our world today. It is
wonderful to talk to you both. Summer Friends Camp is
a joyful and supportive camp experience designed especially for kids
(29:42):
aged three to five, and there's also opportunities. It's a
new opportunity for families to receive financial support through the
Youth Access to Opportunities Grant. And that's not just for
those who think that they truly can't afford a camp
summer camp, but it's for that vast amount of people
who would love to do this but don't think they
(30:03):
can afford it. Well, there's opportunities for you as well.
Thank you both for joining us here today, Darien Heaton,
Associate head of school, and Nicole Fisher, director of Auxiliary
Programming and who oversees the Summer Friends Camp. They are
from Green Street Friends School in Germantown. Thank you both
for joining us today.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Thank you so much for having us.
Speaker 6 (30:23):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
You can listen to all of today's interviews on the
iHeartRadio app and all podcast platforms by typing in keywords
Philadelphia Community Podcast. Follow me on Instagram and threads at
Lorraine Ballard and Lorraine Morrel on TikTok and that's Lorraine
with one R. I'm Lorraine Ballad tomorrow and I stand
for service to our community and media that empowers. What
will you stand for? You've been listening to what's going on,
(30:46):
and thank you
Good morning, Welcome to What's going On, a show about
making a difference in our lives and our communities. I'm
Lorraine Ballotmorrow. As families start planning for the summer, many
parents are looking for camps and activities for their children,
but some worry it may be beyond their budget. Today
we'll talk with Green Street Friends School about their summer
camp and a program designed to help make it more affordable.
Will also introduce you to a wonderful nonprofit called Little Smiles,
(00:23):
which brings moments of joy, fun and relief to children
undergoing serious medical treatment. But first we'll talk about a
play that uses the power of storytelling to spark conversations
about the impact of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease continues to
impact millions of families across the country, and here in
our region alone, hundreds of thousands of older adults are
(00:46):
living with the disease, while loved ones step in as caregivers.
Raising awareness about the early warning signs, the importance of
diagnosis and greater participation in research is critical, especially in
community that have been historically underrepresented. The Alzheimer's Association is
using the power of storytelling to spark those conversations through
(01:08):
a live theatrical production called Unforgettable. Joining us now is
Amba Kasongo, program director for the Alzheimer's Association Southeast Pennsylvania Chapter.
She's here to talk about the impact of this initiative
and an upcoming performance in our area. So, Amba, before
we talk about the play, can you give us a
little bit of information about the mission of the Alzheimer's
(01:30):
Association and the work that you do in your Southeastern
Pennsylvania chapter. What are you doing to support families impacted
by Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Of course, thank you for having me, Lorraine. So our
goal here, especially with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, as you
spoke to over five hundred thousand in Philadelphia, but over
seven hundred and eighty in the Tri state area. We
want to give access to resources that the Association has
while going through the different phases of getting the diagnosed
(02:00):
and other forms of dementia, but then also just getting
talking about it. So with the play with Unforgettable, for example,
the goal here is to strike a chord to allow
a safe space for people to be able to talk
about it in the first place, because to a point
you made in the black and brown community, there is
a taboo, if you will, it is negative to talk
(02:22):
about certain health conditions. And so my job, as well
as that of my peers, is to create that safe
space to not only have the conversation, but hopefully get
to a space of diagnoses and what the association our
goal is to be part of finding that first cure.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I know there are a lot of folks out there
who don't really know what they need to know about alzheimer.
Certainly going to this play is going to be really important.
But for those who are out there maybe concerned, they're going, hey,
I walked out the door, and I forgot my keys
and I had to go back and all those sorts
of things. So what distinguishes just natural forgetfulness and then
(03:01):
something that's more serious? What do people need to look
out for.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I have a personal friend who, ironically enough, their father
was a chemist, very important feel to not forget things right.
