The GMS Community Association proudly presents a celebration of photography, childhood and community at the 2016 GMS Green & White Bash on Saturday, April 23 from 7-11pm.

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The GMS Gymnasium is transformed into the Greensboro's swankiest art gallery featuring photography by your child and other GMS students. Patronize the exhibit while you admire the incredible work produced for our "Through a Child's Eyes" fundraising exhibit.

Ticket prices start at $35 but we hope you'll take a peek at our fun combo packages, too! Are you more like Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz or Steve McCurry?

What fabulous gallery social would be complete without exquisite wines, savory fare and more shopping opportunities...

• Heavy hors d'oeuvres, Dessert and Dancing. Cash bar.
  • Menu by local fave, Savory Street Catering
• Silent Auction featuring luxury items, unique experiences and, of course, artwork!
  • Browse the on-line catalog and start bidding early. Highest on-line bid will be our starting bid at the event.
• Fun Photo Booth - snap some memories with friends, props and a sense of humor.
• Blind Wine Pull - $20 a ticket to take your chance at an elegant rosé or a daring cabernet
• Gift Giving Wall - surprise a teacher with a tangible wish list item for the classroom
• The evening begins with a festive performance by the crowd stopping GMS Middle School Music Ensemble and ends with you on the dance floor moving to your favorite DJ request.

Meet the Walkers! A trio of poets, musicians, educators, bee-keepers and world travelers. Allison, Scott and Ada Walker are GMS’s own renaissance family. We were thrilled to catch up with Allison by phone and she shared some fun details about herself, her husband Scott and their lovely daughter Ada.

GMSCA: Hi Allison! Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. Tell us a little about the Walker Family!

Allison: We’re Greensboro natives: Scott and I have known each other since high school! We both have advanced degrees in poetry and literature. We’re published poets and teachers – both working at High Point University. Scott also teaches at NW Guilford High School. One interesting footnote about us: we lived in Anchorage, Alaska for 5 years. Ada was born in Alaska but we moved back to North Carolina to be near family and an abundance of babysitters. We settled first in Asheville and then Greensboro. Strangely, Ada is completely unaffected by cold. We think it’s the Alaskan origin.

GMSCA: What an adventure, tell us how you arrived at Greensboro Montessori?

Allison: Ada has been at GMS since she was 3 and Montessori was a conscious decision. We come from a family of educators, our parents worked in the public school system and we wanted to explore other options so we did our research. Montessori fit our mindset. We explored the school, moved nearby and it’s been Ada’s home from the start. She’s now in sixth grade.

GMSCA: Tell us more about Ada….

Allison: Ada is our happy wood sprite; she loves to be outdoors. She gathers all the neighborhood kids together and teaches them different forms of imaginative play. Our neighbors benefit from the Montessori approach, too! Ada is independent and loves to tackle challenges. She’s also been a musician since she was 4, studying violin and filling our house with music. Animals are a passion of hers as well – she loves cats and volunteers with the Feral Cat Assistance Program. And, we care for bees! Our beekeeping grew out of a Montessori assignment, actually. Our family wouldn't have bees if it weren't for the fabulous Upper Elementary teachers who encourage kids to tackle an interdisciplinary summer project of their choosing and the gardening and environmental education program that makes our kids so mindful of the earth and our impact on it. We pay attention to politics and current events so Ada is very aware of her power to change the world. She also loves Harry Potter.

GMSCA: Music, bees and Harry Potter!? Ada is fabulous. So, as a   parent, tell us what surprised about you the transition to Middle School! 

Allison: We love it! The Middle School program is amazing. We love watching her perform and her thrill of learning is infectious. It reminds us why we chose to be teachers. Both Scott and I bring “Montessori” to our own students based on what we learn from Ada’s experience.

GMSCA: If you could gaze into a crystal ball… what do you see for your family?

Allison: Ada’s passion, gift and talent is music. The arts are for everyone but Ada really tells a story with her music so we see that in her future. She also loves spending time on the university campus with me. Scott and I would like to do more partnered writing – potentially screenplays. I see us carving out time as family for artistic collaboration; we’re starting to write music as a family with poetry, guitar and violin. Maybe that would turn into something more….

GMSCA: With such talent in your home, we’re certain it will. In the nearer future, are there any wonderful adventures coming your way in 2016?

Allison: Last year we toured Europe with Ada’s violin ensemble. That sparked a desire to mix travel with our art and work. So, this July we’re spending time in London and Paris. We’ll visit Oxford and also plan to go to the reconstructed Globe and see Shakespeare. We love Shakespeare.

GMSCA: We think Shakespeare would love the Walker family – he’d fit right in with you all. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to share with our GMS community?

