Finnish School of Denver

Kalevalan päivä

2010-02-08T11:59:00.005-07:00

Suomikoulu kokoontuu seuraavan kerran helmikuun 21.pvä 2010, kello 14, jolloin opetuskerran toisella tunnilla vietetään pienimuotoiset Kalevalan päivä juhlat.

Kalevalan päivää vietetään helmikuun 28. päivä. Suomen kansalliseepoksen Kalevalan on koonnut Elias Lönnrot. Lönnrot kokosi Kalevalan yksittäisistä runoista ja irrallisista säkeistä. Vanhan Kalevalan Lönnrot sai koottua 28. helmikuuta 1835, Uusi Kalevala, jota myös pelkäksi Kalevalaksi kutsutaan ilmestyi 1849.

Kalevalan päähenkilö on tietäjäsankari Väinämöinen, jolla on taianomaiset laulun ja soiton lahjat. Hän on ollut osallisena jo maailman luomisessa. Hän soittaa kanteletta, joista tärkein on tehty hauen leukaluusta. Väinämöisen vaimonetsintä on yksi keskeisistä teemoista. Hän ei kuitenkaan koskaan löydä vaimoa. Väinämöinen osallistuu myös Sammon ryöstöön Pohjolasta.

Lähde: http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalevala

Kantelemusiikkia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxEAyWmCcSI

Suomikoulun kevään seuraavat koulukerrat ovat klo.14-16

Helmikuun 21.
Maaliskuun 7.
Maaliskuun 21.
Huhtikuun 11.
Huhtikuun 25.
Toukokuun 16.
Toukokuun 23.

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The Finnish School of Denver assembles next time on February 21st 2010, at 2 pm with special Kalevala Day celebrations.

The Kalevala Day is celebrated in Finland on the 28 February, which is how Elias Lönnrot dated his first version of the Kalevala in 1835.

The Kalevala is a book and epic poem which Elias Lönnrot compiled from Finnish and Karelian folklore in the nineteenth century. It is held to be the national epic of Finland and is traditionally thought of as one of the most significant works of Finnish literature. The Kalevala is credited with some of the inspiration for the national awakening that ultimately led to Finland's independence from Russia in 1917.

The main character of the Kalevala is Väinämöinen, a shamanistic hero with the magical power of songs and music. He is born of the primeval Maiden of the Air and contributes to the origin of Earth. He plays the kantele, a Finnish stringed instrument that resembles and is played like a zither. One of his kanteles is made of the jaw-bone of a giant pike. His search for a wife is a central element in many stories; he never finds one, though. He is also part of the group who steals the Sampo, a magical mill, from the people of Pohjola.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalevala

Kantele music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxEAyWmCcSI

The next school dates are:

February 21st
March 7th
March 21st
April 11th
April 25th
May 16th
May 23rd

Starting at 2 pm.

Hauskaa joulua! Merry Christmas!

2009-12-13T18:40:00.006-07:00

Lue lisaa siita oikeasta joulupukista, joka asuu Suomessa Korvatunturilla.

Read more about the real Santa Claus, who lives in Finland on Korvatunturi mountain.

Tammikuun 10. päivänä klo 14 nähdään!

See you at school on January 10, at 2 PM!

Joulukuun 13. koulutunnit ja joulujuhla

2009-11-21T11:08:00.001-07:00

Suomi-koulu kokoontuu klo 13-15 koulutuntien merkeissa. Klo 15-17 vietamme joulujuhlaa.Jouluruoat, leivonnaiset ja juomat tervetulleita!Suomikoulu tarjoaa lapsille pienet lahjat seka ruokailuvalineet, kahvit ja teet.

On December 13 Finnish School meets at 1-3 PM for classes. From 3-5 PM we'll have our Holiday Party. Please bring a dish, baked goods or holiday drinks to share!
The Finnish School will provide a small gift for kids, table service, coffee and tea.