He went from being able to naturally get himself to
work and do what he needs to do to now
he doesn't remember how to get there and he's just aimlessly.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Driving or being able to cook.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
And I forgot completely that I even had something on
the stove. That's not the same as I needed to
go into the room to grab something and I forgot,
and I walked out and I remembered. Those are two
very distinctly different things. And so as the family is
the caregivers of the person that's possibly dealing with Alzheimer's
(03:46):
or another form of demensia, it is on us to
have that uncomfortable conversation with each other.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Hey, something's wrong with her.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
We need to get her valuated, because those different things
could be life changing, both were that individual and that
of those that are beyond your walls. And I think
people forget that that's extremely important that we treat it
like a village, because I would never if there was
someone that was outside visibly not in the right space,
(04:14):
I would hope that if.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
That was my loved one, that I'm at the.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Very least able to keep their attention and get help
to make sure that they're supported properly. But we have
to start making that a norm in terms of our
culture holistically, so to.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Be able to distinguish the two.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Ambo So tell us about the play. Where is it
going to take place, the date, the time, the location,
and what people need to do in order to attend.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Unforgettable's ultimate goal is to raise awareness of the Alzheimer's
disease and other forms of dementia in the African American,
Hispanic and Latino communities. It's going to be in its
twentieth show, it's last and final show in Philadelphia on
March fourteenth, Saturday, at two pm. It will be hosted
at the David El Kurt Center, which is part of
(05:00):
of the William Penn Charter School. We will be opening
doors for people to check in at one pm. We
do ask that you register ahead of time, and we
are marketing in every possible way for you to do so.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It is completely free.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
We encourage every person possible to come see it. It
may be that one thing that allows you and your
family to say, you know what, this is an issue
we need to address. Let's start having that conversation. And
we want to make sure we're supportive of that safe
space for you.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Fantastic and so where is the website that people need
to go to in order to register.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You can register if you visit ww dot unforgettableplay dot
com and you'll be met with a register now link.
All it's going to ask you is for your name
and email address and telephone number to make sure we
have everything secure for you.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
And of course if people want more information about Alzheimer's
and all the great resources that your organization provides, where
do they go for that?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
So we have a twenty four to seven highline that
they can reach, but also you're able to find all
of those resources on our website at altaalz dot org.
It'll connect you to our hotline, any local resources in
terms of programming, and make sure that you're able to
access any needs and support that your family needs in
this time.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Thank you so much for joining us. Amba Kasango, program
director for the Alzheimer's Association Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, talking about
the impact of this incredible production. It's called Unforgettable. It's
raising awareness about the importance of recognizing the symptoms of
Alzheimer's and also encouraging people to become part of clinical
(06:38):
studies because that is so important. Amba, thank you so
much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Thank you, Lorae, and I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Many families with children undergoing serious medical treatments spend long
days and nights in hospitals. A nonprofit called Little Smiles
is working to bring moments of joy and normalcy to
those children and their families across the Delaware Valley. From
junk food runs that turn hospital hallways into pizza and
candy parties to game nights at Ronald McDonald houses, the
(07:12):
organization creates small but powerful experiences that lift spirits during
difficult times. One of their signature events, the Stars Ball,
is coming up April eleventh. It's an unforgettable evening where
kids receiving treatments are treated like celebrities, complete with red
carpet arrivals, autographs, and a night dedicated entirely to celebrate them.
(07:33):
Joining us now is Steve Grandisio, executive director from Little Smiles,
to talk about the impact of these moments of joy.
Thank you so much for joining us here today. And
although this is radio and for those who might be
seeing us on social media, you do have a great smile.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
So wow, thanks for your joy for having.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, your joy is coming through. For listeners who are
not familiar with Little Smiles, I did kind of talk
a little bit about it, but tell us more about
the mission behind the organization and how did you get started.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Yes, so we act as a silent checkbook for the
direct care professionals who work with kids who are going
through traumatic situations, mostly illness, but it could be a
chronic condition, could be a life changing accident. And then
we actually work with an abuse agency and a couple
shelters as well, so we've really expanded who we serve
(08:30):
and we want to deliver smiles. Those direct care professionals
are on the front lines. There are our eyes and ears,
and we act as their silent checkbook. So anytime they say, gosh,
wouldn't it be cool to do this or I wish
we could do that for a certain kid, they put
in the request to us and we make it happen.
The other cool thing is our dual mission is to
(08:53):
recharge the direct care professionals batteries. So when they put
that request in nine times out of time, we send
the request back to that direct care professional so that
he or she can get the hug and the tears
and thank you and we truly act as this silent,
behind the scenes checkbook for them.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Oh that sounds wonderful. How did you guys get started?
