ENRICHMENT TEACHER AND PROGRAM PROVIDER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Each year, NETA recognizes outstanding achievement in the enrichment industry by awarding an Enrichment Teacher and Program Provider of the Year.  These awards are given based on excellence and innovations within the enrichment industry.  Outstanding achievement for advancements in curriculum, instructional practices in the classroom, creativity, student achievement, child welfare, community service, and leadership are all qualities our winners exhibit.

Nomination deadline is March 1st.  Winners are announced May 15th.  To nominate an enrichment teacher or program provider click here.

ENRICHMENT TEACHER OF THE YEAR 2008/2009

STEVE NEUMANN

Steve Neumann has been working as an enrichment teacher for over 9 years. A graduate of Michigan State University with a B.A. in Theater, Steve was first introduced to enrichment through a job fair on his college campus where Steve dared to ask "What do you have for a theater major?”  The next thing he knew, he was hired as the Drama Specialist for Camp Nissokone in Oscoda, Michigan, a program run through the YMCA of Detroit.  It was there that he started teaching theater classes to elementary and middle school kids as well as direct 8 children’s theater productions over a two year period.

Upon graduating college, Steve moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. In 2002, he began working for Performing Arts Workshops, an after school enrichment and summer camp company that provides quality theater, dance, voice, guitar and karate classes all over the greater Los Angeles area. With PAW, Steve has had the opportunity to work at numerous schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District as well as Manhattan Beach Unified, Redondo Beach Unified, El Segundo Unified and a host of private schools as an acting/ musical theater teacher.  In 2004, his work with PAW expanded to include a full time summer position as lead acting coach for one of their Musical Theater Camp locations and in 2007 was promoted to Camp Director.  2009 will mark his 3rd year as director of PAW’s Manhattan Beach location hosted in association with the Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Department.

While still working at Performing Arts Workshops, he became associated with Kids On Stage, Inc. a well established enrichment company located in Santa Monica offering after school classes, summer camps and birthday parties.  He started teaching musical theater and imagination theater classes to kids ages 4-13. In 2007, Steve became their program director where he oversaw staffing, production schedules and helped with developing class curriculum as well as directing shows and adapting scripts.  Steve has since stepped down from the position but remains on staff teaching theater to preschoolers.

Steve discovered the National Enrichment Teachers Association in 2005 and jumped at the chance to advance himself within the enrichment industry by adding Enrichment Teacher Certification to his resume.  Since becoming certified, Steve has maintained his certification status which has enabled him to verify to employers and parents his expertise in the skills, tasks and knowledge necessary in enrichment teaching.

To add to his wealth of experience, Steve became an intern at the Dana Institute, a teaching artists training program through the Center Theater Group of Los Angeles. It was there that he began working on adapting curriculum to match the California Visual and Performing Arts Standards. He also joined CTG’s Ready Set Play program as a teaching assistant. This program brings an introduction to theater to kids K-5 in title one school districts.  Steve has since moved up to a Master Teaching Artist with Ready Set Play and has recently finished his 3rd semester working there. He has also spent 2 semesters, and is currently in the 3rd, with CTG's Annenberg Middle School program, a program that works with individual classes on writing a show based on issues that students face today and brings awareness to their community’s issues. Steve is also now a mentor for the Dana Intern Program helping new teachers that are going through the intern process as well as develops the curriculum for the training they receive.

In addition to his continuing work as an enrichment teacher with the Center Theater Group, Kids On Stage and Performing Arts Workshops, Steve has made time to pursue his passion as a comedic actor and has appeared in many films, commercials, and stage shows and continues to do so.  He has also started his own theater company for middle school and high school kids who want something more than just their school productions. The Sunset Theatre Company opened its doors in 2008 and is currently working on “Legally Blonde: The Musical!” where he continues to instill a love for the theater and a camaraderie with all his students.

The National Enrichment Teachers Association is proud to name Steve Neumann the “Enrichment Teacher of the Year” for the 2008/2009 school year and celebrate his body of work and contributions to the enrichment community.  Through his work, he has touched the lives of thousands of children, opening their hearts and minds to new possibilities and concepts, boosting their self esteem and confidence, fostering an understanding of the importance of teamwork in life experiences as well as imparting an appreciation for the arts and literature.  We at the National Enrichment Teachers Association congratulate Steve Neumann on his numerous accomplishments as an Enrichment Teacher.

For more information on Steve Neumann and the Sunset Theatre Company, email Steve at sunsettheatrecompany@yahoo.com.

