HIP Offers Children Creativity TimeDon’t confuse HIP Studios with day care. “Day care is a bad word,” said Monica Marks, store franchisee owner. HIP Studios is a place where children, ages 8 through 14, can live out the acronym of Healthy, Imagination and Possibilities. Children can express their creativity through cooking, dance, theatre and art while also helping the community through their fundraising efforts. Marks explained this particular age group is vulnerable to finding trouble. The peak time for children to be at risk is between the hours of 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. while they are waiting for their parents to come home from work. This is where HIP steps in to offer after school and summer programs. One particular program that should help parents every other Friday is parents’ night out. Marks said fate was how she stumbled onto the idea to open the store. Four other stores already exist like the she is opening at the Speedway Super Center in June. It is a franchise store that was started by Shannon Shirven in Avon. The other locations are Brownsburg, Danville, and Southport area. Summer camp begins in June, with weekday operations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The kids will have a full day to engage in art, dance, theatre and healthy cooking activities. She is prepared to unleash their imaginations as she has three notebooks full of creative ideas for them to expound. She said their creative projects will be used as fundraisers to give back to Speedway and the Westside. She is planning to involve the children in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life August 10 and 11 at the Speedway Junior High School. She is brainstorming the options to sell their artwork. The proceeds will be dedicated to finding a cure. Marks believes that it is important for children extend beyond themselves to become involved in the community. They need to know they do make a difference. The store’s northeast corner location is strategically situated for her and the children to take field trips to Meadowood Park and to the Speedway Public Library. Marks said special discounts will be given for families with multiple children enrolled. The cost is $50 that includes a t-shirt and $10 donation to Speedway Parent Teacher Organization. HIP wants to be involved with the community. She felt like it was divine guidance that led her to get involved with HIP. Marks formally worked for the Town of Avon the day Shirven walked in for a permit. Marks just happened to be filling in for the girl who normally issues permits. Marks greeted Shirven and somehow a conversation started to evolve about HIP. The idea intrigued Marks, but in the mean time she decided to apply for the Speedway Town Code Enforcement position, but she did not get the job. However, from the interviewing process, she received an inkling feeling that she was suppose to be involved in the Speedway community. This feeling kept persistently nudging her as well as her memory conversation with Shirven about HIP, so she decided to contact Shirven |