Liv was born with Nemaline Myopathy (NM), a rare neuromuscular disorder that causes muscle weakness of varying severity. It is considered one of the most severe muscle conditions of childhood and currently no treatments or disease modifying therapies exist. Liv, a beautiful and inspirational one-and-a-half-year-old, has a normally developing brain but cannot eat, walk, or talk. Essentially, Liv is trapped in her own body. Liv’s parents, desperate to connect with others in their situation, found A Foundation Building Strength for Nemaline Myopathy. The foundation grants money to scientists doing research on treatments for NM. Liv’s parents hope that the two research projects currently running hold the key to unlock Liv from her body with treatments that will set her free to enjoy the life she deserves.

The event benefiting A Foundation Building Strength for Nemaline Myopathy is hosted at the STAR Eco Station where guests will be able to enjoy a guided tour and also meet several of the exotic rescued animals that live there, from tropical fish and tortoises to parrots and pythons. The event will also feature appearances by Hank Azaria of the Simpsons, Jessica Capshaw of  Grey’s Anatomy, Guiding Light’s Emme Rylan, as well as a performance by American Idol top 5 finalist Brooke White. Stout Burger and Beer will be serving one of their artisanal beers along with several of their new-style burgers, Factors Famous Deli will provide its famous mac ‘n’ cheese and chopped salad, and Sugar Dayne will bring the desserts. It is a family event complete with inflatable bounce houses, arts and crafts, face painting by Beeing & Seeing: Meditation and Painting for Kids, and more! LoveLiv’s aim is to educate the community on this debilitating disorder, and to raise $30,000 through donations and a silent auction.

To learn more, please visit www.loveliv.org.

Dr. Desmonette Hazly is no stranger to using the concept of “breaking bread” to bring together friends, families, and communities. Her background is nothing short of inspiring: she has a BA in Child Development and Family Studies, a Masters Degree in Social Work, a culinary arts diploma from a local cooking school and experience at the Cordon Bleu in London and Paris, and a Ph.D. in International Politics and Policy. Not to mention her experience working with gang members, teen moms, disabled veterans, ESL learners, and inhabitants of Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Dr. Hazly is currently a professor at Claremont Graduate University where she teaches courses on underground economy and shadow government. She works with the International Services of the American Red Cross and also teaches International Humanitarian Law and a cuisine and culture program at USC. Oh, and did we mention she also created and teaches STAR’s International Cooking and Culture Program?

Dr. Hazly has been working as a NOVA teacher for STAR for almost two years, transforming her university-level curriculum, “At the Global Table” into something elementary school students can easily devour (pun intended!) Each week, K-5^th grade students prepare and consume a three-course meal together; they learn the ins and outs of recipe comprehension and ingredient preparation while absorbing the culture and customs of whichever of Los Angeles’ 25 Sister Cities they are exploring that week. Dr. Desmonette Hazly chuckled as she explained how people often wonder how she gets a Kindergartener to sit still long enough to cook a three-course meal. Her solution seems so obvious: enjoyment is the key to engagement.

The average eye might struggle to see the commonality in all of Dr. Hazly’s worlds: teaching classes on shadow governments to university students, working with disadvantaged populations, cooking world-class meals, and engaging STAR elementary school students in an after-school International Cooking and Culture Program. But, to Dr. Hazly, the bigger picture is clear: sitting down to eat a meal is the common thread among the many diverse cultures of the world, and cooking is the ultimate communication tool. Cooking is Dr. Hazly’s personal creative balance to counteract the heavier parts of her life, but it is also a way for her to help empower those who might otherwise lack confidence, communication skills, or a community support system.

By guiding her students through the preparation of international cuisine, Dr. Hazly is exposing her students to everything from basic reading and writing practice to an entire cultural world beyond their comfort zones. The process of sitting down for meals together is a tradition that helps break barriers and encourages students to connect to their friends, families, and communities. Dr. Hazly also uses her program to enable students to connect with themselves, and to support students in their own goals and dreams. She has learned first hand through the many times she was told “no” in life that if you are persistent in achieving your dreams, you will persevere, and she works hard to instill those values in her students.

