Dr. Elana Ashley
Executive Director
| Great Imaginings | > | Testimonials |
Great Imaginings' Testimonials
| 2008 | Literacy Assemblies based on Splunkey's Three-Part Adventure Package by Dr. Elana Ashley – Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet, Audio CD and Teaching Guide for Educators and Parents - June, 2008 "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for your generous donation of your book, Splunkunio Splunkey, Detective and Peacemaker. Having you visit Canterbury in person was a real treat for our students and teachers and they loved receiving a copy of your book, as well. Your enthusiasm in sharing your book with the children made for a very entertaining assembly and motivated the children to read. You also made it seem possible for each student to become a writer. We hope other schools will have the opportunity to meet Splunkey, Ellie and Eli, three highly imaginative characters of immediate appeal to young students!" Dr. Jan Grote, Principal, Canterbury Elementary School, 875 Canterbury Drive, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 |
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| 2008 | Review of Splunkey's Three-Part Adventure Package by Dr. Elana Ashley – Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet, Audio CD and Teaching Guide for Educators and Parents Review of Splunkey's Three-Part Adventure Package: RevieRe: "Splunkey's Three-Part Adventure Package is a delight in creativity and originality. What child would not fin this detective-peacemaker a source of imagination and dramatic fun! Children ages 4 to 8 will be enthralled by Splunkey's mystery-adventure story which includes an English-Spanish version. The illustrations will intrigue both adults and children. The ieas of teaching compassion, respect and wisdom will elicit a thoughtful response from readers and viewers. Listening to the audio CD, gifted children and young students alike further explore their comprehension and sensory skills through the personality portrayals in the voices of the storybook characters as recited by Ashley and through their sensitivity to the Hispanic flavor imbued in the original, background music. A unique feature of the package is the English-Spanish component which evokes a large appeal to bilingual, ESL and other classrooms and their students. The book, the audio CD and the Teacher's Guide for Educators and Parents enable all of us as adults to work effectively with our children in understanding values we seek to impart. Dr. Elana Ashley offers a splendid contribution to the classroom and the home through her book, CD and teacher's guide. Splunkey's three-part package is a wonderful source of fun, learning and literacy!" Joan Franklin Smutny, Director, The Center for Gifted at National Louis University, Box 364, Wilmette, IL 60091-0364 |
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2006 |
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, 30th Annual Early Childhood Conference - 2 talks presented on the topic of "Managing Conflict at Home and in the Workplace" - August, 2006 Written evaluations from teachers following the sessions asked what were "'The best features of this activity :' 'The Instructor'; 'The speaker's passion for the subject and her sincerity'; 'Concrete examples'; 'I loved the puppets!'; 'Conflict resolution graph'; 'Sharing and application of material';'The opportunity to enter into the discussion'; 'The hands-on approach with the puppet'; 'Specific scenarios'; 'I learned some calming techniques to try.'; 'Your poem was great.'; 'Enthusiasm of the speaker'."
Other comments included: "I really enjoyed Dr. Elana - excellent" "This was Great." "Excellent. Handout was helpful. Loved the poem." "Thank you for speaking. You have helped me and my friend more than you know!" Comments of Educators participating in Dr. Ashley's Interactive Workshop, "Managing Conflict in the Home and in the Workplace," August 19, 2006, Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois |
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| 2006 | National Coalition of Title I/Chapter 1 Parents: 30th Annual In-Service Conference "Building on Unity and Strength for a Better Tomorrow" - Elana Ashley, Ph.D., The Workplace Doctor, "Managing Conflict at Home and in the Workplace" - March, 2006 "Elana's voice was clear and gentle. She has been one of the more relaxed speakers. She is excellent and wonderful. I would love for her to speak to teachers and principals, as well as students and parents. Two thumbs up!" "It was a very good presentation." "I liked the way Elana works with her puppet. It [the workshop issues and strategies] was interesting because it's a part of everyday life." "The puppet presentation was nice. The information given was interesting." "Very enjoyable and informative; great ideas." Comments of Parents participating in Dr. Ashley's Interactive Workshop, "Managing Conflict in the Home and in the Workplace," March 18, 2006, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois |
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| 2006 | Family Literacy Night - February, 2006 Dr. Elana Ashley and her puppets arrived at Orozco Academy's February 17, 2006 Family Literacy Night enthusiastic and ready for fun and adventure. Inviting some students to help her, Dr. Ashley, the students, and her puppet, Ellie, told the story of Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker . Young Students and their parents then engaged in teamwork and creativity to construct puppets to help them retell the story, or create new stories at home. Family Literacy Nights are a great opportunity for our parents and students to connect through literacy activities and Dr. Ashley kept the crowd enthralled and busy...Her book sends a message about friendship that is important for students and their families to hear. Everyone had a great time! Connie Amon, Librarian, Orozco Academy, Chicago, IL |
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| 2005 | Family Literacy Night - November, 2005 Dr. Ashley is an author of her new bilingual, mystery adventure in English and Spanish. The name of her book is Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker . Dr. Ashley was gracious to come spend the evening in our school this past November 2005 for "Our Family Night of Literacy." She was "Our Celebrated Author" for this special evening of reading for Our "Chase" families! Dr. Ashley did a magnifiscent job sharing her puppet, reading her stories while relating her enthusiasm and expertise for language arts with our children and their parents. We found Dr. Ashley to be a tremendous catalyst in building enthusiasm for sharing in our motivational "literacy" activities for this Chase School Community Event. Melvina Adams, Francine Sims, Lana Stallone, Literacy Team, Chase Elementary School, Chicago, IL |
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| 2005 | Dramatic, Bilingual Reading, Role Play and Meeting a Storybook Character - September, 2005 Dr. Elana Ashley donated her time to speak to students at Merician Middle School in Buffalo Grove, Illinois to help us celebrate a two week long event raising money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina... On Monday, September 26, Meridian held a "Reading Extravaganza" to celebrate literature, culminating this two week long event. Dr. Ashley helped us celebrate by visiting a fifth grade classroom and reading from her unique and inspiring book, "Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker " - a clever bilingual, mystery adventure told both in Spanish and in English. Students took part in reading from the book by role playing the different characters. In addition, Dr. Ashley delighted the students with one of the book characters - Ellie the Elephant - who made a personal appearance. Dr. Ashley is a gifted writer and enthusiastic speaker. Her tale tells of friendship, honesty, and thoughtfulness with imaginative characters with adventurous spirits. She engaged the students in a lesson about being a good friend and making good choices. We enjoyed her presentation and will look forward to future adventures of Splunkey and his friends. Stacy M. Berg, NBCT, Aptakisic-Tripp Community Consolidated School District 102, Meridian Middle School, Buffalo Grove, IL |
