Island of Children

Lukas’ Impressions about School Strazdanėlės

For the past four years the childhood cancer fund Rugutė has been blessed by a special friendship with Strazdanėlės, a school of aesthetics and knowledge for children. For all this time this wonderful school has been willingly attended by Lukas.

Lukas’ mother Audronė is sharing her thoughts about the significant changes and positive influence the school has had on her six year old son:

Time is passing by... Autumn, winter, spring and summer...

In Christmas of 2008 the Elves of Rugutė presented Lukas with an invitation to attend this school. Then, being only 3 years old, Lukas tentatively opened the door of this school for the first time. This school offers children the opportunity to attend music, theatre, movement and craft classes in small groups. The youngest children attend classes together with their parents, the older ones – on their own. The classes are really magical, because both, children and us, their parents, can feel our thoughts turn to positive. During the classes children are able to relax and to discover an entirely different world. They get to know different sounds of music by various methods that include singing songs and playing music games. During the theatre classes children model various situations, play and improvise, learn to name their fingers and improve their speech. In the movement classes they exercise with Gymnic balls and carry out fun sports tasks. The art classes are especially fun, because children can express their moods and emotions in colors, and their artwork is simply beautiful!

The school organizes events for the children to look forward to every year: the Christmas party in winter and the musical performance in the real theatre every late spring.

Lukas has played a role in four musical performances: he was the Rooster in the performance Vištytė ir Gaidelis of Vilnius Theatre Lėlė, and the Sparrow in the performance Čiulba Ulba of Elfų Teatras in 2009; he performed the Puppy in the performance Dangus Griūva of Elfų Teatras in 2010, and the Constructor in the performance Mano Batai Buvo Du of Valstybinis Vilniaus Mažasis Teatras in 2011.

Lukas has now returned to the school Strazdanėlės after his summer holidays. For the past three school years our little Lukas has been growing up with this school. Having started his fourth school year, Lukas is now attending the preschool classes of ABC.

I am happy in my heart and soul, seeing that Lukas is experiencing joy, expressing himself and becoming self-confident, as well as gaining a firm background for the school of Life.

We sincerely thank Sonata, the director of the school Strazdanėlės, for welcoming Lukas into the group of their little students, and for being with us for all those years. We say thank you for revealing an entirely different world to Lukas, and for helping him make huge steps into the world of art.

THANK YOU, the Elves of Rugutė, for the very best Christmas miracle that happened in 2008 and that still continues.

Taking pleasure in, and being sincerely proud of Lukas’ achievements,
we would like to once again, from all of our hearts, thank Sonata, the director of the school Strazdanėlės,
for providing an opportunity for us to educate our little ones.

Let us all admire some of the artwork Lukas created during his classes: