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Celebrate Día de Muertos with SUGAR SKULL! at the Zlock Performing Arts Center
Get ready for a vibrant celebration of Mexican culture and tradition at the Zlock Performing Arts Center with SUGAR SKULL! A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure on Saturday, November 9 at 3:30 p.m. This bilingual/bicultural musical adventure is perfect for young audiences and families, offering an exciting journey through the rich traditions of Día de Muertos with lively music, dance, and heartfelt storytelling.
The story follows Vita Flores, a twelve-year-old who thinks her family has gone loco for celebrating deceased loved ones. But when a spirited candy skeleton named Sugar Skull suddenly springs to life, Vita finds herself on a magical, musical adventure, to unravel the true meaning of Día de Muertos. Along the way, she encounters ancient ancestors, sings with a sorrowful sorceress, escapes trickster spirits, and meets the famous Catrina Calavera. Can Vita gather the missing pieces for her family ofrenda before it’s too late?
Featuring a talented cast of musicians and dancers, SUGAR SKULL! is a joyful, colorful production that brings to life the beauty and significance of Día de Muertos.
Do not miss this exciting and educational musical that celebrates family, culture, and the spirit of Día de Muertos!
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Lake Angela Named 2024 Bucks County Poet Laureate
Lake Angela of Warrington has been named the 2024 Bucks County Poet Laureate, announced the director of the Poet Laureate program and professor at Bucks County Community College, Ethel Rackin, Ph.D.
Angela, a published poet, translator, and dance choreographer, rose to the top of more than 50 entries in the 48th annual contest, said Dr. Rackin who administers the program on behalf of the College. The contest is supported by the Bucks County Commissioners.
Angela holds a Ph.D. in intersemiotic translation and is a medieval mystic. Her poems have appeared in Seneca Review, BODY, The Common, Passages North, and Poetry Salzburg Review, among others; her books include Organblooms, Words for the Dead, and Scivias Choreomaniae. She is the director of the poety-dance group Companyia Lake Angela, and her current hobbies involve exchanging multimedia dialogues with disabilities advocacy artists and translating poetry into movement to further her project of illuminating the creative potential of schizophrenia-spectrum associative thinking.
Residing in Warrington, Pennsylvania, Angela works alongside poet Sara Ries Dziekonski as Poetry Midwives, part of the nonprofit literary organization Keep St. Pete Lit that assists writers around the world. Her current hobbies involve exchanging multimedia dialogues with disabilities advocacy artists and translating poetry into movement to further her project of illuminating the creative potential of schizophrenia-spectrum associative thinking; she invites you to view some of this work. Lake also collaborates with her spouse, writer and multimedia artist Kevin Richard Kaiser, and their baby, Quixot, who likes to compose atonal music for their performance projects.
The judges of this year’s Poet Laureate competition were Philadelphia poet Thomas Devaney, and Catskills, New York poet, Kasey Jueds. Both judges commented on the strength of this year's entries.
Angela will be reading her poetry on Saturday, November 16 at 1 p.m. in room 142 of the historic Tyler Hall on the Newtown Campus. She will be reading with 2023 Laureate Tara Tamburello, and they will be joined by our three runners-up, Robbin Farr, Madeline Marriott, and Judith Adams Lagana. Thomas Devaney will also be reading.
The Bucks County Poet Laureate program — the longest-running such program in Pennsylvania — is another way that Bucks County Community College contributes to the cultural heritage of the region. For more information, contact program director Dr. Ethel Rackin at ethel.rackin@bucks.edu.
“Art That Blooms” Collaborative Exhibition Blends Art and Floral Design
(Newtown, Pa.) – Thanks to special collaboration between Bucks County Community College’s Continuing Education Floral Design program and the Arts and Communication Department, the third annual Art That Blooms Exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, November 9-10. Floral and art students will showcase their finest floral-themed works as gorgeous blooms harmoniously blend with fabulous art throughout the halls of the Hicks Art Center on the Newtown Campus. This special exhibit will feature dozens of stunning interpretative floral displays, incredible paintings, beautiful glass sculptures, and rich wood workings.