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| 2005 | Dramatic, Bilingual Reading of Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker Detective y pacificador Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet Caso primero: El brazalete de la amistad desaparecido - Visit with Puppet Storybook Character - Spring Program [May] Dr. Elana Ashley performed at the Berwyn Public Library on Saturday, May 7th, 2005. This is when I had the pleasure to meet her and see her captivate an audience with her bi-lingual, educational, children's book entitled Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker Detective y pacificador Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet Caso primero: El brazalete de la amistad desaparecido.
When Dr. Ashley read her story, she maintained a quiet, captivated audience of both children and adults as she dramatically took on the voices of her characters in English and Spanish. The mystery begins with a tragedy - the loss of Ellie's friendship bracelet - a bracelet which is uniquely made out of authentic male and female dolls from Mexico sewn onto a dark green, felt fabric.
Dr. Ashley's book is funny and educational, touching on important themes such as problem-solving, friendship, responsibility, and the importance of learning from people that represent cultures different from their own. Ellie and Eli, two of the elephant characters in the book, learn many important messages from Splunkunio Splunkey, the five foot "alien" known for his detective and peacemaking skills that are revealed in the story. The highlight of her performance was when she brought out her storybook character Ellie Elephant. Dr. Ashley was wonderful at bringing to life the dynamic personality of Ellie, who sang "You are my Sunshine" and recited a great, long rhyming poem about swinging on a swing. Dr. Ashley and Ellie made jokes until the crowd was at ease, laughing with them. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone, particularly, however, to Hispanic-American, bi-lingual children and their families. While I'm not Ebert or Roeper, I give Dr. Ashley's program five stars!
Edith Villarreal, Youth Services Library Assistant, Berwyn Public Library, Berwyn, IL |
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| 2005 | Dramatic Reading of Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet - Spring Program [April] My students enjoyed Splunkey: Detective and Peacemaker. The book contains a compelling message about the importance of friendship and teamwork. The mystery format allowed my students to formulate their own ideas about what happened to the missing friendship bracelet. This mystery kept them guessing until the end. It was very exciting! Leslie Reddinger, 2nd Grade Teacher, Puesta del Sol Elementary School, Rio Rancho, New Mexico |
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| 2004 | Dramatic Reading of Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet and A Surprise Visitor [Children and Parents] - Summer Program Dr. Ashley's program appealed to both children and adults. She is knowledgeable about the importance of audience participation. Her presentation about a friendship bracelet was gentle, kind and friendly. Her friend, Ellie, a puppet, drew an audible intake of breath. Mrs. Muriel Schwartz, Librarian, Evanston Public Library - North Branch, Evanston, IL |
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| 2004 | Dramatic Reading of Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet with Dr. Ashley and Visit with Guest Ellie Elephant - Nevada Reading Week Dr. Elana Ashley did a dramatic reading during Nevada Reading Week, on Monday, April 26, 2004 at Jacobson Eelementary School located at 8400 Boseck Drive, Las Vegas Nevada 89145. The students were very attentive, and it was a wonderful assembly. The assembly lasted approximately 45 minutes. During the dramatic reading, she used expression and dramatic voice variations to portray her puppets in her own book she published and authored. At the end of the reading, she shared with the students the characters which were puppets. It was a rich and rewarding experience for the students at Jacobson ES to meet and listen to a published author discuss and talk about a book that was really hers. It also was a positive interactivee experience for all the young students at our school. Mrs. Shirley Wells, Literacy Specialist, Jacobson Elementary School, Las Vegas, Nevada |
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| 2004 | Dramatic Reading of Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet with Dr. Ashley and Visit with Guest Ellie Elephant - National Library Week "My Stories 'n Stuff class of first and second graders, along with their younger siblings, parents and friends, were delighted with Ellie's and your visit. We were enthralled with your dramatic reading of 'The Missing Friendship Bracelet.' The discussion that you led following your reading made it clear that the children were in tune with Splunkey and his methods of mediating disputes. They could see immediately the feasability of such a misunderstanding on the part of Ellie and Eli. The highlight of the evening was your presentation of Ellie. The children were enthralled with such a 'fashion-conscious' elephant. Thank you so much for visiting our class and sharing your book and puppet friend with us." Ronalee Rund, Assistant Head of Youth Services, Morton Grove Public Library, Morton Grove, IL |
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| 2004 | Writer's Digest 11th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards - Judge's Critique of Elana Ashley's New Children's Mystery "Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker - what an original idea! Using photography to illustrate this book was a brilliant concept, and the author/illustrator has done a fantastic job of bringing her main characters to life through her photographs. Kids will love how Ellie, Eli, and Splunkey adorn the pages, acting out the story and solving the mystery of Ellie's lost bracelet. I can remembeer seeing books like this at the public library when I was a child and wishing there were more that contained other types of art besides watercolors and colored pencil drawings. It is so wonderful to see people take their skills and utilie them to create books for young readers. The photography is super, and the creatures are really adorable. I can only imagine the time ane effort the author/photographer put into making this book a reality - quite impressive. This book would definitely make a nice addition to any children's library, and I am sure will be getting giggles for years to come. Very imaginative!" Judge's Critique - Evaluation; Writer's Digest 11th Annuaal International Self-Published Book Awards; Writer's Digest, Kristin Godsey, Editor; Christine Mersch, Assistant Editor |
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| 2003 | Dramatic Story Reading & Song As Storybook Characters Come to Life: Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet [Children and Parents] | ||||||
| "Your tapestries of songs and dramatic storytelling with puppet adventures effectively captured the imagination of the children, as well as their parents." | |||||||
| Ronalee Rund, Assistant Head of Youth Services, Morton Grove Public Library, Morton Grove, IL | |||||||
| 2003 | Dramatic Story Reading & Song As Storybook Characters Come to Life: Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet [Children and Parents] | ||||||
| On June 7th, an alien from outer space visited Highwood Library!