Speaker 4 (09:17):
So actually, my brother stepbrother started in Florida twenty five
years ago and started by doing video drives for hospitals
because these kids were in treatments for months and months
and months, and they needed more than just one copy
of Toy Story. They needed multiple copies of Toy Story.
Back before we had them on our phones and devices.
(09:40):
You need to, you know, have a VHS cassette player.
And so it started as a charity called Videos for Kids,
and then it evolved into much more than that because
the requests were more than just movies. Once you start
putting yourself out there, then you know, you open yourself
to and better requests. And that's when they started coming in.
(10:02):
And it was a letter from a parent who said,
it's the little smiles that you put on my kid's
face that got us through. And that's when they changed
the little smiles His Villainova Buddy and I brought it
to Philadelphia twenty years ago, back in two thousand and six.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
One of the programs that people love hearing about is
the Junk Food Run. Tell us what happens during these
visits to hospitals like chop Neymores and Shriners and why
something as simple as pizza and candy can mean so much.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
That's a great question, Lorraine, and we are truly the
everyday stuff like the requests we fell are the everyday things,
not the bucket list items like a make a wish,
so junk food runs when you're if you've ever had
an overnight stay in the hospital, the food's not great
and these kids crave salty or sweet food, so and
(10:54):
in a lot of cases, the doctors just want them
to eat. So we come in and we bring pizzas,
we bring snacks. It's more than just those, the pizza
and the snacks. It builds community. You go to a
place like Shriners where we go every month, and you'll
have families literally from a dozen different countries there and
(11:16):
in many cases they stay in their rooms. They kind
of stay to themselves, and this kind of builds community
because they're all sitting and eating together and sharing pizza,
and they get to know each other. And it's amazing.
How you know, when you have two kids who have
the same condition, who may not have anything else in common,
how that whole family connects. And we help facilitate that
(11:37):
by doing these these jump food runs.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah. Now, Little Smiles also supports families staying at places
like Ronald McDonald House with dinners and game nights. Why
is it important to care for the entire family during
a child's medical journey.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Another great question. Obviously, they're a part of a big
part of their journey. And you know there's probably no
medicinal studies that show what a smile can do. And
you know, these game nights and fun nights you see
these kids, but I guarantee you the little chemicals inside
(12:12):
their bodies are reacting a little bit differently. So by
going to the Ron McDonald house in Philadelphia, we go
to the one in Camden and the one in Wilmington
and doing things like Karaoke night or Bingo night or
quiz O Nite and getting a bunch of prizes and
giving them out again, builds that community, gets these these
(12:35):
families to connect even more and allows them to feel
quote unquote normal for a couple hours.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Now, let's talk about the Stars Ball coming up on
April eleventh. I did a little quick description, but it
sounds like it's such a very fun and special event
for the kids who are chosen to be the stars
for that night. Tell us a little more about how
that looks.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Yeah, so it is a magical night. It is modeled
after the Oscars, but the kids are the stars and
kids from chop from Shriners, from the Moors, from Saint Christopher's,
we have a couple kids from a shelter in Kensington.
Boys get their tuxes, the girls get gowns and shoes.
(13:21):
Stephen Singer does costume jewelry for all the girls. The
day of, they get their hair, their makeup, their nails
done at a local salon and they get picked up
in limos and brought to the event. And when they
get there, they either walk or roll the red carpet,
sign autographs. We give them sharpie pens, but we put
(13:43):
their headshots inside the program so that all of us
line the red carpet. So we'll have three hundred and
some people lining the red carpet in a black tie optional.
