14 Mar 2009
All too soon, almost in a flash, we've come to the end of Term 1.

All the children from our singing, hip-hop, percussion and visual arts classes gathered together in the reception (with their family, friends, aunties, uncles, our friends, donors, volunteers, supporters and extended family at Sculpture Square and The Arts House) to perform and share what they had learnt with each other.

And they have grown so much! From scared and unsure when they first started lessons, the children overcame their jitters to drum, sing, shake hands, whistle and dance in front of a gathering of close to 30 people and our Guest-of-Honour, Mrs Clara Lim-Tan, Deputy Chairperson of The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.

It has been an exciting journey from our Opening in November 2008, to our first Term in 2009. Watching the children grow through our programmes is an incredibly humbling experience as I "re-learn" many lessons myself and realise how much more I have to learn. Helping children discover their interests and watching them develop their talents in the arts is an unparalleled joy.

I certainly hope we will never stop helping children realise their dreams through the arts.

Perhaps, one way to describe our Discovery programmes is through the process of making Pizza. Start with basic ingredients - dance, music, theatre, visual arts. Let the children choose their combinations of courses.
Bake and enjoy an arts education suited to their interests and talents.

But back to pizza, taught by the good chefs from Raffles Culinary Academy.
We start with the crust, made with basic ingredients:

500g plain flour
15g yeast
75g olive oil
125g fresh milk
15g salt
125g water

1. Combine the flour, water, milk, olive oil and salt. Knead till it comes together.
2. Let the mixture rest (15 - 30mins)
3. Roll flat with a roller (a spiked one will help oxygenate the dough)
4. Spread tomato on top and add your preferred toppings - pineapples, mixed veg, cheese, chicken sausages, shitake mushrooms - be inventive! Experiment and let your imagination go wild!
5. Bake for 10 - 15mins at 180deg Celsius till the cheese melts and turns golden brown.
6. Take the pizza out of the oven, cut into slices and share with your friends

And, just like our programmes, there is no right or wrong when it comes to combinations of toppings. Go with your child's personal preference and just never stop learning and opening one's self up to new experiences.

And always remember to share ...:)