Splunkunio Splunkey® is actually a life-size puppet, the creation
of Dr. Elana Ashley. Dr. Ashley gave a delightful presentation involving
her many talents - puppetry, ventriloquism, storytelling and singing.
Both the children and adults enjoyed her original story "Splunkunio
Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship
Bracelet", featuring Splunkey and Ellie Elephant, and joined
in singing favorite songs.
After the performance, Dr. Ashley answered questions about ventriloquism, making puppets, etc. The children were so enthusiastic that she showed them how to make their own paper puppets. The Highwood Library highly recommends the performance of "Splunkunio Splunkey Detective and Peacemaker, Case One: The Missing Friendship Bracelet". Dr. Ashley has a lovely singing voice and a wonderful interaction with the audience. Values of peace, friendship and honesty are presented in a very creative, entertaining manner. |
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| Joan Retnauer, Director, Highwood Public Library, Highwood, IL | |||||||
| 2003 | Storytelling and Storybook Characters Coming to Life [children and parents] | ||||||
Thank you for the wonderful program that you gave here at the Berwyn Public Library on March 29th. The children were charmed and captivated by Ellie Elephant, and while they were somewhat in awe of Splunkunio Splunkey®, he intrigued them and was a great role model for "being unique" each in one's own way. Some of the children were quite shy, and you interacted with them with just the right touch. I would highly recommend your program with its great "spokespuppets" and original stories! |
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| Nicolette Vaillancourt, Reference Librarian, Youth Services Department, Berwyn Public Library, Berwyn, IL | |||||||
| 2003 | Community Education: Healthy Eating Workshop - Storytelling and Creativity [kindergarten - second grades] | ||||||
| "Dr. Elana Ashley…[presented] a workshop entitled 'A Whole New View of Vegetables and Fruits' [at] Whole Foods Market [in Deerfield]…which was part storytelling and part creative craft…[Dr. Ashley] showed a great deal of enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to this…class…[She has] a keen eye for detail…great follow through…[and] the ability to stir up excitement and emotion in the hearts of children...The attendees raved about the uniqueness of the class, the professional performance and her great presentation." | |||||||
| Joyce Chacko, Marketing/Community Relations Director, Whole Foods Market, Deerfield, IL |
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| 2002 | Science Fiction/Fantasy Workshop [first - fifth grades] | ||||||
| "Friendship, Fantasy and Creativity in Outer Space.was both lively and original, and wonderfully creative. The children, spellbound by the stories, group games, projects and especially the life-size puppet, Splunkunio Splunkey®, found themselves mesmerized for the full two hours. Dr. Ashley succeeded in keeping the group, ages Kindergarten through fifth grade, both active and entertained. The themes of cooperation, friendship and peace illustrated throughout her stories appealed to every age group. Dr. Ashley's excitement peaked each child's interest as she encouraged the children to participate and helped promote a sense of self-confidence within the children. Her approach led the group through her series of stories and beyond to the group's cooperative telling of a short, fantasy story, as well as each child's confident creation of a fantasy creature. Dr. Ashley is inventive and supports the group while providing an atmosphere that teaches children to explore their own creativity and originality." | |||||||
| Mark Woolums, Recreation Supervisor, Youth, Teens and Cultural-Arts, Deerfield Park District, Deerfield, IL | |||||||
| 2001 | Storytelling and Singing [children and parents] | ||||||
| "On behalf of the Child Life and Family Education Program at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital, we would like to thank you for sharing your stories and songs with our children and families…The themes illustrated throughout your stories (i.e. being happy just as you are) helped to promote an enhanced sense of self-confidence within the children. Thank you for reinforcing just how special and unique each child is. The children involved in the playroom and at the bedside enjoyed the performance very much. Thanks for bringing smiles back to children whose smiles are often hard to find during the stress of hospitalization. Children in the hospital are faced with great challenges, from being uncomfortable or in pain to experiencing invasive medical procedures. One of our goals when working with children and families during hospitalization is to provide an opportunity for them to engage in appropriate activities, and enhance their ability to cope with the hospital experience. Your visit certainly helped to meet this important goal as it provided an educational and entertaining distraction for those involved. Your energy and enthusiasm was wonderful and helped to keep the children's attention. It was also nice to have a mixture of storytelling and music. Through this mixed method, children were able to be active participants, something we always encourage! It takes thoughtful people like you to reach out to children and families in need. Our program thrives from the support of visitors like you. We thank you for making this event possible." |
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| 2000 | Creative Reading and Writing [kindergarten - second grades] | ||||||
"During the summer of 2000, as part of Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder offered through The Center for Gifted, you have once again demonstrated your talents at working passionately to inspire young children in our intensive two week program series, 'Creative Reading and Writing.' The students in your classes responded with enthusiasm to your warmth and teaching techniques, as did their parents…You evoked a highly original, imaginative responsiveness from your students in the writing of poems and stories. You stimulated their senses and cognitive abilities through song and storytelling. You enabled them to work with puppets, to dramatize, and to become wholly involved in the process of creative reading and writing. The products of these kindergarten, first and second grade students were remarkable. You offered a framework of critical and creative thinking, which utilized multi-faceted activities, materials and strategies applicable to the growth of these bright children. Their interest ran high, and there was a consistency of challenge designed to stimulate thought and to open new avenues for student thinking and responding to creative catalysts. I heard with such appreciation of the effectiveness of the work you did with the students to challenge and motivate these talented children. Thank you for an absolutely splendid two weeks." |