Finlandia Foundation Pikkujoulu - click on image below

2009-11-17T19:05:00.003-07:00

Suomi-koulu CANCELLED today, November 15

2009-11-15T09:10:00.001-07:00

Stay tuned for info about a make-up class.
Keep safe and warm!

Scandinavian Ball

2009-10-14T17:37:00.003-06:00

FFC is the host of this year’s Scandinavian Ball to be held Saturday, November 7. It promises to be a very Finnish evening with the 2009 Finlandia Foundation® National Performer of the Year, Terhi Miikki-Boersma as entertainer. The Nacho Men will do a repeat performance with music for additional entertainment and dancing. They promise to try to do some tangos and/or Finnish songs with Terhi and music by ABBA (Yes, I know that’s Swedish!). You can expect to hear Säkkijärven Polkka, Satumaa, Kultainen Nuoruus, Letkis, and Sininen ja Valkoinen.

Let’s have a great Finnish turnout for this event! All information and the reservation form can be found in this issue.

(Copied from September 2009 Finn Fax, written by Suzanne Koski, FFC Representative to the 2009 Scandinavian Ball Committee)

For more information, see Scandinavian Ball.
To register and buy tickets, use this form.

FALL 2009 SCHOOL DAYS

2009-10-05T09:52:00.002-06:00

See Class Schedule for Fall 2009 classes.

Finnish Church Service

2009-09-14T21:23:00.005-06:00

*** Please note the new time, 3:30 PM ***

On October 11, 2009, the Finlandia Foundation Colorado together with the Denver Finnish School will sponsor a church service led by Hans Tuominen, a pastor/minister from Helsinki, Finland, who will be accompanied by his wife Mari. Communion is planned for the service.

FFC intends this to be not only an event for the Finnish community, but also a cultural event for the greater Denver area. Consequently, we invite the entire Finnish community to attend and welcomes anyone else who would like to come.

There will be a reception after the service, please bring some baked goods for the reception. Hans and Mari have agreed to lead the group in singing Finnish songs during the reception. The service will be conducted in Finnish.

It will begin at 3:30 pm on October 11, 2009, at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 920 Kipling Street, Lakewood, Colorado. We hope you attend and bring guests for this unique event.

Fall Semester

2009-06-25T13:30:00.007-06:00

Fall 2009 semester

Tuition:
Children: $50
Adults: $60
Discounts for multiple siblings. Scholarships are available, ask Kirsi or Lea.

Check fall school dates, time and location by clicking on

Class Schedule

on the left of the screen.

SCANDINAVIAN FILM FESTIVAL

2009-04-09T11:40:00.002-06:00

Starz FilmCenter, Denver, will host a Scandinavian Film Festival from 4pm to 7pm on April 18, through the efforts of David Lundquist, Boulder.

The feature film, “Du Levande,” (You, The Living) was a “Best Foreign Film” nominee at the 2009 Academy Awards.

Three short films also are to be shown:

Slurpinn & Co (Iceland, 12 min.) The president of the company is a loud and overbearing character. His employees try their best to do his bidding, but nothing seems to be good enough for him!

Mr Mustache (Norway, 7 min.) A film about men and their mustaches. Interviews are woven together as a lively collage, with ten participants telling both disadvantages and positive effects from the hair growing beneath their noses.

Little Man (Denmark, 13 min.) Mathias, age 8, is writing an essay for school entitled “How to
Understand Women.” Obviously, his fieldwork turns out to be quite difficult.

Starz FilmCenter is at 9th & Auraria Parkway, Denver.
Admission for the four films is $10. Parking is free.

Wreath/halo Workshop - Seppeletalkoot

2009-03-17T20:33:00.001-06:00

Wreath/halo Workshop to benefit FFC and Denver Finnish School & Estes Park Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, June 27 & 28.

Saturday, March 28, 2009 - Noon - 4:00pm

Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 920 Kipling, Lakewood, Colorado

Use the back entrance to the basement.
Bring snacks and your energy and your favorite glue gun.

