Daisey Rodriguez, left, and Maria Aristizabal
with the Three Kings Bread. ' (
1
Photo* by Todd Luck
Crjstina Curbelo performs.
Kings
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spins on the celebration, but typically chil
dren will leave their empty shoes under their
beds tfie night before the holiday, hoping to
have them filled with presents as they sleep.
Grass and water are also left under beds tin honor
of the camels the kings' rode.
Pat Gardea, outreach coordinator at thfijruise^
urn. said that last year's Three Kings Day^cele
bration brought the biggest crowd to the museum
since its opening day. She said Three Kings Day
is a major gift giving holiday in the American
Latino community.
"We do this because we know that many chil
dren around the world recognize ... the Three
Kings as the real gift givers," she said. "Some of
these children don't ... know about Santa Claus
but the Three Kings are the ones who actually
bring the gifts."
For reduced admission of $3 per person,
families got access to the entire museum on
Saturday. Kids also got face-to-face time with the
the Three Kings, who posed for pictures with the
children. Each child received a small teddy bear
in king's attire, a star and a . candy cane from the
kings. ?
"We want to reach out to the entire commu
nity in the spirit of the season. For many people,
the season continues on to this day and we want
to have everyone introduced to this tradition and
invite the people who do celebrate it to celebrate
it with us," Gardea said.
Elsewhere in the museum^a room was set up
to serve Rosea de Reyes, a crown shaped sweet
bread toped with candy and cheese. The dessert
is common in the Mexican celebration of Three
Kings Day. Typically, .a. small figurine of the
baby Jesus is baked within the bread and who
ever finds the figurine is Supposed to throw a
party on Feb. 2, Dia de la Candelaria. a Mexican
family and* religious celebration.
The Three Kings set Up at the museum also
included stations where children made resolu
tions to do something for themselves, their fami
lies and a friend in the new year. Music was pro
vided by a small band led by guitarist Cristina
Curbelo. They played and sang holiday songs
from^countries like Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Among the many people who came to the cel
ebration was Chris Payden-Travers, who held her
22-morith-old grandson, Connor McLaughlin,
for a picture, with the Three Kings. She said
Three Kings Day was always important in her
household and she's been celebrating the holiday
since early childhood. 0
"It's part of the Christmas celebration. We
Javier Correa with Ana Oritz and their
daughter, Dalymar.
tend to think it all ends on Dec. 25, (but) for
many cultures, we keep it going for twelve
days," said Payden-Travers,
Javier Correa and Ana Oritz came with their
five-year-old daughter, Dalymar, who made New
Year's resolutions that included playing more
with her family and learning more in school.
Ortiz said that on the day before Three Kings
Day, her family typically goes out and cuts grass
to plate in the shoe box under the little one's bed..
"It's pari of our culture. We are from Puerto
Rico and in our country it is a big celebration,"
said Ortiz.
Pat Gardea's husband, Ray Gardea, Joige
Cherry and Bryan Chandler dressed the part of
the Three Kings for the ceWfrStion. All three said
they enjoyed volunteering their time to be with
the kids and spread the holiday cheer. .
"I'm involved because it's a good thing for
kids to know and it's a tradition ... I'd like to
share with the community," said Ray Gardea.
The event, co-sponsored by the jjisj^wfcT
League of the Triad, had many volunteers from
organizations like the Junior League, Crosby
Scholars, Salem Academy and the local Civitans.
Maria Aristizabal was on? of those volunteers.
Aristizabal is a member of the Children's'
Museum outreach committee and was the 2007
chair of the Hispanic League Board.
"I think it's great. I think it's just another way
to "show hispanic culture, hispanic traditions and
an opportunity for the Hispanic people to come
and celebrate it in a different country, fyou know
they're away from their own country, so they gfet
an opportunity to do this down here in Winston- '
Salem," said Aristizabal.
La Espiga Bakery and radio station La
Preciosa 94.5 FM also helped with the event.
Magnet
from page A1
program.
"Magnet schools are
schools that are available to
anyone in the district; they
don't have to l>e in your zone,"
stated Kim Morrison,
Winston-Salem / Forsyth
" bounty Magnet Schools pro
gram manager. "What it is
designed to do is to have a ter
rific program that magnetizes
students from around the coun
ty." ?
Each magnet features its
own distinct curriculum and is
designed to appeal to specific
interests that students may
have, all the while adhering to
state guidelines.
"Since this is funded by the
federal government, the num
ber one thing that we have to
do is meet the standard course
jgjgr uLstudy," Morrison said. ..'Hut
? "^what they want us to do in
magnet schools is to-vdo that
through new and innovative
programs."
Philo Magnet School
Director Connie Rogers can't
wait for her school to adopt its
new curriculum.
