Who have newly mastered a skill, empathize with and eagerly assist other children who are still learning.
This year 254 families benefited from a play-based education in 18 weekly programs at our Sunflower campus
“When we talk about really seeing children, we mean truly being with them. In Silence. With no agenda. It is only then that we can see the capability, intelligence, caring, curiosity and depth of passion in every molecule of their being.”
Susan Caruso, Executive Director and Founder, Sunflower Creative Arts
Ruth Floreal, Doctor of Education, conducted a study at Sunflower Creative Arts on incorporating STEM into early childhood:
Children at Sunflower have uninterrupted play time because their play is their work. Play is when children get the opportunity to think, reason and build the confidence to be independent…children build the confidence to be reflective decision makers and are empowered to speak up for themselves.
Excerpt from the doctoral thesis of Ruth Floreal, Ed.D., Northeastern University School of Professional Studies
This year we opened our doors to graduate as well as undergraduate students and in-service teachers to SEE children and the transformative power of learning in a play-based environment, where adults facilitate exploration guided by each child’s unique wonder, curiosity and interests.
Who feel safe to utilize materials in unique ways, allowing their curiosity to guide their learning.
At Sunflower, children are given the space to explore natural phenomena, test (and retest) hypotheses and adjust based on what they learn, which by definition shares a lot of the key components of the scientific method of discovery. Scott Cooper, Sunflower Parent
Through the bold outreach efforts of our Sunflower Play Initiative, we are encouraging the Delray and greater community to SEE play as a critical cross-cultural component of childhood, crucial for every aspect of learning and growth.
Mission: To shine a light on the profound power of play
Vision: To bring back child-directed free play to every child’s life, everyday
Year 1: We hosted over 20 Pop-Up playful builds with over 1,000 total attendees.
The Play Initiative partnered with: Delray Beach Children’s Garden/ Milagro Afterschool Program/Farmworker Coordinating Council of Palm Beach County, Inc./Delray Beach Public Library/Delray Parks and Recreation/Arts Garage/Wise Tribe
“I work here. It is always quiet. I never hear the sounds of children. I have no children of my own. No nieces or nephews. Nothing. The children are always quiet, serious, shy, afraid. Now you are here. . . . I’m working and it’s not quiet. I hear laughter and joy, children talking, planning, playing. They are happy. They are having fun. It is good to see them being kids, being real kids, having a childhood.
Sergio M. Palacio, Executive Director, Farmworker’s Coordinating Council of Palm Beach County, Inc.
Founder and Director, Susan Caruso, along with Simone Chin, Assistant Director of the Sunflower Play Initiative, presented to the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit Council about the Play Initiative. This year Susan made presentations about the significance of play as far away as South Carolina and Maryland, extending Sunflower’s reach.
Who thrive when we all come together as a community to support them in ways that spark their creativity, grow their confidence and encourage curiosity.
Over 500 people attended our Ice Castle Festival & Play Day, our annual community celebration of Play + Nature + Art. 500 Volunteer hours made this event happen!
Our Sunflower Roots & Shoots Club, a part of Jane Goodall’s worldwide kids’ activist group, allows us to SEE children performing service projects together that demonstrate concern for the environment, animals and the human community.
During Great Give 2019, $18,594 raised from generous donations and matching funds to support Sunflower’s need-based Scholarship Fund.
14 Business Sponsors supported our Community Events.
Over $21,000 in Capital Fund donations. Remaining Goal: $586,000
Thanks Batchelor Foundation for your continued support! A $20,000 Batchelor grant supported our need-based Scholarship Fund.
