The practical part of training started

So finally this week we started our field period of Hei Suomi! –program spring 2013. The 3^rd graders of South Range Elementary School have been so far, as we understand, very interested and excited about our co-operation. We are already so delighted about the great atmosphere which we are surrounded by in Steve Aho’s 3^rd grade’s class room.

At the beginning we introduced ourselves with Matleena and we also told some basic information about Finland and our backgrounds. Students got their Finnish first names and it seemed that that kind of ice-breaker was great simple idea, thanks to teacher Steve and last year’s students Sanna-Mari and Eeva.

During the first week we dealt with Finnish immigration history of Copper Country in nutshell and the students had as their first homework to ask, what kind of different Finnish backgrounds they have in their home. After that we had interesting discussion about the topic and we recognized that the kids were truly interested about that topic.

Konsta and Kyösti are exploring the local newspaper.

To explain the distances and locations, Google Maps has been an invaluable tool!

We have already taken our first steps as media producers too. Students have already learned the basics of using SLR camera. We have also explored our E-Magazine ground so far and started to do short introductions about kids there. Before introducing digital format of magazine, we riffled together some local newspapers and explored what kind of sections and contents they are including.

Jaakko and Antero, young journalists!

 Let’s hope that the current snow storm wouldn’t cancel any lessons tomorrow, because we have lot things to do before early May - and it already feels, that there’s not too much time left anymore!

Preparing for FinnFest 2013

"We are not going to put the phonograph on because se on epäkunnossa". Director Melvin Kangas is guiding actors on an old stage of Hancock Middle School, which has not been in use for a while.

A group of actors are training for their play, which is going to be performed at midsummer, as part of various program of FinnFest 2013.

Hancock old Middle School has come to action again. The play group uses the stage every Wednesday and Thursday nights before FinnFest 2013 for training the play.

"Yes, we are practicing on a play for FinnFest. It is called Ten Scenes of Niskavuori, which I have made the translation for from Finnish to English. The play is compilation of three stories; Women of Niskavuori, Bread of Niskavuori and What’s now, Niskavuori?.

Niskavuori is a legendary old Finnish drama series, written by Hella Vuolijoki. The series have had an important role to strengthen Finnish identity.

FinnFest USA is an annual event for American Finns and their descendants which give a chance for American Finns to meet each other over the USA and deepen their knowledge about being Finn. This year the FinnFest will be held in city of Hancock which has a remarkable Finnish heritage and immigration history. They are expecting thousands of visitors to arrive to Hancock and all of the accommodations of the nearby area will be fully booked.

The 16 person group of Niskavuori actors consists mainly of staff and faculty members of Finlandia University and other community members. All of them are amateurs, but the atmosphere there at the hall of Hancock Middle School feels like in any professional play practice. The actors are flinging themselves in the practice and director Melvin Kangas is pointing out some details if needed.

"We practice two times per week, couple of hours each time. We’ll have three performances: the first one is the evening before the opening the FinnFest, Melvin says.

Director Melvin Kangas has had a big amount of work by translating the Finnish play manuscripts to English.