Paula Schaper - Mat Bevel Company

Year End 2020 Request For Gifts

by Paula Schaper | Dec 29, 2020 | Blog

Dear Patron of the Arts & Education,

Have you ever experienced the wonder of a child when they’re excited to learn? It’s hard to describe the feeling of seeing a student when they’re able to use their creative intelligence….an ability they were born with….to produce new ideas, or invent a new, novel solution to a problem.

The Mat Bevel Company has made it our mission to reach into the minds of kids of all ages through the magic of science, art and creativity. For years we’ve sparked the creative genius of people through our many popular initiatives:

Museum of Kinetic Art—Over 150 mechanical fine art sculptures demonstrate how even junk can come back into the flow and find new purpose.

Surrealistic Pop Science Theater—A one-person theater celebrates the excitement of creativity with a large cast of characters, all choreographed to music, light and poetry.

School of Intuition—A kinesthetic learning lab teaches people how to tackle challenges using awareness, resourcefulness and original thinking.

Bevelvision Productions—Multi-media curriculum and TV shows share the magical world of Beveldom, “the lost land of found objects,” and the many stories of problem-solvers from all walks of life, with people everywhere.

Here’s the exciting part where you come in!

We’re transitioning the all these exciting programs into 21st century programs that help everyone of us achieve freedom through creative intelligence! STEM curriculum and ART TV will be made available to homes, schools, clubs and museums anywhere. Even during COVID-19 your support of these programs—The Universe Within curriculum, The Creative STEM Club, Kid Bevel, a virtual tour of the museum and theater, plus The Seven Worlds of Wonder installed by Launchpad artists—will allow us to continue our mission.

GIVE THE GIFT OF CREATIVE FREEDOM

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Your contributions have helped make Mat Bevel Company what we are today, and we are so grateful to you for helping to create and support our programs. You are helping us touch the lives of people:

“If you don’t believe in imagination to help you step outside the box, that’s one thing the magical world of Beveldom will change for you. I think it’s fair to generalize that many of us in our work routines don’t find time to exercise the creative parts of our brains. But that’s something so critical to intuitive decision-making, and it’s where so much of world’s progress comes from. Ned Schaper’s ability to stimulate us to think in non-linear ways and see what other people can’t is what’s so important about experiences like the Museum Of Kinetic Art.” — Doug Rogers, co-founder of Sonora Investment Management, LLC and Mat Bevel Company sponsor, Tucson, AZ

“The Universe Within world-building curriculum helped me find myself. I found the very creative side of me. To make a character and write a presentation about the character, you had to be creative about it. The headdress was very creative because you have to make it look cool, and also be functional.” — Kannon

“There is NOTHING like Surrealistic Pop Science Theater. Mat Bevel’s Museum Of Kinetic A.R.T. – Available Resource Technology – is a true inspiration for young offspring and inner children!” — Steven Gendel, Art Enthusiast, Tucson, AZ

“The Universe Within helped me express what my mind was thinking and it was fun to invent. When I invented my headdress…it came out crazy but inspiring. I put hair on my headdresses, eyes and a mouth made from recycled items. There was a mini person hiding who was my character. She was hiding but she wanted people to know she was there because she was part of my creation.” — Erika

Sparking a people’s imagination is crucial during this time, especially as students, teachers and parents navigate the reality of learning during a pandemic. Your gift is extremely important because it offers immediate assistance to adapting our programs to serve more people. Please make this possible with your contribution.

Make your donation today.

Thank you so much for your support! It means the world to us!

Sincerely,

Ned Schaper
President, Mat Bevel Company

Paula Schaper
Vice President, Mat Bevel Company

GIVE THE GIFT OF CREATIVE FREEDOM

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The Art of Kinetics Is All Coming Together!

by Paula Schaper | Dec 28, 2020 | Update

The second module for The Universe Within is falling into place. Called “The Art of Kinetics,” the twenty lessons of Module 2 will be rolled out to students who participate in The Creative STEM Club in the fall of 2021.