PROGRAM PROVIDER OF THE YEAR 2008/2009

MOVIES BY KIDS

Founded in 1993, Movies By Kids is a creative enrichment program designed for teaching young students the exciting process of movie making and animation. This unique “Hand’s On” program offers children the opportunity to conceive, write, produce and direct their own animated movies, live action shorts and special effects segments in one of their in school, after school, or summer camp programs.

Greg Kindseth, co-founder of Movies By Kids, is a creative force in the enrichment world.  In his 20 plus years working with children, he has developed a talent for creating imaginative programs for kids of all ages. This talent led him at an early age to the position as Director of Activities for a youth program where he developed and coordinated events for children ranging in age from 18 months to 13 years.  It was through this program that he developed a keen sense for knowing exactly what kids want and their need to express their creative side. 

While in college, Greg answered an ad for an after school teacher giving him the ability to show off some of his talents and get back to his passion for working with children.  It was here he learned that he also possessed a special talent in the classroom - teaching.  It was different, but extremely rewarding.  After completing a vocational training with the Academy of Children’s Services, he became a California State Registered Enrichment Teacher giving him the ability to work for any enrichment company and teach any subject he was proficient in. 

Along with working with kids, Greg has a passion for movies and the movie making process. After graduating film school, Greg began a new career in Hollywood on the production end of movie making.  In a relatively short time, he landed a job editing for Fox Television on such shows as "The Outer Limits", ”Safari”, and "American Adventurer".   As an editor, Greg was able to use his creative mind to tell stories in new and unique ways.  Sadly, though, he missed his REAL passion for working with kids - So Greg went back to the enrichment world and once again, taught classes to kids after school – but this time he decided to bring innovation to the world of enrichment.  Greg combined his passion for teaching kids with his love for filmmaking by creating a program that teaches kids and young adults how to make movies in a way that is fun and sparks the imagination.   His first class started with 8 kids and within a few short weeks, he was teaching every day at a different school. 

“Wouldn't it have been great if they had a film school for kids when we were younger?"
That was the proverbial klieg light going off over his head, so Greg partnered with his brother John, a businessman and “special effects” guru who quickly saw the potential in this concept. 

From its conception, Movies by Kids offered after school enrichment and summer camp programs at local schools and nearby facilities. They are now proud to be offering their curriculums in over 100 schools in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.  Their goal is to enable children to “Experience their imagination” in a safe, nurturing environment, with an age appropriate curriculum taught by industry professionals who know what they're doing and love what they do.

Education is their focus with an emphasis on the process of teaching children the fundamentals of media literacy. It is important to them that the children walk away with a solid grasp of story development as well as a good sense of teamwork and what it takes to put a movie together.  This process is supported by curriculums that have been developed and implemented by Greg Kindseth and his brother John Kindseth through years of experience, and a lot of “Trial and error”.  Greg and John are always the first to test out a new concept and teach the first class before it filters into many schools.

What began fifteen years ago with 8 students enrolled in weekly classes at one school has since swelled to nearly 1,000 students per week in dozens of schools in Los Angeles Unified and other surrounding districts.  In addition to after school enrichment, Movies By Kids runs filmmaking camps during school vacations as well as birthday parties and other special events.

Ongoing classes in schools and community centers allow the Kindseth brothers and their staff of instructors to delve into the technical details of movies. Birthday parties offer just a quick immersion, yielding either an animated short or a rock star music video shot entirely on a blue-screen stage.

Filmmaking for kids has grown substantially in the past ten years as a result of digital technology being readily available to everyone.  “Kids make movies every day”, says Greg, “We’re just giving them the skills to make their movies better”.  Movies By Kids fills the need for creative expression, as well as gives the parents the peace of mind of knowing that their kids are well cared for and excited about the class.

The National Enrichment Teachers Association is proud to name Movies By Kids the “Program Provider of the Year” for the 2008/2009 school year and honors their contributions to the educational landscape of the communities they serve.  Movies By Kids creates a unique learning environment that fosters creativity, self expression and teamwork for everyone involved.  Their program not only makes a positive impact on children and their schools but also families, friends and in some cases the movie industry generating excitement for education and the arts.  We at the National Enrichment Teachers Association wish to congratulate Movies By Kids for their outstanding achievement within the enrichment industry.

For more information on programs in your area, contact Greg or John Kindseth at
818 702-6000 or visit www.moviesbykids.com