Print pictures of Shana, Hal and Henson to color.

Come to the Attic and play Dress-up with Shana Banana.

Play the Recycle Game and see if you can put everything in the right container.

Sign Shana's Guest Book and let us know what you think.

Kids! Look at this great new scouting group to help us work together to save the earth. Check it out!

See a PDF map of the AFA Campus

Shana Banana, aka Mrs. Smith, will be launching the Starfish Program in the Lower Division (grades PreK-5) at Admiral Farragut Academy in August of 2010. 

The Starfish Program© merges the study of Marine Science with music, art, drama, and writing (the five arms of a starfish) to create an innovative and exciting learning experience.  In this era of tragic cutbacks in the Arts, Admiral Farragut recognizes that there is a significant value in using the Arts for learning.  This recognition becomes critical as students need more and more to have every advantage to excel in today’s world.  

Children are natural scientists and natural artists.  When you watch a child play, you observe seamless transitions and interplay between scientific exploration and discovery and artistic expression.  In the classroom, studies have shown that music, art, writing, drama and creative expression are all powerful tools for learning and information retention, across the board.  The Starfish Program is designed to compliment a child’s natural love of and enthusiasm for learning by merging science and art.  Enthusiastic learners become successful students and citizens.  

Shana Smith is known locally, regionally, and nationally as children’s musician and “edutainer,” Shana Banana™.  But Mrs. Smith also holds a Master’s Degree and Doctoral candidacy in Marine Science, and prior to her successful career in children’s music and theater, she taught oceanography at Eckerd College , USF, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.  Through her years of teaching concepts through music, she has discovered first-hand that the Arts are a powerful tool for learning and finds it exciting to launch this new program at a school already known for its high standards and innovation. 

Mrs. Smith is relocating back to St. Petersburg this summer with her husband and two children, ages 1 and 5.