The curriculum continues to use Mat Bevel Company President Ned Schaper’s magical world of Beveldom as the framework for students to develop their magical worlds. In “The Art of Kinetics”, students will focus on developing the physical and temporal aspects of their magical worlds, with the module building up to the creation of a time machine to help students travel through time and space to solve a problem in their world. Lessons align with Science, Math, Engineering, Visual Arts, Theater Arts and English Language Arts Arizona State Standards.

Though “The Art of Kinetics” was originally taught in the traditional classroom at Patagonia Elementary School, this multimedia edition of the module goes much deeper into classical mechanics, the study of the motion of bodies. Classical mechanics was the first branch of physics and is foundational in further physics learning. “The Art of Kinetics” is being updated to include more science and math by Dr. Bruce Bayly, University of Arizona math professor, Juliette Verley, a science museum educator and curriculum developer, and Paula Schaper, vice president of Mat Bevel Company.

After diving into how time relates to space, students will begin to build pieces of a Time Machine that teaches them about forces, work, tools, simple machines and complex machines while learning skills like measurement, action planning and creative problem solving.

Students will begin to learn about space, motion, and time using real-world examples from Earth and our Solar System, as well as extrapolated examples from students’ imaginary worlds. Students will start learning about time by identifying their location in space and time using “where and when” coordinates, before imagining a “where and when” location in their imagined world. Students will then learn about the relationship between planetary movement and time through exploration of the 24 hour rotational motion and 365 day circulatory motion of the Earth. Students then must create a time-keeping system based off of the rotational and circulatory motion of their own planet.

Students will need to explore mechanical advantage and master the use of tools to create a complex machine out of pulleys, levers, and nuts and bolts: their time machine. The module will culminate in an exhibition and performance of the student’s design where they get into character to show and discuss their creations and explain what they have learned about classical mechanics to a crowd.

“The Art of Kinetics” will build interdisciplinary connections between physics, math, engineering, and art. In the second module of The Universe Within, students will be building machines as well as continuing to build confidence and foster their creative genius.

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT: William H. Taft Jr., Retired Aquatic Biologist, Entomologist & Researcher

by Paula Schaper | Dec 28, 2020 | Sponsor Highlight

MBC sponsor Bill Taft has dedicated his life to researching and preserving wildlife. He lives near Lansing, Michigan with his wife Barbara (Gussie) Kennedy and their British Lab, Luna.

William (Bill) H. Taft Jr. is a sponsor of the Mat Bevel Company (MBC). He is a retired senior aquatic biologist for the State of Michigan where he worked for 25 years. He still pursues, collects and shares one of his greatest passions, moths of the family Sesiidae (clearwing moths), through his research and published findings.

Bill has supported MBC for many years, because he believes Ned Schaper’s unique body of work has multiple real-world applications. He likes how the nonprofit is infusing Ned’s work into STEM education in a very personal and engaging way. He says, “That’s real hands-on education! And it’s not just rote memorization for students or boring in any way.”

Bill working on a biological stream survey for the State of Michigan near Mount Pleasant, MI in 2012.

A scientist himself, Bill recognizes the tremendous amount of physical science incorporated into Ned’s work. “The framework for Beveldom is perfect for STEM,” he says. “Ned could have taught physics, engineering or been an astronomer, if he had wanted. He’s got that mindset and knows a tremendous amount about mechanics, motion and force, as you can see in his kinetic sculptures. Now, these cool mechanisms are being used to educate and inspire students into making something of their own that’s sculptural and mechanical. That’s a much better way to learn as opposed to watching someone else’s creation.”

Bill admires the nonprofit’s unique ability to extend one person’s intellectual property, in this case Ned’s unique body of work, into an additional tangible benefit for society. “Students can look at the museum, but when they understand ‘the why and the how,’ that’s where the learning starts,” says Bill. “The sculptures open the door to the imagination, and the curriculum makes the science real.”

