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2009-10_Report-Circus4Youth 

Submitted by Webmaster on   3/7/2011
Last Modified

CIRCUS4YOUTH COMMITTEE
ANNUAL REPORT

May 1, 2009 - April 30, 2010

To the CFA Officers and Board of Directors:

Committee Members:

Jim Cole, Chairman, St. Cloud, FL
Jessica Hentoff, Circus Harmony, St. Louis, MO
Bill Anderson, Peru, Indiana Amateur Circus
Don V. Smith, PAL Sailor Circus, Sarasota, FL
Don Covington, Coronado, CA. Active CFA member with youth circus experience.
Paul Pugh, Wentatchee, WA Youth Circus
Ken & Jan Sopelak, Simsbury, CT. Good connection to Middletown, CT Children's Circus
Cheryl Lindly, Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Arts, San Diego, CA
Bob Sugarman, Shaftsbury, VT, Wrote a book on youth circus.
Al Light, Flying High Circus, Florida State University
Dick Hamilton, Former director Berkshire College Children's Circus Camp, Pittsfield, MA
Maria Balogh, age 20, Aerialist, Circus Juventas, St. Paul, MN

The Circus4Youth CFA website is now entering it's 4th year of operation. In The year 2009, we had a total of close to 30,000 visits. There were 200 front page photos added, and 50 News & Feature articles.

At last year's convention of the American Youth Circus Organization's (AYCO) festival at Island Lake Circus Camp in Starucca, PA, Circus4Youth and the CFA were well represented by committee member Jessica Hentoff. Our Circus4Youth banner hung off the flying act net!

The youth reporter program has not worked quite as well as I had hoped, but one must understand that today's kids are burdened with school, homework, family and other activities besides their youth circus. There have been a few however that have worked out well.

  • Megan Grosmark 13, Amazing Grace Circus, Nyack, NY
  • Ashlee Bales 17, Sailor Circus, Sarasota, FL
  • Gracie White, 17, Circus Juventas, St. Paul, MN
  • Erin Purcell, 17, from Terrace Park, OH, Circus Smirkus Summer Camp
  • Khera Smith, 14, Sailor Circus, Sarasota, FL

Circus4Youth makes a point in staying out of youth circus administrative issues. However there have been numerous requests from youth circus directors to find props, aerial rigging, and in some cases trainers. I have offered them what information I could provide them, and I'm happy to say that I have helped some of them out!

We are also starting a new series of Feature Articles called "Life on the Road". The first installment was done by 16 year old Cassidy Herriott Koch, who is with Ringling Gold. Another installment is planned soon using some kids from Carson & Barnes.

There are plans underway for Circus4Youth to team up with AYCO to produce a 3 - 4 minute on-line media presentation that tells the story of how youth circus programs benefit the kids who are part of them. Much of the focus will be on the physical fitness and self confidence benefits to the kids. A more detailed description of this project will be sent to the CFA Board of Directors just prior to the 2010 convention.

Sailor Circus High Wire, two of our C4Y reporters are in this act!

Youth Circus...Where Physical Fitness Reigns Supreme! (Hiccup Circus, Pahoa, HI)

To any board member who has any questions about the material that is going on Circus4Youth, I ask you to simply log onto our site, and see for yourself!

I have full plans to continue the Circus4Youth project as long as I can. I truley believe that this CFA connection with youth circuses will provide us with future members!

Jim Cole.
Chairman, Circus4Youth

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