In February WonderLab’s Early Childhood Education programs will explore the ever-changing field of engineering. Participants will study different types of engineers, as well as engineering creations such as building and bridges. Science Sprouts and Sprouts Lab activities are geared towards ages birth to 3, Discovery Time towards ages 4 to 6, but caregivers and siblings are always welcome to attend as well.

In February WonderLab’s Early Childhood Education programs will explore the ever-changing field of engineering. Participants will study different types of engineers, as well as engineering creations such as building and bridges. Science Sprouts and Sprouts Lab activities are geared towards ages birth to 3, Discovery Time towards ages 4 to 6, but caregivers and siblings are always welcome to attend as well.

Join our art therapist for self-directed art-making!
This group will serve as a safe space in which members of the IU and greater Bloomington community can utilize art as a method for self-expression, personal growth, and stress relief. All skill levels are welcome. No art experience necessary.

Learn to code from coding experts! At CoderDojo children ages 7 to 17 learn skills such as building a website, creating an app or a game, and exploring technology in an informal, creative, and social environment. The program is free, laptops are provided, and it is co-taught by local computer programmers/engineers and WonderLab educators.

Creating a Geography of Opportunity: Connecting the Dots Among Neighborhoods, School, and Housing to Increase Equity

BTCC is a network of organizations and individuals collaborating to provide training, build relationships, and promote actionable change to address the root causes of social problems in Monroe County. This Quarterly Gathering is open to all community members and will include a presentation and discussion on inequities in housing and education. School equity and zip codes are intimately connected. This presentation, led by educational equity researchers, the Bloomington Housing Authority, and nonprofit South Central Indiana Housing Opportunities, will paint a picture of this issue in Bloomington and then present next steps to address local inequities in housing and educational access. Using new GIS mapping technology, we will first provide a geographic depiction of low-income housing options within school zones, highlighting a few examples of the relationship between residential patterns and school equity. Then, to look more deeply at the experiences of parents living in a high poverty local school zone, our research team will describe findings from door-to-door interviews in the Fairview Elementary school zone. We will highlight conditions in Bloomington found to affect the school/housing/community relationship and ultimately impact children daily in neighborhoods around Fairview Elementary: walkability, access to resources, childcare before/after school, housing options, and family/school relationships, among others. This presentation will conclude with an open discussion around possible next steps toward creating a geography of opportunity, to make Bloomington more equitable for all.

The following individuals will be presenting:

Christy Wessel Powell, Assistant Professor of Education at Purdue University; She and her research team was awarded a grant to study the connection between neighborhoods and school equity using a geographical lens during the summer of 2019. Her research team consists of:

-Gina Weir, Independent Researcher located in Bloomington, Indiana,

-Alexandra Panos, Assistant Professor of Literacy Studies at the University of South Florida,

-Casey Pennington, Graduate Student at Indiana University

-Deborah Myerson, Executive Director of South Central Indiana Housing Opportunities (SCIHO).

-Amber Skoby, Executive Director of the Bloomington Housing Authority (BHA)

Cardinal Stage presents “The Roommate” January 30 – February 22 at the Ivy Tech Waldron Rose Firebay. Recently-divorced Sharon is searching for a roommate to share her Iowa home. She couldn’t have imagined that a mysterious New Yorker named Robyn would be the answer to her problems. But as Sharon begins to uncover Robyn’s secrets, they spark a desire to transform her own life completely. This smart new comedy tackles the challenges of mid-life reinvention, with unexpected results. “The Roommate tugs at the heartstrings as much as it tickles the funny bone.” ~ Louisville.com

Featuring local favorite Constance Macy (Nurse Ratched, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)!