Bill Taft is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman.

He supports MBC because the nonprofit is utilizing Ned’s unique art to benefit the next generation. He sees it as a perfect arrangement, but he understands that it takes a great deal of commitment. He says, “There’s more to it than just money. MBC is using new creative teaching techniques because they see a need in the world of education. They want to provide programs that are different, yet meet requirements while also making life more interesting.”

And he knows science and education of students doesn’t happen by osmosis or magic! MBC has been working diligently over the last 6 years to convert the live theater and museum tours into 21st century programming using tools and technology that kids grew up with. Before COVID-19, MBC was already on the path to integrating digital media into collaborative and hands-on activities. COVID-19 moved the timeline forward for this type of programming as the demand for remote learning has been accelerated.

Thanks Bill, for your continued support of Mat Bevel Company!

South32 Supports The Universe Within STEM Curriculum Through Sponsorship and Grant Funding

by Paula Schaper | Aug 31, 2020 | News

South32 delivering back to school supplies that they donated to the Jump Back to School event in Nogales, AZ.

Mat Bevel Company has received a sponsorship from South32 and a grant from the South32 Hermosa Community Fund held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. The sponsorship and grant support further development of The Universe Within science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) world-building curriculum.

South32 is a global mining and metals company with operations across five countries. South32 owns the Hermosa Project in the historic mining district within the Patagonia Mountains. It contains one of the largest undeveloped zinc resources in the world. Zinc is incorporated into electric cars and solar panels, used to galvanize steel that makes infrastructure possible, and serves as a key ingredient in every mobile phone and tablet. The Hermosa Project is South32’s first operation in North America.

South32 contributes significantly to the communities in which they operate. The company’s community investment plans focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming to tackle the world’s greatest sustainability challenges, including quality education, decent work and economic growth. During FY19, South32 invested US$17.3 million in community initiatives and activities, and from FY19-FY23 they’re committed to investing up to US$125 million.

“We supported Mat Bevel Company this year because The Universe Within is so important for preparing students for the jobs of the future,” said Pat Risner, South32 Hermosa Project President. “This program uses whole-brain learning that inspires kids to look at the world in new ways. Innovation skills like this are critical to the world and critical at South32 in helping us keep our commitment to improving people’s lives, so it’s great to see Mat Bevel Company fostering them from an early age.”

South32’s support helps Mat Bevel Company transition The Universe Within into both blended and remote learning editions, during and after COVID-19. These new curriculum formats will allow more students to benefit from this innovative STEM program and increase academic success using modern technologies that students are more comfortable with.

Kids at the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz County picking up meals donated by South32.

During the COVID-19 crisis, South32 has taken seriously its role in slowing the spread. It temporarily closed its Tucson and Patagonia offices in mid-March to minimize exposure and allow most employees to work remotely, limiting access and operations on its site, introducing daily health monitoring for its workers with critical roles requiring their presence at the site, and even temporarily suspending its drilling program. Since March, South32 has contributed $264,450 to help non-profits support basic needs of protective gear, healthcare, education and small business recovery:

donated two air-purifying respirators to Holy Cross Hospital
donated toilet paper, masks, and hygiene supplies to the Town of Patagonia, City of Nogales, and Nogales Suburban Fire District
donated $50,000 to the COVID-10 Community Response Fund of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, and earmarked the full donation for mission-critical non-profits based in Santa Cruz County
committed more than $25,000 to Santa Cruz County schools to support distance learning, including the purchase of Chromebooks
contributed $60,000 to Santa Cruz County for the purchase of personal protective equipment and medical tents for emergency response and testing
established an internal campaign so that its local workforce could commit donations that South32 matched dollar-for-dollar for community COVID relief
sponsored $75,000 COVID-relief grant program through Local First Arizona to help small businesses in the area to cover costs like payroll and rent. Forty businesses took advantage of the program

All of this comes about a year into the life of the company’s Hermosa Community Fund, a fund advised by a panel of locals and two South32 representatives. They award grants to local non-profits doing work in education, environment, health and welfare, recreation, civic enhancement, and arts, culture and history in the county. Twenty organizations have received a South32 Hermosa Community Fund grant so far, for purposes ranging from college scholarships for students to fall-protection equipment for seniors. And when COVID hit Arizona, South32 quickly moved to allow these grantees to reallocate their unspent grant dollars toward operational expenses.

