ADVISORY, April 7, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
| WHO: | Missouri City Chapter of The Links Inc. (MCCL) in partnership with The Choice |
| Foundation, Inc. and Society for the Performing Arts (SPA), | |
| WHEN: | Friday, April 9, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. |
| WHAT: | Approximately 300 Houston Independent School District students from E-STEM |
| Academy West Middle and High Schools, E-STEM Central High School and Ryan | |
| Middle School will participate in a workshop designed to introduce an internationally | |
| S.T.E.M.-ulating connection of song and dance. Members of the cast will discuss with | |
| students what life is like in their country. The students will learn about foreign exchange | |
| opportunities and the need for STEM-related professionals in Soweto. Students will | |
| donate shoes that they have been collecting to provide Soles to Souls of Africa. The | |
| Soles to Souls goal is to collect 1,000 pairs of shoes to be shipped to Africa in June | |
| 2010. The students will later attend the 8 p.m. performance of Soweto Gospel | |
| Choir at Jones Hall, presented by Society for the Performing Arts sponsored by | |
| the MCCL. | |
| WHERE: | The Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main, Houston, TX 77002 |
| (Performance Center—Fannin Street Entrance) | |
| WHY: | This is a unique opportunity for students to learn about a particular country and its |
| traditions, as well the performing arts. | |
| VISUALS: | Six members of Soweto Gospel Choir cast singing and engaging 300 students, shoe |
| collection, and students demonstrate finding their voice. | |
| INTERVIEWS: | Can be coordinated onsite with a member of Soweto Gospel Choir, students, teachers |
| from participating schools and members of the Missouri City Chapter of The Links, Inc. | |
| WHAT ELSE: | Direct from South Africa, the vibrant, two-time Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel |
| Choir is coming to Houston for one night only. With glorious voices, rich harmonies and | |
| dance-in-your seat rhythms, the dynamic young singers will perform traditional and | |
| contemporary gospel music on Friday, April 9 at 8 p.m. in Jones Hall. | |
| FOR INFO: | Call 713-227-4SPA or visit www.spahouston.org; performance tickets are still available. |
About SPA
Founded in 1966, Society for the Performing Arts (SPA) is the largest independent non-profit presenting organization in the Southwest. Since its inception, SPA has sponsored more than 800 performances of the world's finest music, dance and theater events, in adherence to the belief that the arts are fundamental to the overall enrichment and quality of life within the community. In addition to presenting artists, SPA seeks to provide a variety of learning experiences for adults and children through master classes, lectures and special student performances, as well as build relationships between the performing arts and other interests within the greater Houston area and throughout the state of Texas.
About Missouri City Chapter of The Links, Inc.
MCCL, a group of 60 civic-minded professional women committed to community service and leadership in the Greater Houston area, is an affiliate of The Links Incorporated, an international, not-for-profit corporation established in 1946. Its membership consists of 12,000 professional women of color in 270 chapters across 42 states and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The Links Incorporated is one of the nation's oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information about MCCL, visit www.missouricitylinks.org.
The Missouri City Chapter of The Links, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7305
About MCCL's S.T.E.M.-ulation: Left Brain-Right Brain
STEM-ulation: Left Brain-Right Brain is a dual-dimensional program that provides middle and high school students with experiential and service education that leads to careers in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics fields as well as careers requiring STEM application in the visual and performing arts. The ultimate goal of the program is to increase the number of ethnic and gender minorities in STEM and STEM-related careers. The program provides experiences that increase the awareness of and interest in career preparation, by providing experiences that stimulate aesthetic appreciation and link STEM-related competencies to the arts and by providing experiences which provide insight into post-secondary education in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
About Energized for STEM Academy, Inc. (E-STEM Academy)
In partnership with the Houston Independent School District, E-STEM Academy offers an exceptional educational choice for middle and high school students who are interested in participating in rigorous and challenging studies in a non-traditional setting. The program is focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). In keeping with HISD's mission of creating a college bound culture in every school, E-STEM Academy High school students are able to earn college credits that will prepare them for postsecondary academics as well as technical careers in a variety of fields. Support for the program is being provided by a coalition of stakeholders and community partners including the City of Houston Green Program, Rice University, Texas Southern University, Houston Community College, Missouri City Chapter of The Links, Inc., and CSTEM Teacher and Student Support Services.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Karen Watassek
Society for the Performing Arts
713-632-8105 or karen@spahouston.org
TIME OF EVENT CALL: 713-822-4469
Argentina M. James
Missouri City Chapter of The Links, Inc.
(713) 306-6822 or saacjames@aol.com