Questions - call Sonja Kamunen 303-972-3790

We were so successful at our first workshop with a great turnout but westill have more work to do.

2008-10-28T17:51:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the School's Christmas Party on the 14th at 1 PM!

We'll be having a half hour in classrooms for fine tuning students'
programs, and then get together for the party.

Please bring a dish, sweet or savory, to share, enough for 25-30
people, if you can. Anything you can bring is appreciated (crackers,
cheese, chips, dips, juice for the kids, pulla, fruit or veggie
plate, cake, Finnish Christmas pastries, etc.)

Parents, please bring a present for your children in case Joulupukki
is in the neighborhood ;-)

For a special treat, we may have Merja from Cloudberrymarket stop by
to tell us about her store, which carries Finnish jewellery, knives,
food and candy. If she can make it, goods will be available for
purchase, and will benefit our school.

And finally, please keep us in mind when you're writing those year-
end checks for charities. Donations to the Denver Finnish School are
tax-deductible. Many thanks to those who have already donated!

See you there!

Hello Suomi-koulu Students and Parents!

Get ready for the 2009 Spring Semester at Denver Finnish School!

There are 10 spring School sessions. (Fall semester has 8 sessions)

The school dates in 2009 will be:
January 18th and 25th
February 8th and 22nd
March 1st and 22nd
April 5th and 19th
May 3rd and 17th

The tuition for the Spring Semester will be:
Kids up to 18yrs, $60, discounts/max fees for multiple kids apply.

Adult's tuition will be $70, an increase of $10 to last spring.

We've had to increase in the adults' tuition to help cover a modest
projected budget shortfall for this school year, as discussed in the
Annual Meeting. However, we're planning to do a fund-raiser -a picnic
in the park- to cover the rest of the deficit and to fund
scholarships.

Partial or full scholarships are available; ask Lea Wilson or Kirsi
St.Marie.

Need a tax-deduction? Want to help Denver Finnish School?
We're a 501c3 Charitable Organization; all donations to the Denver
Finnish School are tax deductible!
Please consider helping us before this year is out and reap the
benefits at tax-time! Make the check payable to "Denver Finnish
School", write "2008 Charitable Donation" on the memo line, and give
it/mail it to Lea Wilson or Kirsi St.Marie. We'll get you a receipt
to prove your donation.

Happy Holidays from the Denver Finish School Board of directors:
Lea K Wilson, President
Maaret Allen, Vice President
Kirsi St.Marie, Treasurer
Kaija Kantola, Secretary, acting Communications Manager

Independence Day greetings from the President of the Republic of Finland to
expatriate Finnish communities, 6 December 2008

Finland is today part of an increasingly globalised world. We are a Member
State of the European Union and we are actively involved in international
organisations, such as the United Nations. Our economy and organizations
have also become more international as a result of globalisation.

This can be seen in the increased mobility. People move in and out of
Finland for work, to study and for their retirement. People move from one
country to another during all stages of their lives.

You, Finns abroad, have a central role in influencing what kind of image
people will have of Finland. You all do important work as an ambassador for
Finland and Finnish culture. You also share your experiences from abroad to
Finland, and thus enrich Finnishness. Your work and the networks you have
created are invaluable. It is important for Finland that you maintain your
ties to your home country.

I send you my warmest greetings on the 91st anniversary of Finland's
independence.

Tarja Halonen
President of the Republic of Finland

You, your significant other, and your children still have time to register for the Finnish school and improve/learn Finnish. Now matter what the skill level – there is a class for you, your significant other or your children/grandchildren. Classes are provided from toddlers to adults.

Toddlers learn through play and practice important concepts such as counting, colors, and other basics in Finnish. Through play, this class is fun, interactive and educational.

Pre-teens and teens have their own classes where grammar, vocabulary and other Finnish skills are learned and improved. This is a great way to also meet new friends that have a similar background. Make sure your child can communicate with relatives in Finland with ease – enroll them in the Finnish school.

