From music acts to plays, summer FACE lineup full of fun

Music groups, storytelling, and dramatic plays were just some of the children’s programs offered weekly this summer at OCCC’s Family and Community Education Center.

Some of these acts included the Sugar Free All Stars, the Oklahoma Children’s Theater, Al Bostick, Cimarron Circuit Opera Company, Rhythmically Speaking, and Buffalofitz, said Jessica Martinez-Brooks, director of Community Outreach and Education.

OCCC partnered with the Southern Oaks Library this summer in order to host the library’s Neighborhood Arts Program. The library needed this partnership because their library is currently being renovated.

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‘Alien’ visitor comes to FACE Center with children’s author

More than 50 people, including parents and children, came to a performance of Morgan Taylor and the Gustafer Yellowgold’s Show at OCCC’s Family and Community Education Center on July 26.

Taylor is the cartoonist, author, and singer of the Yellowgold book series and musical shows. On his website, Taylor describes the golden yellow sunray figure of Gustafer Yellowgold as a Solarian because he comes from the Sun. Taylor said Gustafer does not like to be referred to an as alien.

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College for Kids set to perform ‘God Spell’

About 30 students in sixth through eighth grade are putting together the Broadway Junior production of “God Spell” during the last two weeks of July. The performance is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, July 29, in the Bruce Owen Theater.

This will be the final production of the musical theater component of College for Kids this summer, said Brannon Dresel, coordinator of community education.

The junior version of “God Spell” is a simplified history of the life of Jesus, performed in contemporary costumes. The original Academy Award-winning musical was created by Stephen Schwartz.

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International students represented

International students on campus represent a total of 61 countries.

All of their flags are displayed in the atrium of the Main Building.

OCCC currently enrolls about 450 students from many different backgrounds and cultures, who hold international student visas from other countries, said Sunshine Garner, coordinator of International student services.

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Fall marks beginning of arts series

Fall season not only marks the beginning of a new college semester, it also marks the beginning of the Cultural Arts Series.

The Cultural Arts Series is a combination of performers from different parts of the world expressing their artistic talents on OCCC’s campus, said Scott Tigert, Cultural Programs assistant.

“We usually have singers, actors and sometimes dancers from many parts of the world who have different genres and talents.”

The types of perfomances vary from Doo-wop comedy concerts to off Broadway musicals, he said.

One of the upcoming performances includes Imani Winds, a Grammy-nominated classical music quartet whose musical genre spans from classical to jazz to pop.

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Prof’s garden inspired by First Lady

Modern Languages professor Abbie Figueroa has been the highlight of the news recently with her successful vegetable, fruit and flower garden, growing right in in her front yard.

Figueroa said she started planting a garden late last summer that contains carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, beans, peppers, strawberries, corn, lettuce and much more.

“I’m such a novice gardener, I was just amazed at the success that we have had,” Figueroa said.

She said her inspiration to start gardening came from First Lady Michelle Obama.

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College gets recognition, top grade for community service

OCCC has been recognized for its community service contribution by being named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

More than 1,200 OCCC students participated in service learning hours in 2010.

OCCC students alone contributed to more than 8,000 hours, averaging to about $160,000 in labor.

There are many ways to get involved with service learning, said Service Learning and Student Life Programs Coordinator Jill Lindblad.

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