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| Joan Franklin Smutny, Director, The Center for Gifted, National-Louis University, Evanston, IL | |||||||
| 1999 | |||||||
| "Thank you for being part of our Character Education Initiative at Edison this year. We were fortunate to provide our kindergartners through third graders with presentations that were relevant and meaningful related to the character traits, using an entertaining format of puppetry…The teachers' rating of the six class sessions showed an overall good to excellent in assessing student attentiveness and participation; and the same in assessing the varied activities associated with the individual classes. You must have been very pleased with the enthusiasm generated by the incorporation of role play and puppetry. I appreciated seeing the students' letters, drawings and poems done in conjunction with the traits studied... Clearly, as children learn about honesty, caring and all the traits important in our lives, educators must make the lessons part of their ethos…you have come upon a significant way to do just that. Good luck in your future endeavors related to bringing these difficult concepts into children's lives with creativity and focus." | |||||||
| Sheila Schlaggar, Principal, Edison Regional Gifted Center, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1998 | Stress Management Workshop [adults] |
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| "On behalf of the Thomas Brenan African-American Specialty School's P.E.A.C.E. Program, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you for the very first informative in-service…Each year as a part of our program, we give two to three parent workshops. Our parents have indicated to me that your workshop was one of the most outstanding that they have attended to-date. They especially enjoyed the exercise activities for stress reduction and the self-esteem strategies. You have such a warm way of making your presentation that it helped make our group feel very comfortable and at ease. Your handouts were informative and thought-provoking. Our P.E.A.C.E. Committee plans to appeal to our principal to have you do a faculty stress management workshop in the near future." | |||||||
| Yvonne Alderson, Counselor, Thomas Brenan African-American Specialty School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1997 | Conflict Management [sixth grades] | ||||||
| "Great Imaginings, an Illinois not-for-profit corporation, was contacted to do a workshop for our 6th grade urban classes. Dr. Elana Ashley came to Irving Park Middle School to do a full day workshop. In that time, she was able to reach out to over 100 students and direct them toward positive self-image and empowerment. The topic was Conflict Management. The workshop correlated with the training I was using in my classroom. It complemented and well exceeded what I though was possible in a one day workshop. Dr. Ashley's ability to relate to my students was remarkable. They connected immediately and therefore the material processed was retained and is being used by my students as a means of resolving conflict. My only regret was that my students did not have more time with Dr. Ashley. Her expertise and flexibility were an asset to a much needed aspect in education -- character development. Hopefully we will be able to work together soon." | |||||||
| C. J. O'Brien, Teacher, Irving Park Middle School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1997 | Drug Education/Self-Esteem Assembly [kindergarten - sixth grades] | ||||||
| "…thank you for coming to our school and speaking to our students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. I particularly liked your approach of improving self-esteem and setting positive goals as an alternative to drug use. Although your presentations were for the purpose and activities of Red Ribbon Week, I feel that you gave the students a strong message that they can use in everyday situations." | |||||||
| Nikki Miller, Fox Valley Lutheran Academy, Elgin, IL | |||||||
| 1995 | Self-Esteem Programs [third grades] |
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| "Our third grade students in the Beach Park School District were very receptive to the workshop….After only a few minutes into the program, it was evident that you had them in full participation. I feel that your enthusiasm and the belief that you have in your program are keys to success. Your information on 'Mental Strategies for Self-Esteem - Tools for Drug Prevention' was clear and well-developed. The teachers were most impressed that you allowed and encouraged each and every child to participate by using the puppets. It was simply wonderful to have each of them be able to talk about themselves in a positive manner. We hope for future programming with Great Imaginings." |
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| Ruth Knabel, Beach Park Substance Abuse Prevention Committee, Beach Park, Consolidated School District 3, Beach Park, IL | |||||||
| 1994 | 3-Day Conflict Management/Drug Education/Self-Esteem Series [fourth - sixth grades] |
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| "Teachers and students…were very excited about the 3-day series that Great Imaginings brought for each of our 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes -- a series combining substance abuse and problem-solving, the conflict resolution process and the development of positive self-concept. The students felt that throughout the series you presented the material in a concrete way that they could understand and internalize That was made clear to both the teachers and myself by the ideas expressed continuously by the students and by the kinds and numbers of questions that they asked. The students liked the energy and enthusiasm that you brought to the series. The multi-media teaching approach -- including discussion, role playing, use of visuals, poetry and rap -- motivated students to become actively involved. The concluding program on self-esteem is well summed up in the words of one of our fourth grade teachers -- 'Very motivating and inspiring. It was neat to see the kids find the good in themselves'…You have helped our students to improve their knowledge and self-awareness, as well as develop peer social skills. Looking forward to future programming with Great Imaginings!" | |||||||
| Jack Rocklin, Principal, Cleveland Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1994 | Self-Esteem Programs [sixth - eighth grades] | ||||||