Allison: Just some encouragement…. It’s such a gift for all of us, as parents, to give our children a Montessori education. With each step, we see more and more the value and benefit of the GMS experience. This year, Ada loves Middle School and arriving to a leadership role. We watch this group thrive as collaborators, creative thinkers and problem solvers. Montessori gave them these tools! Everyone talks about the ‘broken education system’ but if I could do one thing to fix it, I’d put every child in Montessori. The students remain curious because they aren’t only worried about grades or external motivation. The foundation is so strong and pays off in unexpected ways. I’m encouraged seeing a group of middle school students who are so comfortable in their own skin! They are open to new ideas and experiences and they celebrate the differences in their friends. Because the program takes such beautiful care of the whole child, our kids are able to thrive during a period of adolescence that is typically very challenging.

Thank you so much for sharing your family and GMS experience with us! We look forward to watching Ada perform with the Middle School Music Ensemble at the Green & White Bash on Saturday, April 23.

Katherine Gwynn grew up in Reidsville, NC. As the daughter of a talented artist, I think it is safe to say Katherine had the artist gene from the beginning. She has been inspired by nature for as long as she can remember and has always had an eye for beauty.

Katherine attended UNC Chapel Hill, where she studied art and UNCG where she studied social work. She worked as a counselor at Hospice and, after transitioning back to work from being a stay at home mom, started started an after school art program called CREATE where she traveled from school to school exposing students to an array of creative art experiences.

Katherine’s right brain artistic talents are balanced well by her husband’s left-brain CPA talents. Don Gwynn is the CFO at Well Spring. The couple has four children – two boys and two girls, ages: 13, 16, 19, 21).

Three years ago, Katherine worked part time for GMS, but left after a year to accept a full time position teaching art for Guilford County Schools. Her teaching style is very similar to the Montessori methods, so both she and the school were overjoyed when she came back to call GMS home.

GMSCA: How is the art program at GMS different from other places you have taught?

Katherine: I appreciate the freedom to pursue interests that are led by our students and not to be locked into a lesson or subject that holds no interest. GMS students are engaged and eager to learn, and that makes teaching a joy!

GMSCA: What piece of art or artist has had the most profound influence on your life?

Katherine: My favorite artist is an American painter named Mary Cassatt. I love the light color palette and loose brush work of her Impressionistic style. I am especially fond of her paintings of mothers with their children.

GMSCA: Can you tell us about the work you are doing with decorations to prepare for the Green & White Bash? Anything, in particular, that you think attendees should get excited about?

Katherine: I am so excited about the event! We are using a photography theme and the event is called “Through a Child's Eyes.” Our students have been taking extraordinary photographs with very artistic perspectives. The primary students have captured some very unique shots. These photographs are beautiful and will be the basis of our decorations. They will be for sale the night of the event. I already have my eye on a couple pictures I want to buy. Staff members are also auctioning some unique experiences that will be auctioned that night. I am personally offering two art experiences – after school art lessons for a month and a home visit where I will help your child create something (their choice) out of cardboard. This has been a favorite in the art room!

In a two short weeks we will all get to attend the 2016 GMS Green & White Bash on Saturday, April 23. The GMSCA Events committee has worked tirelessly preparing this event for our community! The idea of ‘Through a Child’s Eyes’ was coined by GMS parent and 2016 Green & White Bash Chair, Michelle Wells! If you’ve had a chance to talk to Michelle Wells about the Bash you will see her eyes light up with pride and joy as she recounts the evolution of the theme and the process of involving the children in this project!

Michelle is a single mom to primary student, Waverly. Waverly is a four-and-a-half spunky, sweet gal! Michelle speaks openly about Waverly being adopted, but jokes that they adopted each other! She has plans to adopt a sibling for Waverly soon. Michelle teaches Sports Event Management at Guilford College and is clearly very passionate about motherhood, her career, and photography!

Waverly and Michelle celebrate Halloween at GMS (October 2015).

I was delighted to chat with Michelle and hear more about her, her family, and the upcoming event!

GMSCA: Why Montessori?

Michelle: We moved here from Charleston, West Virginia in summer 2014.  I chose GMS after becoming familiar with the Mountaineer Montessori School (MMS) in Charleston through my colleagues whose children attended school there.  Their children flourished and seemed to have a very healthy attitude toward school.  After researching the Montessori way of educating children, I knew this was the type of school I wanted Waverly to attend.  I want her to be a lifelong learner and have the ability to explore areas of interest in creative ways that fulfill her needs and motivations.  It’s the type of classroom where she becomes educated rather than merely taught.

GMSCA: How did you become interested in photography?