* Indicates 2018-19 Donor
Amy and Edgar An* | Marci Lazar |
Keith Backer | Le Petit Prince |
Sharon and Scott Baker | Luciana and Eran Levy |
Diana and Juan Barone* | Elizabeth and Steve Licht |
Carlee and Jeremy Barr | Jennifer and George Ligeti |
Kim and Mark Bauer | Martin Lipschultz |
Jill and Walter Baum | Little Seedlings Class of 2014-15 |
Bridges, Marsh & Associates, Inc. | Tayler Mariner and Martin Lee |
Stacy Brown and Steve Goldner | Lora and Jim McCoy* |
Mike Budd | Meade Peers McCoy* |
Irena Caldera and John Horton* | Kirsten McKeen |
Ileen P. Carter | Thomas and Denise McMurrain |
Angelo Caruso | Marlene McMurrain McKay |
Steven Caruso | Saskia Meckman and Fares Khalidi |
Susan Caruso* | Mendelson Consulting |
Danielle Casale | Natalie Mitchell |
Shannon and Frank Cid* | Katie and John Murphy |
Carlee Cohen and Jeremy Barr | Nationwide Interpreter Resource, Inc. |
Mary L Cohn | Native Choice Nursery |
Nikki and Daniel Dean | Native Green Cay Nursery |
Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency | Jennifer O’Neill and Dennis Yarbrough* |
Kerri and Steve Deitsch | Rosario and Ernest Orphanos |
Jeanette and Dr. Mark Denker | P&G Finance, Inc.* |
Suzanne Deutch | Michele and Tom Peel |
Dockerty Romer & Co | Charlotte Pelton & Associates, Inc |
Susan and David Dubbin | Virginia Perez |
Stephanie and Aubrey Dunham | Gretchen Perry and Rick Leger |
Wynna and Gary Dunmyer | Evan Phalon |
Carmen and John Edelson* | Ami Polonsky |
Dionne Ekendiz | Helena Redman |
Meredith and Jesse England* | Nicole and Omer Reiner |
Karen and Bill Epstein and family | Emma Risley and Scott Schereschevsky |
Rebecca Follo and J. Thomas Bentley | Sharon Rosenthal and Roy Trachtenberg |
Barbara Fuller Powers and Ralph Powers | Dany Schaper |
Kate and Chris George* | Kathleen and Spencer Seery |
Lisa and Michael Glas | Ilysia Shattuck and Stephen Charbonneau |
Glidden Spina and Partners | Sue and Bob Shattuck |
Connie and Barry Gluck | Shauna of the Star |
Victoria and Vince Green | Ellen and Marshall Stone |
Jaime, Brett, Suzie and Sierra Greenberg* | Laura and Mark Swauger |
Margaret and William Greenfield | Dorota Szladewska and Ernesto Salas |
Kristin Harkness* | Elisabeth and Ken Teelucksingh |
Sharon and Richard Holt | Christine Templeton |
Astrea Hupfel | Maria and Manuel Vergara |
Angela and Dante Ionata | Janice Watson |
Sylvia and Michael Jameson | Patricia Werhahn* |
Rosemary Justice | Bugsy and Dennis Yarbrough* |
Patricia and Paul Kilgallon* | Young Dentistry* |
Candy and Martin Kopczak |
Kristina Biehl | Astrea Hupfel |
Dilcia Burgos and Joshua Borthwick | Elisa and Alan Leavitt |
Susan Caruso | Tayler Mariner and Martin Lee |
Kim Chin | The Pleasants Family |
Simone Chin and Mahesh Neelakanta | Lia Schultz and Tyrone Halfhill |
Genevieve and Shawn Cipes | Sue and Bob Shattuck |
Meryl Davids and Gary Landau | Anna Sullivan |
Joyce Doppelt | Batya Weisskoff |
Barbara Cuomo Feehan | Fernanda Pineda and Gary Wolfson |
Katie Abramowitz | Reinaldo Gonzales | Judith Ohanian |
Benjamin Abramson | Nathan Good | Nicole Ojeda |
Gloria Agudelo | Joanne Gordon | Old School Square |
Natasha and Justin Ahles | Barbara Gorlitsky | Bruce O’Neill |
Carrie Ahles | Ryan Graf | Jennifer O’Neill and Dennis Yarbrough |
Lawrence Allingham | Grandview School | Wayne Paglieri |
Michelle Alva | Victoria and Vince Green | Chuck Papp |
Jennifer Alvarez | Angie and Brian Greenfield | Paradise Bank |
Amy and Edgar An | Stephen Halpern | Patty Pardo |
Ethan An | Jeremy Hanlon | Dawn Patroni-Harrah and Josh Harrah |
Rachel Andes and Michael Glykas | Faith and Blake Harkcom | Michele and Tom Peel |