| "We thoroughly enjoyed the self-esteem seminars that you presented for our 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. 'Thank you' for gearing each program to each particular grade level…teachers…stated that they felt all of the material covered was most appropriate and very relevant to their students' lives -- from learning about ways to build confidence and self-worth, to taking control of conflict situations by role playing, problem-solving techniques, to discussion of setting and achieving goals. The students…enjoyed the combination of open sharing and dramatization, along with the use of your powerful and motivational poem 'Celebrate the Excellence Within.' The lithograph series added color and focus to the theme of goal realization and positive self-development." | |||||||
| Marianne Lulinski, Counselor, Tonti Branch, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1994 | 4-Day Drug Education/Child Abuse Prevention Series [preschool - eighth grades] | ||||||
| "Thank you for presenting and providing stimulating and effective drug education programs that are well-geared to various age groups from preschool through junior high. This year, for the first time, South Holland School District 151 schools are being joined by Great Imaginings, Inc. in a cooperative effort to combat child abuse and drug abuse. Your caring attitude and superior knowledge of the subject make you effective with students at all levels of ability. The creative and innovative approaches have been rated excellent…by the teachers and staff at Taft Primary Academic Center [preschool - 1st grade]. The Drug Education Child Abuse Prevention Series presented in segments of one half-hour to preschoolers combines listening skills, comprehension skills, speaking skills, memorization skills, motor skills and dramatic skills…[It] has received rave reviews and is considered a magnificent approach to actively involving young children in realistic activities to encourage them to have the right to say 'No'. I consider you to be one of those extraordinary people who will always put forth a wholehearted effort…with 'GREAT IMAGININGS'…and amazing results… We have no doubt that you will be awarded Channel 2's Samaritan Grant Program for Youth Services Organizations. With the many opportunities available through Great Imaginings, Inc., each and every child finds challenging, rewarding, and often 'personalized' enrichment experiences." | |||||||
| Annie Hurt, Principal, Eisenhower School, District 151, South Holland, IL | |||||||
| 1994 | 8-Day Series: Conflict Resolution/Self-Esteem [kindergarten - eighth grades] |
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| "On behalf of the students and faculty of Burbank School, I am writing to thank you for your excellent presentation to our students on the topic of conflict resolution and self-esteem. Your delightful sessions were by far the most professional and comprehensive of all we have had at our school. Comments from teachers and students confirmed…[the importance of] being the best, building positive self-esteem and targeting yourself for success. One teacher posted a note for you stating how happy and thankful she was that you had made yourself a valuable part of the students' experiences. She also mentioned the many positive responses of parents….You really worked hard in inspiring success in many students from many racial, cultural and social backgrounds. We kept asking ourselves: 'Where does she get all of that energy?'…What is expressed here should be sufficient to display a taste of what you, Dr. Elana Ashley, and your wonderful 'Great Imaginings' have meant to our Burbank students and their teachers." | |||||||
| Dr. Hiram F. Broyls, Principal, Luther Burbank Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1993 | 13-Day Series: Drug Awareness and Prevention/Self-Esteem [kindergarten - eighth grades]] | ||||||
| "…The thirteen days of sessions were packed with valuable information and well-developed programs and approaches to substance abuse and personal safety issues, and the building of positive self-esteem for students, instructional staff and parents. Children in the primary grades were enraptured with your educational puppet assistant, Ellie Elephant, who brought home the important messages in honest, straight-forward ways they could understand and remember…The large, colorful visual series, illustrated hand-outs and other printed materials, along with your innovative use of music and rhythm, targeted the children's energies and interest. Intermediate and upper grade students eagerly participated in discussions about decision-making, problem-solving and self-esteem issues…Teachers were impressed with your excellent interaction with students of all grade levels, and your ability to motivate them to think, express their inner thoughts and emotions, and start making positive healthy choices…The informative adult workshop - presentations on drug-related topics, positive self-imaging and healthy, quality living - brought these needed issues to the forefront of concerned parents in our community." | |||||||
| William Moorhead, Principal, Mary Lyon Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1998 | Self-Esteem, Drug Education and Positive Choice Series [kindergarden - eighth grades] |
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| "This letter of recommendation is being written to endorse the high quality student motivational programming of Great Imaginings and Dr. Elana Ashley. Wildwood School students in all grades k through 8 participated in Great Imaginings motivational classroom activities in self-esteem and positive choices…This year, our school allocated all of our Drug Free School's money to purchase Great Imaginings services. Great Imaginings' curriculum focused on high self-esteem, positive choices and ways of dealing with feelings, self-respect and motivation. All these characteristics are necessary for success. These characteristics are sadly lacking in much urban youth. Students were motivated by being actively involved at all times. They were encouraged to share and interact with each other through role playing. Incorporated into all of the programs were writing and problem solving activities. Dr. Ashley demonstrated an ability to establish rapport with all students of all ages. Her strategies and materials are versatile, extending from rap to puppetry. She provided a comprehensive program of integrating drug education throughout the curriculum. Dr. Ashley provided staff development, student presentations and all necessary materials. I highly recommend Great Imaginings and Dr. Elana Ashley for a comprehensive drug education or positive choices program." | |||||||
| Elena Savoy, Principal, Wildwood Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1991 | Drug Education Programs [kindergarten - fourth grades] | ||||||