Michelle: I’ve been interested in photography since I was a child--always picking up the coffee table books and magazines and looking at the pictures—but I didn’t actually take a photography class until my late 20s.  While I lived in Orlando, I was able to take a few classes at Crealdé School of Art.  From there, it was (and still is) looking at photos, trying new shots, and reviewing them.  Once digital SLR cameras came out it became even easier to practice because the cost of printing had disappeared.  I could take as many photos as I wanted and try a multitude of different things.  I began carrying my camera with me everywhere and experimenting.  The greatest time for this was the 2+ years I lived in New York City.  On weekends I would grab my camera, hop on the subway to a random stop, then walk around for hours in that area just taking pictures.

This Fall, Michelle was serving on the GMSCA Events committee and graciously volunteered to take a lead role in planning the 2016 Green & White Bash.

GMSCA: Can you tell us more about how you came up with the theme for the Green & White Bash and what went in to the whole photography project?

Michelle: When I signed on to lead the event planning, I told the committee I would come up with a few themes and then let them choose.  After brainstorming and spending time on Pinterest, I found two photos from a fundraising event by The Robin Hood Foundation done in conjunction with photos by Humans of New York and photographer Brandon Stanton, two organizations with which I was familiar.  The photography theme was chosen by the Events Committee for its ability to get many different members of the GMS community involved.  From there the idea morphed into a sort of museum display that would highlight the GMS community and showcase the photography work of students.  Then the event attendees could purchase prints of the work displayed that night.  Other members came up with other great aspects of the event, casual student portraits, for example, and the decorations team came up with a wonderful way to display the photos.

Several other parents—a few of them professional photographers—helped work with classes and either took pictures of students or provided a lesson to students to help them become better photographers.  I worked with the four Primary classes.  Using simple point-and-shoot cameras, I would take two students at a time outside and ask them to photograph some things (not people) that they liked at GMS.  I spent 15-20 minutes with each pair and let them choose two of the following places they would like to go to take pictures:  the woods, the Primary garden, lower playground, upper playground, Lower El garden, Lower El playground (aka North Beach).  The only “lesson” (besides how to use the camera) they got involved two things:  1) stop to take pictures and hold the camera still so pictures aren’t blurry, and 2) a brief discussion on perspective.  For the second part, I would explain about getting close up to something or kneeling down or lying on the back and how that changes how something looks.  From there, they took some pictures that completely floored me!  These three, four, and five year olds took some photos that I will gladly buy, frame, and display on my wall.  I’ve been blown away by just how good many of them really are.  “

GMSCA: Thanks Michelle! I am really excited to attend the Green and White Bash on April 23^rd after hearing more about it. I can't wait to see what was seen through my child's eyes! I hope to see you all there!

“I find beauty in the diversity in every single person,” said Jacqui van Lier, owner of JVL Studios. “I am impressed by the diversity at our school and how our school embraces the value every single day. I send my girls to GMS because I want them to look at the world this same way. Find beauty everywhere they travel.” And, a professional photographer who just volunteered her time for the 2016 Green & White Bash fundraiser to take pictures of every child in Primary, Elementary and Middle School at GMS, 1,600+ shots, knows our school’s diversity face by face.

Jacqui started JVL studios just a year ago. The company focuses on professional photography sessions including newborn, children, and family portraits, corporate headshots, weddings and the newest venture, real estate photography. When I asked Jacqui what were her favorite shoots, she said, “Children! I’ve never had a bad experience working with kids.” As to the most technically challenging, “It’s the real estate,” said Jacqui. “The digital pictures are what get you interested in going to see a house or contact a realtor. Making those perfect and pleasing shots with all that variation in indoor lighting, and capturing the size and shape of a room is a rewarding technical challenge.”

In a world full of digital photography taken on smart-phones, Jacqui compares her work and the work of other professional photographers to that of a digital art form. “We are surrounded by digital images, but so much of the time we forget them as soon as we ‘like’ them on Facebook, or text them to somebody,” said Jacqui. And to that end Jacqui offered two pieces of advice.

Print your photography. “With dozens of apps available that offer the ability to sort and have your photos printed, you need to remember those now useless 3.5 inch floppy discs that we just threw away a few years ago, or the CD full of pictures in your attic that is quickly becoming obsolete.” You should also think some about the security and privacy of your digital images. They are easy to snap, and easy for anyone to copy and manipulate. “Make sure that if you are using a professional photographer that you won’t have those photos released for viewing by the public without your written consent.”

For more information about JVL Studios please contact President and Owner Jacqui van Lier by e-mail at [email protected]. Don’t forget to check out the photo booth at the Green & White Bash. You can bring your own camera and take candid shots of yourselves wearing some of the same props used by the kids in their photo shoot this spring. Secure images of your children are now available for viewing by visiting www.jvlstudios.com and clicking on the GMS Fundraiser link.