Are you married to a Finn or just want to learn Finnish? The adult beginners’ class is for you. In the beginners class you will through vocabulary, grammar and the basics of Finnish language.

For those with advanced skills the school has an adult conversation class where advanced vocabulary and discussion about current topics is held. If your Finnish is rusty, or you already know the basics, join this fun and interactive class.

Is your Finnish fluent – you can volunteer at the Finnish school. Substitute teaching, help preparing for special events and other assistance is always welcome.

For those residing in Fort Collins or Colorado Springs, we can help put you in touch with others who attend the school so that you can discuss carpooling options.

2008-10-16T16:58:00.000-06:00

Dear Finnish School of Denver Students and Friends:

The 3^rd Annual Finnish School of Denver meeting

Sunday October 26th at 3pm, 2008 at our school, downstairs

The Holy Sheppard Lutheran Church, 920 Kipling Street, Lakewood, CO 800215.

Agenda:
1. Call to Order
2. Welcome Words
3. Agenda

4. Allocating Roles
5. Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting
6. Current Business

The Board's reports

7. New Business

Electing officers:
Current board has nominated the following:

President Lea Wilson
Vice-president -
Treasurer Kirsi St.Marie
Secretary Kaija Kantola
Communication Manager -
Principal -
8. Other Business
9. Adjourning

2008-10-07T16:47:00.001-06:00

Wanted Colorado Finns to know of a wonderful program series on PBS channel 6

called "Perfect Day". A female chef travels to various locations in Scandinavia and

does on-site cooking demonstrations. Upcoming is:

Saturday, October 11: 2:00 pm - Among Lakes and Berries - Karelia, Finland

It is well done with beautiful scenery.

2008-10-06T09:10:00.001-06:00

There is a great article about Finnish designers in the Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122298074411399431.html

2008-09-16T15:18:00.002-06:00

Finnish School is to a Running Start for the Fall Semester!

The first fall session for the Denver Finnish School was a stunning success. More than 10 new students attended adult beginning classes. So, if you have thought about signing up and learning Finnish, but just haven't gotten around to it – now is the time to get started! The new beginning class for adults will start all the way from basics: pronunciation of the Finnish alphabet, basic words and sentences. The next class is Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 1 p.m. in Lakewood.

A lot of new adult students joined the Finnish School to learn Finnish. The coffee break was a great time for mingling and getting to know each other.

or more advanced adults an advanced beginner class and a conversational class are offered. Improve either upon your basics or learn to comfortably use the Finnish language in everyday situations.

Kids and young adults alike can find classes that match their skill and age level. These classes are fun, educational and keep up with the Finnish culture and tradition. Enroll your kids in the Finnish school – set up the tradition before the kids find it difficult to have a conversation in Finnish. Now is the time to get them excited about their heritage and have them feel comfortable discussing and conversing in Finnish.

If you just want to hang out with other Finnish people, please volunteer at the Finnish school – you can be part of the board, help with the coffee break or be an assistant or substitute teacher. There are many positions that do not require you to be fluent in Finnish or even know Finnish – all you need is interest in Finnish culture and language.

The classes are held at 920 Kipling Street, Lakewood, CO 80215. For more information and driving directions for Finnish School of Denver/ Denverin Suomi Koulu, visit http://denverfinnishschool.org/ . The location is convenient whether you are coming from Denver, Boulder, Golden, Highlands Ranch or other surrounding communities.

2008-09-10T18:08:00.001-06:00

There's a chill in the air as I write this and it means just one
thing: Time to get back to your Finnish studies with the Finnish
School of Denver! We'll continue having classes for all age groups.
This will be a fun activity for the entire family. In addition to
learning Finnish and Finnish culture and heritage you'll have a
chance to socialize, volunteer, and meet new people.

We'll be starting the fall semester on September 14 at 1 PM. Please
see the links on the left for the rest of the fall semester
school days and location information.
As before, if you are new, we'd like to invite you to visit one time (any time)
free of charge. All dues are due on the second school day, although
special deals can always be negotiated :) You can always join us later during the semester as well. Just show up!

