UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 34, Page 7
June 9, 1994
College School students record original songs

     If you've ever wondered just what life is like down on an ant
farm or asked yourself what happens when a quiet little bunny gets
zapped by radioactive particles, you can find the answers in two new
songs, written and recorded by students enrolled in the University's
College School.
     With the help of local singer/ songwriter Jerry (Crabmeat)
Thompson, a classroom assistant at the College School, younger
students composed "Down On The Ant Farm" (to the tune of "Down In The
Valley"), an amusing look at the life of "lazy bums" who "hang out in
the kitchen gobbling crumbs."
     Tapes of the song have been well received by the students'
families and becoming recording "stars" has been the highlight of the
year for many of the children in the class.
     The College School, a special program f or children ages 6-14 who
are experiencing learning difficulties, is in the College of
Education.
     "This started out as a simple assignment to compose a ditty about
life on the ant farm. Do they have cows, pigs, a well, a farmer's
daughter? We spent time every other afternoon working on creative
writing, incorporating the students' drawing [of life on the ant farm]
and their presentations of them to the rest of the group," Thompson
said.
     "Eight-year-old student Trey Giobbe got us started by suggesting
they have 'antonyms' on the ant farm and pretty soon we were
brainstorming bad puns based on the prefixes 'an' and 'anti.' Teacher
Cheryl Mitchell worked on the project, too."
     And what do the young singers and songwriters think of their
product?
     Giobbe said, "I liked singing and drawing the pictures. We all
pitched in."
     Eric Swincki, 9, said his favorite line was about the antonyms.
     Mark Prestianni, 9, said his favorite line is about the ants
being lazy bums.
     Trevor Bart, 7, said his favorite line is the one about antipasto
coming out of the ants' ears.
     Older students, ages 13 to 14, worked with Thompson to record a
second song for the tape, entitled "The Onomatopoeia Waltz."
     On that recording. Tim Crowley, 13, sings original lyrics about
Isla, a bunny who lived a quiet life in a zoo until her DNA was
altered by radioactive particles. According to the song, today Isla is
a Giant Mutant Bunny who attacks kids who forget to do their homework.
     Both songs, recorded at Targett Studios in Newark, were the
results of a grant awarded to Thompson by Very Special Arts Delaware,
an organization that provides arts opportunities for the physically or
mentally challenged. An educational affiliate of the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, the organization was
founded in 1974.
     In Delaware, Very Special Arts is housed in the College of
Education at the University, where its executive director, Jennifer
Taylor, raved about Thompson and his young performers.
     "People are always interested in the results of our grants, but
we're most interested in the process that lets the population gain
exposure to the arts. Jerry is a talented artist with a special gift
for working with kids. He allows the kids to be creative. These were
their ideas; their words.
     "We recently had our end of the year festival at the Blue Hen
Mall in Dover, and all of the younger kids participated. The kids
performed and just brought down the house. People loved the
song-especially when they asked us all to sing along."
     For information, contact Thompson at 831-1097.