The Art That Blooms festival will include a demonstration series from the Art Department and the Continuing Education Department floral team and students. Demonstrations will take place every hour and free make and take sessions for kids and adults will be available throughout the weekend.
The festival is free for the community to attend and there is ample free parking. A food truck will be on the premises on Saturday and Sunday for attendees to purchase refreshments. Creative maker vendors will be selling their products outside Hicks Art Center on both days.
Saturday, November 9, 2024, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.: 30-minute live demonstrations at the top and bottom of every hour from both artistic disciplines
Make & Take: Free hands-on sessions for both children and adults
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
12 – 3 p.m.: 30-minute live demonstrations at the top and bottom of every hour from both artistic disciplines
3 p.m.: Awards Ceremony: Showpiece, Designer of the Year Competition, and People’s Choice
Make & Take: Free hands-on sessions for both children and adults
Sen. Farry and BCCC Announce Fire and Emergency Services Co-Op Program
Bucks County, Pa. – Today, Sen. Farry (R-6) and Bucks County Community College announced a partnership among the Bucks County Emergency Health Services, Bucks County Community College, and several local Bucks County high schools to offer a Fire and Emergency Services Co-Op Program for students entering 12th grade in the 2025-2026 school year.
The no-cost program will be held in the second half of the school day at the Lower Bucks Public Safety Training Center in Croyden, and will offer 400 hours of industry training, nine (9) college credits, and multiple professional (ProBoard) and industry certifications.
The Fire and Emergency Services Co-Op Program is not only for students interested in joining a fire department or ambulance squad, but also for students already involved in a volunteer fire and/or EMS company who would like additional training. The program will also be beneficial for students who want to get a jump-start on a college degree, want to be able to apply for a live-in program near a college or university, or those needing the industry minimum to get hired as an EMT, firefighter, dispatcher, nurse, physician assistant, and other similar careers. EMS providers, municipal fire departments, county 911 centers, and law enforcement agencies are always seeking qualified candidates with the type of skills the co-op offers.
“I know firsthand the difficulty our local volunteer fire departments have with recruitment and retention of new members,” said Farry. “I have been happy to champion legislation in Harrisburg to aide in these efforts and this new co-op program will be a fantastic opportunity for our students, while recruiting the next generation of volunteers to help protect our community.”
Farry, chief of Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company since 2001, an active member of the organization for thirty-five years, and chair of the Senate Fire & EMS Caucus, secured the state funding to start the program and worked with Bucks County Community College and local school districts to develop the Co-op.
“Bucks County Community College is committed to empowering students with real-world skills that lead to meaningful careers,” said Dr. Patrick M. Jones, President & CEO of Bucks County Community College. “The Fire and Emergency Services Co-Op Program not only provides valuable training, but by partnering with local schools and industry leaders, we are ensuring that students receive a head start on both college and career pathways, all while serving a critical need in public safety."
For additional information concerning this program, please email Matthew.Hatrak@bucks.edu or call 610-227-5467.
BCCC Welcomes Ronnie Breslow, Survivor of the S.S. St. Louis, on October 24
Bucks County Community College’s Social & Behavioral Science Department in collaboration with the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center invite the public to a conversation with Ronnie Breslow, a survivor of the S.S. St. Louis, on Thursday, October 24 at 11 a.m. in the Gallagher Room on the Newtown Campus (275 Swamp Road, Newtown, Pa. 18940). The event will also be live streamed via Zoom.
The conversation with Ronnie Breslow, presented in conjunction with the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Certificate Program at Bucks County Community College, will provide a detailed account of her life and experience in Nazi Germany as well as on the S.S. St. Louis in 1939.
On May 13, 1939, Ronnie Breslow and her mother boarded the St. Louis en route from Hamburg, Germany to Havana, Cuba. They sailed with 936 other passengers seeking refuge from Nazi Germany. Cuba's government refused to allow the ship to dock, as did the United States, and Canada. Turned away, the St. Louis returned to Europe, where 254 passengers of the St. Louis perished in the Holocaust.