"The world is changing; we
have to keep up with it," she
said, referring to her scheqTs
forward-thinking theme. \
Philo's new curriculum
will focus on Mandarin
Chinese - which she says is
the most spoken language in
the world - International
Business and World Culture;
and Global Technology.
Rogers says she believes it
will prepare the students for
the 21st century global econo
my.
"I think it will help the stu
dents tq get a feel for how
small the world really is," she
commented. "We're just real
? \
Angell Caudill
excited about this endeavor."
Angell Caudill helped
develop the Visual and
Performing Afls curriculum at
the Reynolds High School. As
Director of Arts Magnet at the
school, Caudill says she could
n't be happier with the way
things have turned out. t
"It's kind of like the stars
were aligned for all of this to
happen," she "remarked. "It
was a fabulous collaborative
effort. I tell people it's one of
the most enriching intellectual
experiences I've ever had."
Reynolds will offer pro
graming for students with
varying degrees of interest in
the arts.
"We really believe that it'll
be a way to tap into multiple
intelligences," she comment
ed. "It makes good sense, with
cognitive brain development,
that's kind of cutting edge, and
we think that it'll just mean
greater success for all stu
dents."
Becoming an arts magnet
seemed like the perfect fit for
the school, Cgudill says.
"This is a way to take
everything that's been great at
Reynolds for so long, since
1923 - great academics, great
history in the arts - add to it,
develop it, and create success
for the 21st century," she
remarked. "That's really what
we're trying to do; we're try
ing to make it a better experi
ence for more students by
using our strengths and honing
our skills."
The curriculum at Hanes
will also help students to be
better prepared for the work
place of tomorrow, says
Principal Joe Childers.
"Our magnet theme is
math, science and pre-engi
neering," he explained. "The
whole point behind it is that
with this country experiencing
a huge shortage of mathemati
cians, scientists, engineers, to
try to enconrage children to
think seriously about these
areas as possible future
careers." _
The school will feed into
the curriculum at Atkins High
School, he added, so that stu
dents, if they choose, can con
tinfie their educatjons there
once they leave middle school.
"You're just trying to offer
them a many things as possi
ble, so that hopefully, they can
find something that sparks
their interest." he said.' "Who
knows? It might lead to a
future career."
' Saturday's Magnet School
Enrollment Fair will be from
10 a m*, to noon at the Marriott
Hotel downtown The school
system will receive magnet
school applications until 4:30 ?
p.m. on Thursday, Jan. .11.
Applications^ are available at
all schools and at the
Administrative Center, 1605
Miller Street in ^Winston
Salem. Parents also can apply
at wsfcsmagnets.net.
Voting Coalition
Wants you!
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE -
___ ? "tj ? "
The Voting Rights Coalition, a non-partisan community group, needs help as it prepares for a
"Get Out the Vote" effort for this year's November elections.
* ?'*' ? ? Lii nAMtmiini
I he coamion, ncaucu uj luiiuuuur
ty activist Linda Sutton, will meet
tonight (Jan/ 10) at 6 p.m. at the
Winston Mutual Building, 122S E. 5th
St., to plan, strategize and organize.
The public and anyone interested in
volunteering with the voting effort are
welcome.
"If you care aboiy the future of
your children, your grandchildren and
your community, then this is one
opportunity for you to get involved in
helping to secure that future by taking
power into yourjhands and unleashing
your political weight," Sutton said.
The coalition will work to register
' ~ Rk Photo voters and then make a push to get vot
Linda Sutton has long pushed for voters' rights. ers to the polls, both for the primary
and the fall General Election, which
this year will feature contests for president, governor and lieutenant governor, among others.
"Failing to register and vote is not only a betrayal of ourselves and a betrayal of our own rights,
but also a betrayal of the heroic voting rights marchers who lost their lives," said Sutton. "We
should be marching into the voting booths just as courageously as those who marched then."
Thfre are many opportunities for people to get involved, the coalition says, even from the com
forts of their own homes and without spending money or devoting large blocks of time.
For more information, call Sutton at 336.-72^-941 1 .
SHELTONS 1
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It's fine to join the YMCA because
you ate too much over the holidays.
Just remember there are even better reasons.
And on January 10th, just $10 gets you moving.
Yes, we trust you have plenty of good reasons to join the YMCA. Like
^you're ready to improve your health ? spirit, mind and body. And you
value how the YMCA makes our community healthier and happier in so
many places. But we know sometimes the pinch from your "ouch-these
are-tight" pants ? as well as the pinch from your wallet? makes you act
faster than anything. So for the month of January, we're only charging the
date of the day you join as your new member joining fee. Just consider it
a little extra incentive to dtfthe right thing. Then come to the YMCA and
lose a little while you gain a lot
YMCA
or NORTHWIST NORTH CAROUNA
AUnited Way Agency
Find any branch online at www.ymcanwnc.org
? Financial assistance available
'<? .
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