So they're all decked out and they're getting autographs from
these stars, and they get Red Carpet interviews, they get
a replica oscar. The night's truly about them. You'll see
(14:05):
a lot of these other events that happen, and no
offense to those events, but they'll have celebrity speakers and
different things. These kids are our stars, so we put
them front and center for that night.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Yeah, well, i'd like to dig a little up close
and personal into stegrunds you. So, yeah, you definitely exude
a lot of joy and positivity, and I wonder if
you can tell us a little bit about your own
personal journey that led you to this point where you
are doing this thing. I mean, there's always kind of
(14:38):
an origin story, I think for people's missions. Tell us
what your origin story is.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
Yeah, so mine's not probably as simple as most, and
it's going to involve my stepbrother. Who's my brother. It's
my stepbrother for this conversation. But my dad left when
I was six. Fortunately, my mom remarried when I was
eight years old, married an amazing guy who was incredibly
film fropic in writing checks, but more in rolling up
(15:07):
the sleeve and doing things. He actually was the Delaware
County coordinator for a group called Aid for Friends, which
was like a meals on wheels, but it was local.
It was started in Northeast Philadelphia and he was the
Delaware County coordinator. So I remember watching The Cosby Show
as a kid, and we'd be stuff in trays, putting
(15:30):
trays into bags and with labels so that people could
make meals. And we didn't even know we were volunteering.
We were just stuffing trays, that's what we did. So
I think he kind of instilled that in myself and
my stepbrother. Prior to my parents, my mom and my
stepdad getting together, I inherited two great step brothers, but
(15:51):
in between them was a stepsister who died of cancer
and my stepbrother who started Little Smiles in Florida. Will
never isn't really talk about that being the impetus, but
between losing his younger sister and having this roll up
your sleeves volunteer volunteerism kind of ingrained in us. Those
(16:14):
two combined were the impetus behind him starting Little Smiles
and then me and his Villanova body bringing it to Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah, Well, it sounds like you get a lot of
a joy from doing what you do. It's very clear
and just how you present yourself and sounds like just
an incredible, wonderful gift to kids and their families. I
know there are a lot of people who'd love to
help you out, So tell us more about how people
can donate, volunteer, or support this upcoming gala.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
They can email me at s grand Disio my first
initial last name at Little smilespa dot org. You can
go to Little smilespa dot org and check us out.
There's a there's a donate and volunteer button there, or
you can connect with me on social media. So Little
Smiles Pa is on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. I'm on LinkedIn,
(17:11):
so you can connect with me on LinkedIn. Message me
there really any way that works works well for your listeners,
I'm open to it.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
That's great, and what is your website again, Little smilespa
dot org, thank you so much for joining us today.
It sounds like if people want to get a little
hit of joy, they might want to check out this
event called the Stars Bag. In my mind, I'm picturing
all these kids coming out of limos and wearing all
their tuxedos and gowns and wow. I mean, I'm sure
(17:42):
there's a lot of smiles to be had at that event,
and certainly all the events that you sponsor.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
I tell everybody make sure you wear waterproof mets garat
because there are definitely tiers flowing.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
I love it. Tears of Joy Steve Grandizio, executive director
from Little Smiles, a nonprofit that's working to bring moments
of joy and normalcy to those children and families across
the Delaware Valley who are undergoing serious medical treatments, spending
long days and nights in hospitals. Little smiles, bringing big
smiles to a lot of people. Thank you so much,
(18:14):
Steve for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Laurene, thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
I remember a time when I would need to do
a lot of research about the best places to put
my son for camp during the summer. That was always
kind of stressful. And so what we're going to do
is we're going to help you out by giving you
information on one very excellent choice of summer camp. Summer
is just around the corner, and for many families, that
(18:42):
means finding meaningful and enriching opportunities for young children while
school is out. Green Street Friends School in Germantown is
offering Summer Friends Camp, a joyful and supportive camp experience
designed especially for children ages three to five. The program
blends outdoor pla, arts and crafts themed activities and experiential learning,
(19:05):
and a nurturing environment rooted in Quaker values of community
inclusion and curiosity. Joining us to talk about the program
and a new opportunity for families to receive financial support
through the Youth Access to Opportunities Grant joining us to
talk about the program and new opportunities for families to
receive financial support through the Youth Access to Opportunities Grant.
(19:28):
Our Darien Heaton, Associate head of School, and Nicole Fisher,
Director of Auxiliary Programming, who oversees the Summer Friends Camp. So, Nicole,
let's start with you. For listeners who may not be
familiar with Green Street Friends School, can you share a
little bit about the school's Quaker values and how they
shape the environment for students and families.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
Sure. I was first introduced to Green Street Friends School
as a parent about twenty twenty one twenty twenty two.