The discussion will be moderated by:
Education Director Fabulous Flores, Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, Elkins Park, PA
Professor Paula Raimondo, Bucks County Community College, Holocaust and Genocide Studies Certificate Program
Admission to the in-person and online event is free. The Gallagher Room is located within the Rollins Center on the Newtown Campus.
To learn more about the Holocaust and Genocide Studies certificate program at Bucks County Community College or the event, contact the Department of Social and Behavioral Science at sb@bucks.edu or 215-968-8270.
BCCC to Host Community+ Lifelong Learning at Bucks Expo on Saturday, November 2
Bucks County Community College will host the second annual Lifelong Learning at Bucks Expo on Saturday, November 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Newtown Campus. The Expo will provide a firsthand look at what makes the Bucks learning community so special by bringing lifelong learners in Bucks County together for a day of discovery, inspiration, and meaningful connections. Attendees will preview the College’s personal enrichment classes, engage with expert instructors, and connect with fellow lifelong learners over a delicious, catered breakfast and lunch. Be part of this exciting day — reserve your spot by calling 215-968-8409 or register online.
Attendees will have the opportunity to sample two classes from a variety of offerings to explore new topics and get a taste of the dynamic range of courses available through a Community+ membership. Whether you are interested in Italian cooking, belly dancing, the history of the Battle of Gettysburg, staying fit and healthy as we age, or oil painting, there is something for everyone.
The day will culminate in a special informative panel discussion, "Designing a Life of Purpose and Health at Bucks," focused on the seven dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, environmental, vocational). The panel will feature:
Karen Gross, special guest emcee and singer, founder and host of the media and mentorship platform She Rocked It, and Bucks County native. Karen will lead this powerful discussion on well-being, purpose, and community while bringing her signature energy and inspiration to the event.
Jodi Silverman, founder of Moms Who Dare®, speaker, happiness and mindset coach, and community builder, who will focus on the emotional and social dimensions of wellness, sharing tools to help you discover your purpose and passion to live your most daring life now.
Clifford Eberly, artist, and curator at the Hicks Art Center Gallery at Bucks County Community College, will explore the arts as a way to enhance overall well-being. With a background in curating exhibitions and creating art in various media, Clifford will share how engaging in the creative process can inspire joy and provide a sense of connection and fulfillment.
Tiffany Fite, wellness instructor and owner of Fite Fitness Consultants LLC, will speak on the physical dimensions of wellness. With more than 30 years of experience as a certified fitness trainer and educator, Tiffany will offer insights on maintaining fitness and functional health, especially for seniors, to enhance longevity and quality of life.
Clyde Beury, a Tai Chi instructor at Bucks County Community College, will share his knowledge of the physical, social, and spiritual dimensions of wellness. Through Tai Chi, Clyde teaches the importance of balance, flexibility, and range of motion for overall well-being.
The day promises to help attendees refresh their mind, body and spirit in a fun, inspiring environment, and learn about the benefits of a Community+ Lifelong Learning Membership for adults 50+. Plus, attendees will have the chance to win exciting door prizes, enjoy a seasonal floral demonstration, and connect with local vendors.
Admission is $35 per person, including breakfast and lunch, with free entry for current Community+ members. Visit Lifelong Learning at Bucks Expo for additional details and a listing of classes or email lifelonglearning@bucks.edu.
To reserve your spot at the second annual Community+ Lifelong Learning at Bucks Expo, call 215-968-8409 or register online.
The Newtown Campus is located at 275 Swamp Road, Newtown, Pa. 18940
About Community+ Lifelong Learning at Bucks Memberships:Community+ is an enriching membership-based program designed for adults 50+ who are eager to explore new educational experiences in a welcoming and social environment with others who share a passion for leaning. Members can engage in a variety of subjects — from arts and history to health and wellness, current events, DIY projects, and languages — offered by expert faculty. Classes are interactive, informative, and tailored to adults who love learning, without the pressure of exams or grades. Courses and events are held at Bucks County Community College’s Newtown, Bristol, and Perkasie campuses.