| "After having been very pleased with the Child Abuse Prevention Programs brought by Great Imaginings last year, we were thrilled to have you return to Bateman School to present an excellent drug education series for our kindergarten through fourth grade students. Kindergarten students listened attentively and enthusiastically as you and your puppet companion, Ellie Elephant, spoke in simple language about the safe use of medicine and staying healthy. Children clapped appreciatively when Ellie concluded with her song 'Happy To Be Me.' The first through third grade students enjoyed your very direct and personable approach and were delighted by the common sense and fun-loving nature of your teaching assistant, Ellie Elephant, as the two of you introduced the children to beneficial and harmful drugs and their effects. The colorful visuals focused the children's attention. Students used their language skills reading the signs accompanying the illustrations, answering questions and sharing their own ideas about the issues discussed. Fourth grade students participated in a problem solving/decision-making process which combined listening, thinking, speaking and acting skills. Your use of discussion, question/answer, examples and illustrations, and role playing of problematic situations brought children to a keen understanding of choices, risks and consequences, and ways to say 'No' to people when it comes to drugs. 'High in The Sky Drug-free,' the anti-drug rap song you wrote, concluded the program with a musical bang. The rhythm and great lyrics, combined with hand movements, left the students with a positive, excited feeling. Two important message rang in their ears -- 'Be your own best friend and say 'No' to drugs! Make healthy choices and live a drug-free life!' In the future, we are looking forward to further programming with Great Imaginings in the areas of drug education, child abuse prevention and creativity programs fostering self-esteem. Many thanks for an outstanding job!" | |||||||
| Rudy Lubov, Principal, Bateman Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1991 | Drug-Free/Self-Esteem Assembly [kindergarten - third grades] | ||||||
| "…the presentation 'High in the Sky Drug-Free' was very worthwhile and the children benefited from the important messages you conveyed. The handouts for the teachers and students were extremely helpful. It provided a follow-up session for teachers and students to reinforce the information on this important issue. Thank you for the enthusiasm and expertise you brought to Dever's Students." | |||||||
| Joan Mentone, Counselor, William E. Dever Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1990 | Child Abuse Prevention Programs [first - third grades] | ||||||
"Dr. Ashley's program is an excellent supplement to our Health and Safety Curriculum. She deals with a sensitive subject area in a respectful and understanding manner. Her program is necessary and important in today's complex heterogeneous society. Children are taught to respect themselves and to use a forceful 'No' when being threatened with sexual abuse. In addition, they are encouraged to 'Tell Someone'. She uses storytelling as a vehicle to open discussions regarding problem-solving situations, and all answers are respected and considered worthy. Her presentation is a non-traditional approach which is refreshing and interesting to the students. It is recommended that more of our youngsters be given the opportunity for learning this self-protection which would help assure their protection from harm." |
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| Dr. William J. Murawski, Principal, Richard Edwards School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1990 | Drama and Creative Writing Workshop [primary grades] |
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| "I would like to recommend a unique program to you, [a program] developed by Dr. Elana Ashley. This workshop utilizes drama as a basis for creative writing. The type of drama developed, however, is very important in light of the familial, economic, and social pressures which children face today. A number of my children responded to this workshop with a sharing of concerns which not only gave the teacher a better perspective of who and what they were, but also identified some social and emotional needs which were addressed through school intervention. In addition, most children reacted to this experience with a positive feeling and a desire to share and write further, even if they had no specific problems of their own to address. I believe this workshop can also have a positive impact on your children and strongly recommend it to you." | |||||||
| Robert P. Storozuk, Principal, Philip Rogers Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1990 | 3-Day Child Abuse Prevention Programs [kindergarten - sixth grades] |
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| "I would like to thank you for the three days you spent working with Funston students. It was both a learning and entertaining experience. The material that you present is extremely sensitive and difficult. It was amazing to me that you were able to impart the information in such a natural way. The students seemed totally at ease with the presentation. It takes a real professional with a great understanding of children in order to accomplish this." | |||||||
| Sally Acker, Principal, Frederick Funston Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1989 | Creative Writing Assemblies [kindergarten - eighth grades] |
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| "…thank you for your recent assembly presentations…You displayed a great deal of energy by presenting four dynamic programs in two and one-half hours. You demonstrated the ability to quickly "shift gears" in presenting your program to students of different levels. By sharing your stories and illustrations with our students, you helped to motivate them for our recent Young Authors contest. It was important for them to see and hear an author-illustrator. Your imaginative stories, complete with a life-size puppet, helped to spark the creative energies of our children. Thank you for sharing your time and talents with Park View School students." | |||||||
| Kim Perkins, Principal, Park View School, Lombard, IL | |||||||
| 1989 | Child Abuse Prevention Programs [kindergarten - sixth grades] | ||||||
"The staff and students of Fleming School again want to thank you for the terrific 'Personal Safety' sessions which you presented to the kindergarten through sixth grade classes…Our younger students are still singing "Ellie's Song", while the older students are still yet debating the best way to handle the various situations you outline. The staff was especially impressed with the student participation you elicited even from our most reticent pupils. And the PTA expressed the opinion that yours was an outstanding presentation on matters of utmost concern to parents and their children." |
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| Joyce M. Seidel, Principal, Alexander Fleming Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1989 | Child Abuse Prevention Programs [kindergarten - third grades]] |