My son attended Green Street Friends for middle school, and
I just fell in love with the schools values that
are based in spices that we call see on my
(20:07):
shirt hair it says simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity, and stewardship.
Those are our Quaker spices spice Okay, yeah, And that
fuels the school community. And if you walk into the space,
you just feel every aspect of the environment just radiates
(20:27):
these values, from faculty to staff to students. It is
a beautiful place to.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Be Darien, let's talk with you, because just to amplify
about the impact of Quaker spice to education, how does
that apply to kids, especially kids so young?
Speaker 6 (20:47):
Sure, you know, I look at Friends Schools as being
transformative experiences for kids. I am a product of Friends Education.
I went to Friends School from kindergarten through twelfth grade,
both in New Jerk and here in Philadelphia, and I saw,
even as a young student, what I learned, the core
values that I learned, they resonated and they grew as
(21:08):
I grew. So to have a camp that is directly
impacting young students that we want to impart those values
of being change makers, of being able to look at
others and see the light in others regardless of you
know where they come from or what differences that they
may share or they may not share. Those sort of
(21:31):
qualities are really important. So being able to do that
with young children and having them do it through experiential learning,
through play, through outdoor time, and through a camp that
is both going to grow them as young learners and
young students, but also impart that joy and that fun
in them. That is the essence of what I believe
(21:52):
Quicker schools to.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Be Nicole back to you. The Summer Friends Camp is
something very distinct, and I wonder if you can talk
about what distinguishes what you do there from maybe the
average camp experience.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Sure, we are integrating students into the holistic Green Street
Friends School community through this camp. We see it as
a wrap around introductory summer program for our youngest learners
ages three to five, instead of looking at it as
a daycared sort of introduction. We are offering them a
(22:29):
camp based on weekly themes, and our themes are really beautiful.
They're based in exploration of nature and stem and storytelling.
In the arts, examples are garden explorers, bug detectives, water wonders,
animal and habitats, joyful movement of music. And we are
bringing in educators and club vendors who are well versed
(22:54):
in these themes to provide a variety of activities throughout
the day for our students. So I think it's going
to be really, really fun and just throughout the holistic day,
they will be well entertained and very tired when they
go home with their families.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
I'm sure that's a very important point there, because we
want our kids to be tired by the end of
the day. For sure, Darien, let's talk about access to
these summer camps, because many times people think summer camp, Oh,
it's going to be beyond my ability to afford that.
So let's talk about affordability. You're doing a lot to
make it affordable for those who don't think they can
(23:31):
afford it. Tell us more sure.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
As mentioned before, Green Street Friends is a place that
is a very beautiful community. It's a well rounded community
with folks coming from many different walks of life, and
I think that's a testament to our long history of
having a lot of socioeconomic diversity on campus. We want
to make sure that Friends education is accessible. Education in general,
(23:55):
especially within independent schools, has been climbing over the years.
In Green has been really intentional about ensuring that we
can still create a community that has a lot of
socioeconomic diversity, and we wanted to impart that with this camp.
So when we were conceptualizing this whole idea, we wanted
(24:16):
to make sure that we sat right in the market
of not being too out of the reach of our
community members, but still being able to run a camp
and make sure that we have all of the experiences
and opportunities as Nicol just shared. For our young students,
what you'll see is camp is four hundred and fifty
dollars a week. However, we offer discounts for signing up
(24:39):
for multiple weeks. We've also partnered with Children's Scholarship Fund.
They partner with us throughout the school year and they've
been a great partner, and it's really nice to see
that partnership extending throughout the summer. And they'll be offering
opportunities for parents or caregivers who make up to one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars to apply for a grant
(25:01):
essentially to reduce the cost of camp. So in this
case it's about two hundred dollars that you can take
off of the camp fee.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
That's fantastic and I like that that you've sort of
expanded what is a support because there's there are people
that are able to afford things because they make a
lot of money, and there are a lot of people
who are not able to afford anything because they're really
in the poverty line. But there's that middle ground of
folks in the middle class who still can't afford a
(25:32):
lot of these things, whether it's private school or whether
it's a camp that kind of experience. So to be
able to provide that opportunity for that segment of the
population is really wonderful and exciting, because a lot of
middle class folks, you know, they just simply can't afford
or don't believe they can afford something as enriching as
a Summer Friends Camp. So Nicole tell us the specifics.
