For Illuminate Families...

Greetings, illuminate families old and new! Welcome to the community and thank you for signing up for your first (or 13th!) year with us. With 12 years under our belt, it's safe to say that this is a very good thing indeed.

This year, separate from our "Year 13 Bulletin Boards" which will give specific updates regarding classes, admin notes, and events, we will periodically send "community updates" that will just get back to the basics: families who are trying their hardest to raise kids who are creative, compassionate, and community-minded. While we are still predominately made up of homeschooling families, the After School classes and productions are growing in momentum. Soon, as we take residence at The Union Theatre, those opportunities will expand.

For this first update, we wanted to make you aware of our new Community Hub on the website: a place where you can find everything illuminate, from your Parent Portal and schedule to the general calendar, tickets, and even recent orders from the store. Just go to our website and click "login" on the top right corner to create an account and access this hub. 

We also wanted you to hear from one of our longtime volunteers, Emily Belli, who recently spoke at our Annual Progress Show about the benefits of volunteering. 

Emily Belli - illuminate family since 2018

The Belli Family joined illuminate in 2018 and despite their hour-long drive from the Boston area, dove headfirst into classes, productions, and internships. You may know Emily as one of our friendly Front Desk greeters, helping with the check-in process and answering any questions you might have. But what you may not know is that Emily has been running our highly successful Playbill Drives since 2020 and joined our Board of Directors last year, assisting with Sponsorships, the website, merchandise at times, and our new Membership/Community initiative. Emily has graduated Miriam (class of 2023) and Josiah (class of 2025) and will be around for a while as Judah, Ezra, and Evangeline are incredibly active in our classes, internships, and productions! Here is what Emily had to share about our re-vamping of Committees. Entering Year 13, we will no longer have a Booster Committee, but instead, we will have a few folks on a revised Membership Committee who will filter volunteers into different teams (such as the Prom Team, Broadway Dance Team, etc). Here's what she had to say:

Why Volunteer?

"We are revamping the way we do committees a little bit- making it a little more event or job specific- so volunteering will not be tied to a committee like booster, finance etc. it will now be funneled through The Membership Committee - that will point people to the right place - which may be one specific thing like planning a picnic, or a cast party, helping coordinate t-shirts, building supervision, plan a prom, organizing a Krispy Kreme fundraiser (just ideas!). The emphasis is less 'joining a committee' and more signing up to do one event, one fundraiser, one small task.

So, why should you volunteer??? I get it- you’re homeschooling parent, and like me you may be juggling multiple things- working, multiple kids, church life or other volunteering responsibilities.

Years ago, during our first season at illuminate, while recruiting me to volunteer to help with the Playbill, one of the moms said to me “you won’t regret spending this time with your kids.”

Now, I’m the mom of two graduated with 3 more to go- encouraging you that you won’t regret the time doing this with them. Homeschooling can be isolating but there is a great community of families here- laboring together to provide our kids with amazing opportunities.

Volunteering at illuminate has given me opportunities to use gifts and skills from my time before homeschooling, relationships for not just my kids, but for me too.

I have loved getting to know the other kids that my kids are learning alongside- and an unexpected perk of volunteering at illuminate is that I’ve made my own friends!

When I started volunteering I had 5 kids under 12 and a busy life of responsibilities, but I am so glad I have invested the time alongside my kids in this community. The years go quickly and this season will be over before you know it. So this is my encouragement as a fellow parent— as was said to me—jump in and be involved- you won’t regret the time you spend with your kids.

Whatever your skills are, if you have a lot of time or just a little - there are needs and opportunities for you to learn, grow, and shine!"

Click to Volunteer!

Without volunteers, we will cancel the social gatherings many have grown to love at illuminate - the dances, cast parties, and things like the hoped-for picnics and parenting support groups. Let's build this community together!

We hope you have a wonderful summer and look forward to Year 13 being filled with teams working together to create the community we all crave.

Cheers and thanks,

Jennifer Keating, Director

illuminateartsco.com

a 501(c)3 company