On the 14th, we'd like to have as many of you come as possible so we
can get an idea of class sizes. If you can't come, but plan on
attending, please let us know via the Yahoo! Group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/denverinsuomikoulu/ or emailing your
teacher. This is by no means required, and walk-ins are welcome!

We need teachers! If you or anyone you know is fluent in Finnish,
please consider signing up to teach for the semester. Substitute
teachers are always needed as well.

We need volunteers! If you'd like to volunteer, please post on the
Yahoo! Group, or contact one of the teachers or board members of the
school. Volunteer opportunities include:

Coffee service at break time
Baking/bringing goodies for break time
Arranging car pools
Teachers and assistant teachers (these are paid positions!)
Parent involvement in kids' classrooms
Helping teachers to prepare for class
Board members
and using one of your many hidden talents to help the school

See you on the 14th!

Kaija

Syksyn 2008 koulupaivat

2008-08-11T19:48:00.002-06:00

Tervetuloa Suomikouluun! Syksyn 2008 koulupaivat klo 1-3pm ovat:

September 14 and 28

October 12 and 26

November 9 and 23

December 7 and 14

The Denver Finnish School open house March 2008

2008-04-01T21:31:00.026-06:00

The Denver Finnish School keeps Finnish language,
traditions and culture live in the Greater Denver Region

The Denver Finnish School Open House event was Standing Room only - even though many families were on Spring Break.

On March 30th, The Denver Finnish School (Denver Suomikoulu) held an open
house. The very successful event included Finnish weaving (pirtanauha and
lautanauha); humppa and jenkka dancing lessons; instructions in making
Karelian piirakka; kantele music; and folk songs. There was also a traditional

Finnish potluck. The children enjoyed playing games and making friends while
learning about their heritage.

The standing room only event showed how the small children get to learn Finnish grammar, vocabulary, and tradition through fun games and activities. By joining Finnish school early, it is easier for the children to keep the confidence to speak the Finnish language throughout their life.

Older children enjoyed assisting with activities, learning Pirtanauha, playing ping pong, discussing events & creating bonds that last a lifetime. The elder generation and the new generation connected and are able to share stories and life experiences benefitting everyone.

For For all ages, the Finnish weaving, dancing, and pie making were great successes. Learning how to make the Karelian pies required a few flouery fingers and a lot of concentration. In the end, all of the students, teachers and visitors got to enjoy tasty Karelian pies with the egg butter that is a necessary part of the experience.
With Finnish lättys, kraavilohi, hapankorppu, lakritsi and mustikkapiirakka being served during the potlock, even a discerning Finn could not help his/her mouth watering.

Other activities included learning the basics of Finnish language or discovering how Finnish music has evolved through humppa and polkka to getting Gold Records in the US through HIM or Varttina being an intergralpart of the play for Lord of the Rings.

The Denver Finnish School is very fortunate to have musical teachers and students that are willing to put one foot in front of another. The latter part of the day’s activities included learning jenkka, letkajenkka, polkka, humppa, walz and Finnish tango. At the end of the day, the attendees received a great workout, enjoyed an awesome time and learned a few Finnish traditions, accompanied by wonderful Finnish pelimannit (musicians) Leena Pohto and Riikka Pietiläinen- Caffrey.

The Finnish School of Denver keeps Finnish language, traditions and culture live in the Greater Denver region. The school not only provides the Finnish experience, but also creates lifelong friendships and fosters adaptation to a new city for Finns and their descendants. To find out more and discover the reduced end-of-the-season Spring Semester rates, check out
http://www.denverfinnishschool.org.

2008-03-10T19:31:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the
FINNISH SCHOOL
OPEN HOUSE

March 30, 2008, 1PM

Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church
920 S. Kipling St., Lakewood

We have planned an afternoon of Finnish Fun:
Workshops:
Traditional crafts (pirtanauha, lautanauha)
Music (kantele, folk songs)
Kids' Corner
Karelian pie making

We will also learn popular Finnish dances, such as humppa and jenkka.
Please bring a dish to share!
Free!
Everyone's welcome! Tervetuloa!