(25:55):
When does the camp run, where does it begin, when
does it end, what are the outs? Where is it located?
Give us all the details.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Sure, a Summer Friends Camp will be located on the
campus of Green Street Friends School. We're located at twenty
West R. Matt Street in Germantown. The camp will run
in our lower school building and it will take place
from eight am to three point thirty pm. And the
dates are June fifteenth through August seventh.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
And if people want to sign up, where do they
find out more information?
Speaker 5 (26:31):
They could go to our website Greenstreetfriends dot org and
there's information there to sign up for the program. They
could also email me at n Fisher at Greenstreetfriends dot
org and I'd be happy to share more information directly.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Fantastic and Darian, I'm going to give you the last word,
you are the product of a Quaker education. Tell us briefly, really,
what does that meant for you?
Speaker 6 (26:58):
Oh, It's meant the world to me. I mean, as
you said, I'm a product of Quaker education. My mom
and her brothers went to Quaker schools as well, and
I think that set the trajectory for me. But as
an educator and as a product of Quaker schools, I
think it's really made me the person that I am today.
I think Quaker education has really helped me to have
(27:21):
an open mind and a holistic view of people in general,
being able to relate to others, being able to understand
and hear others, being able to have conversations across lines
of difference. Because one of the core ideas within Quaker
school is that we all have or Quaker rism, I
(27:41):
should say, and it's important in Quaker schools, is that
we all have an inter light within us. So if
you're able to see that interlight within someone else, whether
you agree with all of what they have to say,
or you come from a different community from them, or
a different background, a different identity marker, it allows allows
you to have that level of humanity. And I think
(28:04):
in Quaker schools. We're doing that with young kids. We
just started a preschool this current school year. We'll be
going into our second year of preschool with three year
olds next year. We're imparting that within them, and that
trickles throughout student's trajectory at Green Street Friends. By the
time they're eighth graders, they're writing to local state officials,
(28:24):
and they're doing service learning with local organizations. They're doing
service projects on campus. They're really actively involved as change
makers and they see themselves as that. They're writing essays
and writing plays. We've partnered with Philadelphia Young playwrights, and
that's just a testament of the work that students are
(28:47):
doing here in Philly and even abroad. We have a
Costa Rica program that's been running over twenty years where
our students are getting to go outside of the States
and into other communities and flex their language skills. We
teach Spanish all the way from preschool through eighth grade,
and they're getting to use that and I think that
is just a testament a Quaker education and being able
(29:08):
to be the leader of our academic program and know
that I had those same sort of experiences at other
Quaker institutions. It just means the world to me.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
I love that, and I love the idea that it's
about teaching people to see the light in each other.
And of course we all need more spice in our
lives right and we certainly need some of the qualities
that you talked about in our world today. It is
wonderful to talk to you both. Summer Friends Camp is
a joyful and supportive camp experience designed especially for kids
(29:42):
aged three to five, and there's also opportunities. It's a
new opportunity for families to receive financial support through the
Youth Access to Opportunities Grant. And that's not just for
those who think that they truly can't afford a camp
summer camp, but it's for that vast amount of people
who would love to do this but don't think they
(30:03):
can afford it. Well, there's opportunities for you as well.
Thank you both for joining us here today, Darien Heaton,
Associate head of school, and Nicole Fisher, director of Auxiliary
Programming and who oversees the Summer Friends Camp. They are
from Green Street Friends School in Germantown. Thank you both
for joining us today.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Thank you so much for having us.
Speaker 6 (30:23):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
You can listen to all of today's interviews on the
iHeartRadio app and all podcast platforms by typing in keywords
Philadelphia Community Podcast. Follow me on Instagram and threads at
Lorraine Ballard and Lorraine Morrel on TikTok and that's Lorraine
with one R. I'm Lorraine Ballad tomorrow and I stand
for service to our community and media that empowers. What
will you stand for? You've been listening to what's going on,
(30:46):
and thank you
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