MARA ESPOSITORecipient, "2013 Outstanding Advocate for the Arts Award"The Long Island Arts Council at Freeport recently named Mara Esposito as a recipient of a 2013 OUTSTANDING ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS AWARD.  Mara will be honored on Wednesday, March 13th at Adelphi University's Performing Arts Center for her outstanding contributions toward the advancement and education of the arts on Long Island.Please help support Mara in her goal to raise a minimum of $1,000 for this important fundraiser.Proceeds support the Long Island Art Council at Freeport's important programs and services for the children and families of the region! Below is a brief summary of Mara's outstanding accomplishments:Mara is the Education Director for Art & Science Programs at Not Just Art, a creative center for children inOyster Baythat offers imaginative music, art, and science programs for children and their families.As Education Director Mara develops and oversees the curriculum - for and with children, teachers, and families.  This includes the 3-year science curriculum for grades k-2, the Open Art Studio program, and dozen different thematic summer camps.The daughter of two research scientists who are also artists, Mara is an award-winning formerSeattleteacher with a graduate studies in human development and progressive education models. Mara has 20 years experience joyfully developing imaginative and interdisciplinary curriculum with students in nursery school through graduate school and she believes that nurturing children's natural curiosity and creative spirit encourages a love of lifelong learning, and reverence for wonder in the world.Mara will be the first one to tell you that, all her developing of courses and programs notwithstanding, if a child in her classes comes up with particularly good idea Mara will put her concepts aside and run with the child’s idea.  She refers to this as “emergent curriculum.”And, although Mara now holds an administrative position at Not Just Art, she feels very fortunate that she still has the opportunity to do hands on teaching of some parent-child classes and enjoys helping parents to understand their child's creative potential, learning style, and providing them with the language, tools and opportunities to observe and celebrate their own child at any given developmental stage.In her own words, Mara feels very blessed to be both a learner and a teacher at any given moment, in her work and in her life.   The 2013 ADVOCATES FOR THE ARTS AWARDS takes place on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 6pm to 8pm, at Adelphi University's Performing Arts Center.  To register or for more information, call Tracey Gittere at (516) 222-0550 or TGittere@LegendaryEvents.net       Visit EventBrite.com for pricing.