Special reduced tuition offered for the rest of the spring semester.

www.denverfinnishschool.org

MAP:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=920%20Kipling%
20St&city=Lakewood&state=CO&zoom=7&style=2

2008-01-10T15:51:00.001-07:00

Hopefully everyone had a good break!

Finnish school starts again 1/13/2008. Hopefully all of you can join us!

As a new thing for this spring, we have added an extra third hour (Happy hour) to socialize, meet other students, drink coffee, and use the Finnish school library.

The third hour will occur after the real school hours and is optional.

Finnish school 1-3 pm

“Happy hour” 3-4 pm

Welcome everybody!

KEVATPAIVAT SOVITTU

2007-10-19T12:11:00.001-06:00

Koulupaivat kevaalla on nyt sovittu ja vahvistettu.

Ne loytyy ’Class Schedule’ linkin takaa.

Tietoa Suomikoulusta

2000-11-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

[In English]

Sinulla on vielä aikaa registeröidä lapsesi taikka perheesi suomikouluun jossa he voivat oppia suomea taikka lisätä suomenkielen taitojaan. Kaikille tasoille on omat ryhmät – pikkulapsista aikuisiin.

Pikkulapset oppivat suomea leikkien ja lorujen kautta kivojen kaverien keskellä. Suomen kielen perusalkeet kuten värit, numerot käydään läpi. Vanhemmille lapsille on omat luokkansa jossa opitaan kielioppia, sanastoa ja suomen kielen taitoja. Nämä tunnit varmistavat että lapset osaavat sujuvaa suomea jos perhe muuttaa suomeen tai kesälomilla isovanhempien kanssa puhuttaessa.

Onko sinulla suomalainen mies/vaimo joka haluaisi oppia suomea? Aikuisien suomen alkeet luokka on heille se sopiva. He oppivat sanastoa, kielioppia, suomen kulttuuria ja muita suomen kielen alkeita. Ne jotka jo osaavat suomen kielen alkeet voivat harjoittaa suomen kielen taitojaan aikuisten suomen jatkoluokalla jossa keskusteellaan suomeksi ja parannettaan suomen kielen taitoja.

Jos sinun suomen kielesi on jo täydellinen, niin voit autaa suomikoulussa – sijaisopettajia ja muita avustajia tarvitaan aina. Kaikki apu otetaan kiitollisena vastaan. Jos asutte kauempana Denverista, voimme yritää auttaa teitä löytäämään kimppakyytiä.

Board Members

2000-10-21T13:17:00.004-06:00

President Kati Guerrero
Vice President Heikki Toivo
Lead Teacher/Principal Riikka Pietiläinen-Caffrey
Secretary Johanna Ruth
Communications Manager Markus Alahuhta
Treasurer Kirsi St. Marie

Cures for Homesickness

2000-10-21T11:37:00.004-06:00

Here is a list of things you can find in metro Denver area to help you with homesickness.

Do you know a great shop or a way to order Finnish products not on this list? Please use the comment link below to share your tip with the Finnish community!

Finnish Products

Gold's Corner Grocery at 26th and Kipling (= very close to the school!)

10021 W.26th Ave Wheat Ridge
CO 80215
(303) 232 8849

They have a good selection of pickled herrings, smoked roe paste,Christmas ham, Fazer chocolate etc etc

You can even custom order any products from Finland!

European Mart, Inc.

Deli & Grocery
5225 Leetsdale Dr.
Denver, CO 80246
(303) 432-0876

Peppercorn

1235 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 449-5847

Iittala, Fazer, the best selection of salmiakki, lingonberry jam

World Market

1685 28th Street Boulder, CO 80302
Phone: (303) 938-0757

and 6 other Colorado locations

Plum jam for joulutorttu, lingonberry jam, Panda licorice, chocolate