August 02, 2024
Fostering Full Lives Through The Golden Education Fund
By Jessica Scipione
For nearly 25 years, the Leslie P. and Shelly Ross Golden Fund has supported thought-provoking, fun, and interactive educational programs and partnerships for residents at Inglis House.
New to the roster of experiential learning programs is adapted fencing, hosted for about eight to ten participants twice a month in partnership with the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia. While fencing is known for its physical benefits, it also challenges participants to build greater mental agility through logic and strategy tactics. Some even call fencing “physical chess.”
The Golden Education Fund also supports Inglis House’s ongoing partnership with The Philly Goat Project. Residents learn about the animals by brushing, feeding, playing, and taking them for a stroll. Besides the educational component of these interactions, they are also incredibly therapeutic and beneficial to participants’ mental health.
A six-week Advanced Acting Course through Acting Without Boundaries challenged our more advanced actors to step outside of themselves to explore the power of storytelling. An additional introductory acting course for ten residents culminated in a fun and engaging video that explored the theme “What is Family?”.
A series of interactive science-based classes focusing on topics including women inventors, extinction, insects, and sharks remains popular with residents. Three on-campus musical performances by Astral Artists included Q&A sessions with the professional musicians, giving participants unique insights into the composers, music theory, and artistic interpretation.
The Golden Education Fund also supports a robust schedule of educational trips.
Recent outings included trips to The Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Simoene Foundation Automotive Museum, Longwood Gardens, and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, to name a few. These opportunities to explore our local community are cherished among residents and provide a fun and interactive educational experience.
The Inglis Community thrives when it is engaged in experiences and opportunities that reflect and honor the people we serve. We’re grateful to the Leslie P. and Shelly Ross Golden Fund for making these experiential learning initiatives possible!