Samara and Petro Andreadis | Kristin Harkness | Barbara Pelser |
Angela Andreadis | Rosie, Josh and Chapman Harris | Kate Pemberton |
Dean Andreadis | Heather Harris | Harper Perez |
Demetri Andreadis | Paula Hedglon | Sadie Pernell |
Vasiliki Andreadis | Kate and Chris George | Joseph Pettit |
Rutchele Angelot | Jennifer and Chris Hickman | Krystal Pirolli |
Anonymous (21) | Pamela Higgins | Tomer and Jennifer Porat |
RoseMarie and Tony Arcuri | Veronica Hirsch and Bryant Smith | Power Design, Inc. – Project V5 |
Stephanie and Jeffrey Arsht | Andrew Hirsh | Ralph and Barbara Powers |
Kelly Austen | Jamie Hirsh | Jennifer and Francisco Prettel |
Keith Backer | Jessica and Adam Hirshfield | Lisa Pumper |
Ruben Backer | Annie Hirshfield | Jeremy Raymer |
Juliana and Francesco Barbati | Ben Hirshfield | Luke Raymer |
Diana and Juan Barone | Debra Hirshfield | Danielle Rebuck |
The Batchelor Foundation | Joanne Hirshfield | Robert Reimer |
Lisa Battiloro | Laura Hirshfield | Elaine Reinoso |
Lori Bechok | Joanne Hirshfield | Sherry Rienas |
Mark Bernstein | AnneMarie Holmes | Karen and Justin Rizzo |
Gabrielle Biehl | Erica and Evan Holzhauer | Katia and Jorge Rodrigues |
Tamara Biehl | Robin Huberman and Eric Huskey | Audra and Roberto Rovegno |
Emily and Bryce Billings | Linda and Chris Hugues | Amanda and Ryan Roy |
Larry Billings | Glenda Hurtado | Jacque and Andrew Russo |
Nicole Biscuiti | Michele Iemolo | Kimberlie Saint Louis |
John Bloss | Diana Inclan | Linda and James Sandwick |
Ryan Bogert | Samantha Infantino | Neirah Sankar |
Vanessa and Frederick Boltz | Angela and Dante Ionata | Patricia and Robert Schaaf |
Stephanie Borrelly and Alec Ruiz | Akemi Iwabuchi Davis | Tara Schreiber |
Callie and Matthew Bosch | Sylvia and Michael Jameson | Kevin Schrock |
Jacqueline Botting | Vienna Jasmin | Cindy Paz |
Whitney and Neil Bourdelaise | Robert Jenkins | Kathleen and Spencer Seery |
Dan Bradley | Chantal Jensen | Samantha Seery |
Linda Bradley | Heather Jensen | Elizabeth Selya |
Janet Branch | Dana and Brad Johnson | Mette Seppi |
Sandra Bravo | Aaron Jones | Michele Service |
Christene Brewer | Monica Jordan | Tejal Shah |
Stacy Brown and Steve Goldner | Gerard Joy | Ilysia Shattuck and Stephen Charbonneau |
Pam Brown | Rosemary Justice | Tanya, Jason, Polina and Sasha Shattuck |
Matthew Buchholz | Rea and Kyle Kanouse | Sasha and Ian Shtulman |
Tiffany Burkhardt | Keith Kanouse | Valerie Silidker and Jay Flanzbaum |
Melissa Burney | Kimberly Kanouse | Lenore Silidker |
Mij Byram | Costas Karageorgis | Deborah Silvey |
Susan Cabezas | Julie Kelly and Barry Goldman | Adena Simmons |
Mary and Bob Cadwell | Vanessa and Scott Kerner | Cindy Sipkin |
Ileen Carter | Virginia Kinsey | Bonnie Slater-deMont |
Kelly Carter Smock | Robin Klein | SmartZone |
Toni Case | Lara Kleinman | Claranne and Rich Smith |
Ashley Caskill | Agelika Kocoronis | Cynthia and David Smith |
Martha Castilleja | Christine Kowal | Sidney Smith |
Eleni and John Chalvadakis | Marc Labowitz | Gary Snyder |
Linda Chan Siou Wei | Diana LaCarubba | Juliana Soleil |
Dave Chapman | Franna Ladd | Cynthia Sossei |
Dorothy Charbonneau | Stephen Ladd | Cindy and Alan Sperling |
Karen Churey | Bridget and Christopher Lago | Danette Stasko |
Shannon and Frank Cid | Lisa Lantz | Celeste Stein |
Gaetano Cipriano | Arielle Leavitt | Jesse Stein |
Kathleen and Doug Colson | Katherine Leneave | Loraine Steinkirchner |
Christine Cotter | Julie Ann Levin | Margaret and David Stone |
Corinne Creager | Elizabeth and Steve Licht | Mary Stone |
Cecilia and Brian Dan | Jennifer and George Ligeti | Frances and Eugene Student |
