Exeter Township School District
Reiffton School
4355 Dunham Drive, Reading PA 19606
Welcome to the 2012
Artist-in-Residence Program
The Titanic
Experience
April 13, 2012
Over 100 Reiffton School students have
collaborated to bring you today’s event in
remembrance of the 100th anniversary of the
sinking of the Titanic.
Program Dedication
Our program is dedicated to the memory of all those who lost
their lives on April 15, 1912. We also wish to recognize Reiffton
student Brandi Noll, great, great, great niece of Titanic passenger
Annie Funk.
Acknowledgements
2012 Artist In Residence Program
Funding provided by the Reiffton School APT
In-kind support provided by Interstate Container, Gold’s Gym
Exeter, and Exeter Dairy Queen
2012 Artist In Residence Team
Heather Claus…....................................................Vocal Music Specialist
Timothy Dewalt…..............................…Art Specialist, Site Coordinator
Billy Harrison…....................................... Physical Education Specialist
Patricia Kline…...................................... Instrumental Music Specialist
Lindsay Stilwell…........................................................Library Specialist
Joel Gori…..............................................................….Artist In Residence
Rich Houck…............................................................. Artist In Residence
Titanic Bulletin Boards
Timothy Dewalt…........................................................................… Design
Lindsay Stilwell….................................................….Historical Research
Shara McCalicher…...............................................Creation, Installation
Lisa Konopelski…................................................................. ..Installation
Jessie Sutherland….......................................….Digital Art, Installation
Jeannie Crass…..................................................................…..Technology
Scott Schaeffer……..................................................................Technology
Dan Baver……..........................................................................Technology
Theatrical Production
Joel Gori…...................................................Theatre Artist In Residence
Joel Gori………….........................................................................……Writer
Rich Houck……........................................Visual Art Artist in Residence
Rich Houck……….................................................................Scenic Design
Lindsay Stilwell…..................................................…Historical Research
Reiffton School 5th & 6th grade Select Strings............Prelude Music
ETSHS String Ensemble...........................................................Orchestra
Brian Mishler….........................................................Orchestral Director
Heather Claus…........................................................................….Support
Lindsay Stilwell…...................................................................……Support
Patricia Kline………..................................................................……..Sound
Scott Schaeffer……..................................................................Technology
Jeannie Crass…...................................................................….Technology
ETSD Custodial Staff…..............................................................…Support
Iceberg Artists
Timothy Dewalt……........................................................................ Design
Marlene Cox, Kathy Hayes,
Marie Unger, and Trisha Decasere....................................Construction
Reiffton School Students and Staff……............................ Water Bottles
Experience the Titanic Instructional Days
Heather Claus….......................................................….Teaching Support
Timothy Dewalt……..................................................... Teaching Support
Billy Harrison….......................................................…. Teaching Support
Lindsay Stilwell…...................................................….. Teaching Support
Scott Schaeffer…........................................................…. iPod Integration
Jeannie Crass…............................................................. iPod Integration
Dan Baver….................................................................... iPod Integration
Shara McCalicher…............................................. ETSHS Co-Op Student
Margaret Snow….................................................… KU Student Teacher
Additional Acknowledgments
Reiffton Cafeteria Staff…...................................................Titanic Lunch
Charles Adams III…............................................…. Titanic Memorabilia
Jessie Sutherland…...............................Tee Shirt and Program Design
Dave Myers……............................................................................. Support
Jan Rothbard……..........................................................................Support
Reiffton Faculty……......................................................................Support
Gregory Fries, Ed. D. ………........................................................Principal
Patricia Dahl........................................................……Assistant Principal
Artist In Residence Theatre Core Group
Faith Amole • Alisa App • Riley Bauer • Alyssa Bubel
Julia Diener • Michaela Dungan • Leah Egolf • Matthew Fanelli
Cameron Gieringer • Shannon Hartey • Maddy Hayes
Rose Kershner • Nishantha Ketter • Audra Nemirow
Megan Pfahl • Tia Reeser • Alexis Schwenk • Maddie Shingle
Jordan Stern • Lauren Smith • Rebekah Smith • Morgan Souder
Alexia Texter • Matthew Ward • Danielle Wunder
Artist In Residence Art Core Group
Daija Brew • Nicholas Cady • Wesley DeCasere • Jazzmyn Foster
Bryn Gautieri • Dylan Godinez• Julianna Grzywacz
Kate Hugueny-Axline • Alexa Karstien • Tajiana King
Lindsey Kistler • Valerie Kuczynski • Lydia Martin
Olivia Mearkle • Karlee Nichols • Morgan Reightnour
Autumn Schabener • Aimee Schmale • Rebecca Shustack
Veronica Wilson • Alison Witthaut;
Bulletin Board Pod Casts Group
Alexis Adams • Steven Barr • Michael Crane • Troy Dietrich
Eleanor Doughton • Matthew Fanelli • Tanner Fitzgerald • Alexia Frey
Tessa Harbaugh • Michael Kelley • Ethan Labelle • Lydia Martin
Ireland McGuigan-Good • Emily Overley • Morgan Quirple
Morgan Reightnour • Dianna Richie • Zachary Ruth • Joe Santiago
Ibrahim Sillah • Emily Soto • Jordan Stern • Carter Stuck
Kristen Suruskie • Daniel Sweeney • Alexia Texter
Artist’s Statement
As Visual-Artist-In-Residence, I had the opportunity to work with the
students of the Art Core Group to create sculptural installations for our
re-telling of the Titanic story.
The outline of the ship, stretching the length of the basketball court
and acting as a frame for the play’s action, is one-tweflth the size of the
actual ship.
In my opinion, Mr. Dewalt’s idea to create icebergs from plastic bottles
was brilliant. The blocks of bottles on stage were crowd-sourced from the
Reiffton School community, assembled by a few very dedicated individuals, and used to create the frozen sea and other settings throughout the
play. I chose to expand on this idea with a 10 foot diameter hemisphere
made of plastic water-bottles hanging center stage; similar in appearance to the Titanic’s crystal chandeliers (as seen on the “Elegance” bulletin board). I believe this floating sculpture is also quietly reminiscent
of the hidden underside of an iceberg.
For me, the contemporary relevance in this visual re-telling lies in the
knowledge that there are immense masses of trash floating in our oceans
and rising in landfills. I believe the story of the Titanic can inspire diligence and foresight in the management of our production and consumption. Almost all of the materials used in these art pieces can and will be
recycled.
The art Core group students probably did not expect to use so much
math or physical labor in the creation of art. Bright and energetic, they
rose to the occasion and were outstanding to work with. In the end I
hope they understood that math was one more tool in service to the
creation and communication of creative ideas.
All Reiffton School faculty, staff and administration involved with this
project have my sincerest thanks for their cooperation. A special thank
you goes to the Reiffton School APT for seeing the human and educational value of the arts in our schools and for making this experience
possible in our community.
Rich Houck, Exeter Class of ‘90