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| "Dr. Ashley uses originality in its purest form - saying common things in an uncommon way. The medium of communication through a puppet reinforces the learning process and acts as a motivator by capturing and holding student attention. Receptivity is registered on faces of youngsters eager to participate, and they reflect the faculty of imagination, created by the character, ' Ellie the Elephant', more perfect than others to which they are acquainted. It's a great and important learning experience for the little ones. Teacher comments: In our opinion, the presentation given by Dr. Ashley is most informative, timely and well done. The primary grades should benefit from her program; upper grade teachers would like to see a presentation by her. If such a program can help even one student, it is worthwhile." | |||||||
| Dr. William J. Murawski, Principal, Richard Edwards Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1989 | Child Abuse Prevention: University Lecture/Workshop |
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| "Dr. Elana Ashley of Great Imaginings gave a presentation on child abuse prevention at our Early Childhood Conference…Her professionalism and dramatic style make her presentation not only very informative, but also entertaining. She gave many good ideas for children's programs relating to child abuse and children understanding other problems in their environment. Ashley has made great strides in educating children through puppetry and sharing ideas in an unthreatening manner. I would recommend her programs for adults as well as her programs for children - she does a wonderful job." | |||||||
| Margaret Hafer, Director, Cultural and Community Programs, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, IL | |||||||
| 1989 | Storytelling and Puppet-Making [kindergarten - third grades] |
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| "The children and teachers were most enthusiastic about the fine programs…They especially enjoyed meeting 'Splunkey' and afterward having the opportunity to make their own puppets and use them in their own performance. To quote one of the participating teachers, "Dr. Ashley's storytelling kept the students spellbound and certainly motivated them to use their own innate creativity." | |||||||
| Beth Elkayam, Resource Teacher, Alexander Graham Bell Elementary School, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1989 | Storytelling and Singing [children and parents] |
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| "…I want to thank you and praise you for the exciting program you provided… The children, as well as the adults who were present, responded enthusiastically to your vibrant combination of drama, singing and music. Your artistic interpretation of literature geared to the specific age levels that were in the audience was a professional feat. We are pleased that your presentation was such a success with the diversified audience you encountered, and we are still receiving many laudable comments." | |||||||
| Eloise Burfisher, Head of Public Relations & Programming, Des Plaines Public Library, Des Plaines, IL | |||||||
| 1988 | Child Abuse Prevention Programs [children and parents] |
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| "Elana Ashley presented a key segment on personal safety for the Safety Time program. Dr. Ashley was very professional in her presentation and very cooperative to work with. Her enthusiasm encouraged the audience and generated excitement in the program. Her rapport with children is wonderful." | |||||||
| Barb Nicolas, Recreation Supervisor, Rolling Meadows Park District, Rolling Meadows, IL | |||||||
| 1988 | Storytelling and Singing [children and parents] |
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"I am writing to thank you for a wonderful puppet performance in the Junior Museum for our Holly Days celebration. Your performance was extremely entertaining and I found great pleasure in seeing the young children enraptured by Splunkey. Your ability to keep such a captive audience of very young children is a testament to your storytelling and singing abilities. It was a pleasure working with you. It's exciting to meet an artist with such tremendous enthusiasm for her work. I wish you great success in all your future endeavors." |
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| Jean Sousa, Assistant Director, Museum Education, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL | |||||||
| 1988 | Child Abuse Prevention Programs [fourth grades] |
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| "I think that your presentation really left a favorable impact on the children, judging from their participation and responsiveness to you. Your skill of ventriloquism with your elephant puppet, 'Ellie,' and your other audio and visual effects… all combined with your sensitivity to the children to enchant them and motivate them to assimilate and heed your cogent messages regarding issues pertaining to the prevention of sexual abuse." | |||||||
| Arthur Levin, School Psychologist, Samuel Gompers Elementary School, Chicago, IL |
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| 1988 | Musical Program [children and parents] | ||||||
| I am writing to thank you for performing at the Lowe's Syndrome Conference. Your performance was the highlight of the evening. Ellie Elephant charmed the entire audience, both adults and children. The boys with Lowe's Syndrome really loved the music. The songs you selected to play were just perfect for the evening. Thank you again for providing the entertainment for a very special group of boys. | |||||||
| Diane Turcsany, Chairman, Children's Committee, Starlight Foundation | |||||||
| 1987 | Child Abuse Prevention Assemblies [kindergarten - fifth grades] |
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| "The children's high level of attentiveness in both groups [puppet program for kindergarten/discussion with fifth grades] tells me that you are dealing with a topic that children really want to know about. The children's comments and their answers to your questions were relevant and focused, and it was evident to me that your message was being clearly and accurately received. Your level of comfort with the material very effectively communicates to kids that this is a topic that is OK to talk about, and this makes it more likely that they will be able to act on your advice to 'tell someone' when they are touched in ways that make them feel uncomfortable or confused. I think it was also good for our teachers to have the opportunity to see you model a lesson that deals with such an emotionally charged issue in such a straightforward, but sensitive way. This makes it more likely that teachers will be able to provide appropriate follow-through in their classes and in their dealing with individual children who might choose to disclose an incident to them." Karen M. Valerio, School Psychologist, Henry Winkelman School, Glenview, IL |
