I have been an early-childhood educator for most of my professional life, teaching young children in public and private schools, special ed, and later in our local religious school. What I came to realize is that teaching through art is a stimulating and rewarding avenue in which to motivate young children to learn about other scholastic areas. During an art lesson, there is never a right or wrong; consequently children feel good about what they are creating. It’s an easy jump to get them to write or dictate a story about their piece.

As far back as I can remember, scrounging has been a way of life for me. I delight in discovering the potential a found object has within it. The prospect that the "find" can be an entirely new and unpredicted outcome is thrilling to me. I believe this is a big reason that I so much love teaching. Youngsters are largely unhampered in their thinking. They see what grown-ups ignore as mundane with fresh eyes. Therefore we can share equally the excitement of a discovery that is both timeless and ageless.

Throughout my teaching years, I designed jewelry, created a multitude of needlework crafts, and, to this day, paint on garage-sale furniture -- reviving a discard and elevating it to a piece of art. Some of these reincarnations have found new life in art galleries.

Less than ten years ago, I took my first writing class and realized that memories and experiences can be placed on paper in such a way as to be useful, entertaining, nostalgic, and poignant. Of course this new (for me) art form was exciting; it smacked of scavenging through my own personal brain "dump," retrieving an item and creating an artful story around it. I learned, and am still learning, how to use the skills of writing to express myself. Luckily, several editors understood that expression and have published some of my poems. I was pleased to have been selected as March, 2008, Poet of the Month, by Poetica Magazine, Reflections of Jewish Thought, www.freewebs.com/poeticamagazine.

I have been dedicated to keeping Jewish history alive through prose, poetry, and art works. My latest effort, "A Mouse in the Rabbi’s Study," was simply fun to write.

Pegi Ballenger was born and grew up in Houston, Texas. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Newcomb College of Tulane University in New Orleans, LA., later returning to school to study commercial art, television production, and computer graphics. Pegi has lived in several places, but has called Colorado home for over 28 years. In addition to her art career, Pegi has worked as a copy writer, a continuity director for television, and an advertising director. She freelances as an illustrator and graphic artist, and teaches adult and children’s art classes. She is a member of SCBWI and a founding member of the Pikes Peak Pastel Society. Pegi, her husband Ray, and their red longhaired dachshund, Cleo, live in Woodland Park, CO.

Daniel is a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Music Education with a minor in Hebrew. He was employed as the Religious School Music Teacher at Congregation Beth Evergreen in Evergreen, Colorado from 1998-2006, and currently holds the same position at Congregation Judea Reform in Durham, North Carolina. Daniel served as the Head Songleader at Camp Shwayder, a Jewish overnight camp in the Rockies, for 3 consecutive summers beginning in 2005. He currently leads worship services for the North Carolina Hillel at UNC-Chapel Hill, the Freeman Center for Jewish Life at Duke University, and synagogues in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Daniel also helped to create the first Jewish a capella group at UNC-Chapel Hill, "SABABA", and serves as its music director. In addition to his love of Jewish music and teaching, Daniel also enjoys composing and performing original folk music. He is honored and delighted to have been a part of this wonderful and rewarding project