“Some of the businesses and organizations that look after the people, places and causes that make this county a community have been really struggling,” Risner said. “A generational project like Hermosa isn’t just about the mine life. With a project like this, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to create lasting, meaningful value in those terms, for generations beyond our own, as we develop the resource in their parents’ and grandparents’ backyard.”

Mat Bevel Company Receives Education Grant from Arizona Community Foundation

by Paula Schaper | Jul 30, 2020 | News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
For further information contact: Paula Schaper, Vice President
Mat Bevel Company
520-604-6273
pschaper@matbevelcompany.org

[Patagonia, AZ, July 30, 2020]—Mat Bevel Company has been awarded a $24,745 grant by the Fund for the Common Good, a component fund of the Arizona Community Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to address a significant education challenge in rural Arizona. Participation in the grant process was initiated through Arizona Community Foundation of Cochise, located in Southeast Arizona’s Cochise County.

“Our nonprofit, in partnership with Patagonia Public Schools and University of Arizona School of Mathematical Sciences, has developed The Universe Within, a science, technology, engineering and math curriculum during the last 3 years,” Vice President Paula Schaper said. “The generous grant from the Arizona Community Foundation will give us additional resources to transition this traditional classroom world-building curriculum into a self-guided blended learning edition with a physical classroom setting and digital materials.”

Key areas that this grant will fund are production of sequential multimedia elements to motivate and prepare students to participate in hands-on activities including opening cinematic videos, a Teacher Curriculum Guide and The Daily Doodle Student Activity Book. Test pilots will serve students in Cochise County and eastern Santa Cruz County.

The curriculum uses Mat Bevel Company President Ned Schaper’s magical world of Beveldom as the framework for students to create their own magical worlds. They develop positive alter-ego characters and make functional headdresses, tools, gadgets and machines from recycled materials to help them solve real-world problems. Lessons align with Science, Math, Engineering, Visual Arts, Theater Arts and English Language Arts Arizona State Standards.

The Patagonia Regional Community Fund, an affiliate of the Arizona Community Foundation, also awarded Mat Bevel Company a $2,970 grant this year for The Universe Within. Board member Nancy McCoy, who came to one of the classes at Patagonia Elementary School, was impressed with the creative thinking that the kids had to do. She said, “The Universe Within activities stimulated students’ imaginations yet were still very organized and focused. Students were being creative within a structure. I liked how the kids were all interested in each other’s creative work. They participated and contributed to each other’s ideas.”

As a former teacher, Nancy knows how much children enjoy really creative activities where they get to stretch their imaginations. She earned a Bachelors in Elementary Education and a Masters in Gifted Education.

Mat Bevel Company was founded in 1993 and has served thousands of children and adults from Pima and Santa Cruz counties in Southern Arizona, as well as visitors from around the country through Museum Of Kinetic Art tours, Surrealistic Pop Science Theater live productions and the School of Intuition workshops. The School of Intuition, a charitable Single Member LLC of Mat Bevel Company, manages the collaborative activities of Mat Bevel Company, Patagonia Public Schools and University of Arizona School for Mathematical Sciences. For more information on Mat Bevel Company visit: https://www.matbevelcompany.org/. To learn more about The Universe Within visit: https://the-universe-within.org/

Established in 1978, the Arizona Community Foundation is a statewide family of charitable funds supported by thousands of Arizonans. More information is available at https://www.azfoundation.org/.

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