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"Dr. Elana Ashley presented her delightful puppet, Ellie the Elephant, to our primary aged children…She presented a "rap session" with our middle grade students. Both programs were creative and to the point. Personal safety was the theme of all presentations. Dr. Ashley handled this delicate subject with poise. Each grade level was appropriately organized, using situations and vocabulary at their level. Dr. Ashley is to be commended on her work with children. The level of creativity and originality in her program is stimulating." Marilyn Helberg, Principal, Henry Winkelman School, Glenview, IL |
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| 1987 | Storytelling and Singing [preschool] |
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| "Our preschool class truly enjoyed your puppet-story-singing presentation…Your program made such an impact on the children that they discussed and sang your songs throughout the day. I was especially impressed with your combination of dramatics, literature, and singing, and creating a program that was very suitable for very young children." JoAnn LoScuito, Assistant Director, Fel-Pro Day Care Center, Skokie, IL |
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| 1987 | Storytelling and Singing [children and parents] |
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"Your program featuring puppets Splunkey and Ellie the Elephant…showed originality and storytelling expertise. Your enthusiasm and the variety of techniques used captivated the children in attendance who ranged from age 3 to the middle primary grades. You demonstrated sincere interest in the children's responses and gave them a positive library experience they certainly will remember." |
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| Linda Wicher, Children Services Coordinator, Lincolnwood Public Library District, Lincolnwood, IL | |||||||
| 1987 | Child Safety [preschool - kindergarden] |
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| "All five groups [Tot Camp and Kinder Camp] were excited about Ellie and enjoyed the presentation on child safety with the emphasis on good touches and bad touches. The manner in which the subject was presented was excellent and non-threatening. There was no need for the children to be afraid. The camp supervisors were amazed at the control you had over the children, which is a quality worth commending." |
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| Darlene Lynam, Recreation Supervisor, Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation, Lincolnwood, IL | |||||||
| 1986-1991 |
KidSafe - An Ongoing Child Safety Series [children (preschool - eighth grades)/parents] | ||||||
| "Elana Ashley is involved in an ongoing program on Child Safety with Highland Park Hospital, presenting a key segment which deals with personal safety, privacy, touching and child abuse. Dr. Ashley is a consummate professional -- skilled, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. She has become deeply involved in our program, giving her time and enthusiasm and bringing a thoroughness that far exceed our expectations. Her unique talents, the breadth of her creative capabilities, her rapport with children, her ability to handle and react to even the most delicate situations keep her audiences involved and enchanted. She entertains and educates the kids and their parents. In short, we are delighted with Dr. Ashley's contributions to our program and look forward to a continuing association with her." |
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| Chuck Block, Marketing Director, Highland Park Hospital, Highland Park, IL | |||||||
| 1985 | Personal Safety [fourth - eighth grades] | ||||||
| "I'd like to thank you for the excellent performance on Personal Safety you gave to our Child Unit patients. The program provided a non-threatening presentation on a very delicate topic. You handled the issue with humor, warmth and seriousness that told the children you cared. The staff was extremely impressed with how quickly you were able to connect with the group and how you were able to hold their attention throughout the performance. It was most informative to watch how the children reacted to the material. You were also able to motivate each child into participating and into disclosing personal information. The staff also appreciated the time you took with them discussing the presentation and their reactions. Thank you again for a most worthwhile performance." | |||||||
| Janet Pierce-Ritter, Director of Education, CPC Old Orchard Hospital, Skokie, IL | |||||||
| 1985 | Remedial Reading Programs [first - third grades] |
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| "Your exercises, puppets, songs and vocabulary building activities were motivational to students and staff. Splunkey's difficulty in reading simple words encouraged many students to read aloud to 'help' him, reinforcing the perception that they could read well enough to help a six-footer. Thank you again for your stimulating learning experiences and interesting hand-outs." |
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| Roger LaRaus, Ph.D., Curriculum Specialist, Evanston Public Schools, Evanston, IL | |||||||
| 1985 | Storytelling and Characters Coming to Life [third - fifth grades] |
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| "Elana Ashley presented a lively and entertaining program to the students of Nelson School. 'Splunkey,' the main character in the science-fiction epic, became live through the animated storytelling and the actual appearance of the life-sized puppet…The students appeared to be enthralled following Splunkey's adventures from the Planet Onyx. They asked questions about future happenings of Splunkey, liked the excitement created, and asked for more." | |||||||
| Elsie McAvoy, Reading Coordinator, Viola H. Nelson Elementary School, Niles, IL | |||||||
| 1985 | Science Fiction and Fantasy in Outer Space [children and parents] | ||||||
| "In October of 1985, Dr. Elana Ashley introduced her delightful puppet character, Splunkunio Splunkey, to an audience of children and adults here at The Chicago Public Library Cultural Center. Based on an original story, Dr. Ashley presented a program of music, dance and slides with narration, which complemented an important exhibition and major conference for illustrators of children's literature. We were most appreciative of the extensive effort invested in this event by Dr. Ashley. Her creativity and diverse talents provided a memorable experience for our audience. In following her subsequent career, we have been pleased at her continuing success." | |||||||
| Sandra H. Royster, Director of Programs, Chicago Office of Fine Arts, The Chicago Public Library Cultural Center, Chicago, IL | |||||||
Great Imaginings, Inc.
An Illinois Not-For-Profit Corporation
P. O. Box 101
Northbrook, Illinois 60065-0101
847.480.8998
© 2008 Elana Ashley, Ph.D.