Bertschi Drama and Library“Bringing Stories to Life”

We are excited to announce that the Bertschi Board of Trustees approved Bringing Stories to Life, a Drama and Library initiative that completes phase two of our 2001-2002 Master Facilities Plan.

Bringing Stories to Life is a wonderful major gifts opportunity to support the creation of a new library in the Lynn Street house and a drama room in the Church building, as well as improvements to classroom spaces in the School House. In these exciting new spaces, children can share and hear stories and invite the larger community to see performances as well. As of May 6, we have raised $533,375 of our goal of $1 million for this project, to begin in the summer of 2008.

Drama highlights include:

• portable stage designed for creative story telling
• back stage area, lighting and sound controls, acoustic separation

“For all of these years I have worked to build theaters inside other people's classrooms, trying to squeeze in the room for 18 kids to move, dance and story tell, plus seat an audience of 40. It has been as if I have been painting on top of an existing portrait. With the new drama classroom the students and I have a blank canvas...open space, room to move, power to set up a stage that feeds both students and story, a space that allows the program nothing but possibilities.” -Tina La Plant, Bertschi Drama Teacher

Library highlights include:

• story area and teaching space that allows two classes to use the library at once
• book fairs, author and illustrator visits, book clubs

To make a gift toward the Bringing Stories to Life Campaign, please download and complete this form [PDF]. For more information, contact David Chow at 206-324-2150.