The City of Los Angeles’ Sister Cities program has chosen to recognize Dr. Desmonette Hazly and her STAR Students for their dedication to broadening their cultural views. On the afternoon of May 19^th, 2013, STAR students who have completed 24 weeks of Dr. Hazly’s program will be presented with International Cooking and Culture Certificates at the Los Angeles Sister Cities’ Cultural Day at the Grove. Cultural Day draws a large crowd to celebrate music, food, and people from Los Angeles’ 25 Sister Cities around the Globe.

For more information about Cultural Day at the Grove, please click here. 

13TH ANNUAL CHILDREN’S EARTH DAY –

THE LARGEST EARTH DAY EVENT IN LOS ANGELES

“The Earth Day Pick” – Los Angeles Times       “Best Children’s Earth Day.” – LA Parent Magazine

Featuring Special Performances and Exhibits by Children, Environmental Organizations and Celebrity Guests, Food, Eco-Friendly Vendors, Crafts, Games and More!

 SUNDAY, APRIL 21^st  FROM 10AM-4PM 

Culver City, CA – Celebrate Planet Earth the way no one else can at STAR Eco Station’s 13^th Annual CHILDREN’S EARTH DAY, April 21^st, 10am-4pm. Featuring live entertainment, eco-themed games, food, crafts, prizes, vendors, environmental organizations, face painting, and more – nothing in the LA area comes close! Nearly 40,000 people attended last year’s LA Times’, “Best Earth Day Pick” and LA Parent Magazine’s “Best Children’s Earth Day.”

Join STAR Eco Station, the cast of Disney Channel’s A.N.T. Farm, Radio Disney’s Daphne Blunt, and the Chi-Town Finest Breakers/Monster Kids (X Factor, The Oprah Show) as we promote green consciousness. Radio Disney AM1110, part of the #1 radio network for kids, tweens and families, will be on-site with the latest hits from Radio Disney.  The Radio Disney AM 1110 Road Crew will also provide interactive entertainment and prizes for the whole family. With the help of solar power, the event will also feature visits from more celebrity guests, performances by over a thousand kids from the greater Los Angeles area, exciting food trucks, environmental organizations, leaders in community service, and community leaders. This year, come play in the toddler area, race through the recycle-themed maze, make some noise in the awe-inspiring drum circle, and meet over 200 rescued exotic animals!

Everyone at Children’s Earth Day can learn to be green! Be a part of STAR’s Bring Back Flower Power Campaign helping children plant over a million indigenous Californian flowers. Learn how you can get involved from environmental organizations like the STAR Eco Station, Heal the Bay, Surfrider Foundation, Orangutan Foundation International and more! Event admission is FREE, with discounted tours of the STAR Eco Station available for $5 per person.

For a full list of celebrity guests, environmental and animal non-profits, eco-friendly vendors, and festival food, please visit www.childrensearthday.org!

Elementary and middle school children were able to test their engineering abilities by designing the car of the future, discover the math behind wilderness survival skills, explore the technology behind artificial intelligence through Turing tests, build a survival dome to withstand the elements, craft high-flying rockets, design 3D forced perspective art, study electric circuitry, and learn the behind-the-scenes of toy making!

Students from the STAR LEGO© Robotics program also competed in the Battle of the Brains! Battle of the Brains is an opportunity for students to battle their Mindstorm sumo-bots that they have spent 12 weeks designing, building, and programming using mechanical engineering, computer programming, special reasoning, teamwork, aesthetic and functional design and other S.T.E.A.M. based skills.

The action didn’t stop there – students also had the opportunity to ride a real hovercraft, experience the science of break-dancing and hula hooping, build at the LEGO© booth, put on a sumo suit to explore the physics behind sumo-wrestling, engage in interactive technology exhibits, and so much more! 

The STAR S.T.E.A.M. Initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) has introduced thousands of students to cutting edge and innovative programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. S.T.E.A.M. utilizes specialized, multidisciplinary curricula propelled by problem solving, discovery, and exploratory learning, which encourage students to actively engage in a situation in order to find its solution. STAR S.T.E.A.M. programs aim to engage students to solve real world challenges and ignite their interest in college and future careers. S.T.E.A.M.topia is part of STAR Education’s initiative to support the growing trend in education to stress practical, hands-on, and innovative curricula. STAR is an active member of the S.T.E.M. Education Coalition and is at the forefront of promoting S.T.E.A.M. programs in California.