UNION TOWNSHIP, CLERMONT COUNTY, OH (FOX19) - A local Destination Imagination team from West Clermont Schools, The Destinators, banded together to make a difference in their community. Six local 7th graders chose to participate in D.I.’s Project Outreach, a community service competition challenging kids to find a need, take a stand, and make a difference.

This group of kids is passionate about the arts in education and was saddened by the recent school board cuts in the West Clermont district that took away all art programs for elementary school kids.

They partnered with Second Story, a local start up arts center, and hosted a free community art event called Be ARTrageous to give kids the opportunity to participate in various forms of art as well as helped jump start Second Story's class sign ups.

The event was a huge success. Over 300 people came and many kids signed up for continuing art classes at Second Story.

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, CLERMONT COUNTY, OH (FOX19) – You can lift up your voice in song with Theresa Sapunar at Coming Together in Spirit & Song: A Women’s Spring Singing Retreat at Grailville Retreat & Program Center on Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. This program is co-sponsored by the Center for Personal & Spiritual Growth.

Women are invited to a day-long immersion into discovering, integrating and enjoying our voices during this singing retreat led by Theresa Horan-Sapunar, director of the Yellow Springs Threshold Choir. This will be a day of easy songs, chants, and rounds, songs of healing and passage, songs of playfulness and joy, songs celebrating the earth, our own spirit and creativity.  The program is designed to be fun, healing, and richly rewarding, all within a climate of self-acceptance and ease.  There’s no need for previous musical experience, just a love of singing.  

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - The Cincinnati Arts Association has announced the winners of its 2012 Overture Awards Scholarship Competition, held on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater.  The competition annually awards $2,500 scholarships to six area students for post-secondary education, with 18 runners-up each winning $500 scholarships.

Students are nominated by their schools to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art or Vocal Music.  The scholarship program is the largest of its kind in the United States and was developed to recognize, encourage and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final and Final.

2012 OVERTURE AWARDS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

CREATIVE WRITING:  Hannalee Goldman – Sycamore High School, grade 11