Delray Beach Children’s Garden | Samantha Ligeti | Dorota Szladewska and Ernesto Salas |
George Demetriou | Alexander Ligeti | Nick Tedesco |
Jude Dexter | Bev Lindner | Cindy Tesher |
Irena Dimitrova | Martin Lipschultz | Maya Thevenot |
Ljubica Dimitrova | John Lombardo | Tilson PR |
Mary Dombrowski | Jessica Lopera and Michael Foelster | Erin Tobin |
Allison Donelan | Pamela and Jeffrey Lucia | Dawn and Al Toimil |
Jeannie Donovan | Jocelyn Lutter | Nikki Tomaino |
Elizabeth Dorow | Mabel’s Labels, Inc. | Francesco Tortora |
Joan Dorow | Michael Malik | Grace Umlauf |
Logan and J. Marshall Duane | Kevin Manning | United Way |
Susan Duane | Kevin Manning | Kathy Valdez |
Susan and David Dubbin | Michael Manning | Brooke Van Kirk |
Kristie Dudley | Evangelia Marangakis | Mayra and Rafael Vasquez |
Chrissy and Ryan Eaves | Hal Martin | Maria and Manuel Vergara |
Julie Eggleston | Nicole and David Marulli | Melissa Victor |
Megan Emery | Helen Masterson | Nisha Viswanath |
Lisa Engleberg | Danielle Mastrogiovanni | Ronald Vitello |
Erica Englund and Robb Page | Jessi Mayne | Margaret Wagner |
Karen and Bill Epstein | Maureen McCarthy | Majorie Waldo |
Sarah Erwich | Mary McClelland | Jade Walker |
Hannah Farren | Lora and Jim McCoy | Sharon Walker |
Scott Ferguson | Sarah McGarry | Katherine Wallace |
Claudia Flores Flamm and Jeff Flamm | Pamela McKeown | Lisa and Garrett Wanamaker |
Ilana Foglia | Marlene McMurrain McKay | Kim Weisenberg |
Rebecca Follo and J. Thomas Bentley | Saskia Meckman and Fares Khalidi | Amy and Neal Weisman |
Melissa and Ryan Franklin | Vanessa Medina | Susan and David Welch |
Wendy Franklin | Marianne Meischeid | Virginia Wendt |
Jill Freedberg | Bryan Meyer | Lisa and James Wheeler |
Joe Gaglianello | Monika Mikiciuk | Lee and Charlie Williams |
Mary and Joseph Gaglianello | Carolyn Miller | Patra Winders |
Anne Gannon | Natalie Mitchell | Briana Wolfson |
Michelle Gausman | Irfan Mohammed | Lillian Wolfson |
Kristi Geisen | Mia and James Moore | Cindy Woodburn |
Deidre Geraci | Dianne Mortensen | Tehmina and Erik Wytenus |
Annette and Jason Gerlitz-Appel | Jessica and Austin Murray | The Zacks Family |
Melissa Gerstl | Glynis Murray | Charles Zielinski |
Lisa and Michael Glas | Ryan Murray | Jennifer and Peter Zoole |
Lisa and Adam Glass | Margaret Noyes | Christina Zoumis |
Amy Wright Glenn | Adam Oaks |
Thank you to our 2018 – 2019 Fiscal Year Silver Sponsors, celebrating over 25 years of Sunflower!
“Today, I watched four children in our Seedlings Preschool gather dirt and wood pieces. They negotiated, argued, encouraged each other’s ideas and laughed. Through my adult lens, I only saw a messy pile of dirt; but the children had built a two-story hotel for the worms that were displaced when we dug up plants. This example shows that a child’s world is so much more than we think. As a Seedling parent who observed children play for five years, I’ve realized that children are the natural teachers in the world, not us. Humankind will be better when we follow their lead.”
Simone Chin, Sunflower Parent and Assistant Director of the Sunflower Play Initiative
227 N Dixie Blvd., Delray Beach, FL 33444
561 501-6615 SunflowerCreativeArts.org
LetsGoPlay.org
SUPPORT SUNFLOWER
To support our programs and continue to raise awareness about the many benefits of child-directed play, we invite you to click the donate button above in the upper right. Every gift makes a difference!
Board of Directors, 2018-2019
Jennifer Ligeti, President
Edgar An, Ph.D., Vice President
Susan Dubbin, Treasurer
Victoria Green, Secretary
Susan Caruso, Executive Director
William L. Epstein, P.A.
Lora Peers McCoy