Summer School News

The School Registration Page has been updated to include the link to the live registration page.  Have a look now, and get your registration in early!  Remember - Early Bird discounts end August 11, 2011!

It's almost time!  Details are being published at a quickening pace as we get ready for the 2011 Solomon R. G. Hilton Summer School!  Check out the latest:

1. NEW! Community Standards and information page
2. Volunteer Opportunities with Solomon Hilton!
3. Program Highlights

Check it out now!

Registration details are just around the corner, but for now, we encourage everyone to mark their calendars! Solomon R. G. Hilton Baha'i Summer School will run from the evening of Thursday, August 25th, through the afternoon of Sunday, August 28.

Details coming soon!

The Moose has a name!  Voters selected Va-Moose as the overwhelming favorite.

Because of the large number of choices, we asked you all to post your top 5 favorites, and we scored points according to weight (position) in the list. So, your 5th place choice was worth 1 point, while your first place choice was worth 5.  The name with the most cumulative points was Va-Moose (let's go!), and so I am happy to present him to you, newly named!

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Va-Moose!


Many thanks to Anthony Festa for the picture! :)

Tamara

Dear Friends:

One of the joys often remarked upon about the 2010 Summer School was the beauty of the setting. 2010 Summer School alumnus Anthony Festa shares some of the beauty with the friends here:

http://www.solomonhilton.org/Content/Members/PhotoGallery/PublicPhotoAlbum.aspx?cid=2905499&album=1596426

(You may need to be logged in to see the pictures).

Check them out!

Tamara

Boy did we have fun!  Friends, we had a wonderful summer school, and Erica Toussaint-Brock was such a treasure to have with us!  Warm, and engaging, Erica shared an overview of the progress of the faith through the guidance of the Universal House of Justice - with special emphasis on Ridvan 2010 letter, providing a sense of direction for where we are headed as we conclude the current plan and get ready for the next one.  On Sunday, she concluded with a talk that emphasized the kind of spiritual development necessary to succeed in pushing forward the Cause of God in this day.  She provided the friends citations for the quotes she referenced on Sunday - those can be found here: http://www.solomonhilton.org/Erica.

Each night we had entertainment that was uplifting and genuinely... FUN!  I'm hopeful that we will soon have pictures to share. But more importantly - I hope that the friends share THEIR pictures.  Attendees at this summer school have been designated "Alumnae" and were given access to the cite, to be able to blog, post pictures, etc.  There's a learning curve - but don't hesitate to ask questions.  We're happy to walk you through the process!

Warmly,
Tamara

Running a summer school is a BIG job, and we humbly ask all to prayerfully consider providing service for the school.  We've posted a list of volunteer opportunities here: http://www.solomonhilton.org/Volunteer.

Volunteers may also request up to a 50% discount off the standard rate for registration.

Tamara

Well, friends, we have great news to share!  The legendary Pete Seeger will join us on Thursday, August 26, for the Evening program, while Mike Longo, reknowned jazz-pianist and former bandmember with the great Dizzie Gillespie, will join us on Saturday, August 28th. Also on Friday August 27th, the Baha'i-inspired, multifaith choir Souls United will perform.

We are blessed to have such amazing talent, but want to make sure you know that YOUR talent is welcomed!  Thursday is a spiritual "open mic" - we invite you to bring your poems, songs, prayers, chants, dances, art... whatever you have to offer, from whatever faith tradition you hail from, that will be spiritually uplifting to us all!

Register now, and if you'd like to participate in the Open Mic night, visit the "Contact Us" page and drop us a line!

Tamara

There are a number of opportunities for service at the Solomon R. G. Hilton Baha'i School.  We will soon be announcing service opportunities on the site, so check back often if you'd like to volunteer!

(A quick note: volunteers may receive up to a 50% discount on registration.  Details will be included with the service opportunities announcement!)

Friends, we are pleased to launch our Summer School Blog with the truly wonderful news that we will have National Spiritual Assembly member Erica Toussaint-Brock join us!  Erica will lead the summer school in exploring this year’s annual theme, “Revelation & Social Reality.”  She’ll lead the daily plenary sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and will lead at least one youth, junior youth and children’s class apiece.  What a wonderful bounty to have Erica with us! We’re looking forward to her participation as she expounds on the following topics:

• ·         Introducing Concepts of Social Reality
• ·         Bahá’u’lláh’s Vision for a New Reality
• ·         So - Now, What Am I Going to DO?
  

Bookmark the blog for timely updates on happenings at the Summer School!