Elpida Minadaki loves fairy tales and art. She believes that through the power of fairy tales, art can travel. She is a copywriter, children’s book author and actress.

She was written scripts for television, short films, children’s theater and commercials.

She has published an eco-fairy tale named «A little bag called Litsa», by Ocelotos Publications, focused on Recycling, the story «The ballerina that did not dance», by Ydroplano Publications, about the power of will and the painter Degas, which has been adapted for theater by Karidotsouflo Theater Group and the story «The journey of the red umbrella», by Kedros Publications, on Botticelli’s Birth of Venus which she adapted for theater. She has also published the stories “The Fantastic Buttons and a rain made of stars” by Livani Publications, “The rescue of Neravgi” in both Greek and English by Ydroplano Publications, etc.

She has participated in the publication of group short stories and has been teaching creative writing classes for children for many years in bookstores, schools, as well as in institutions and museums such as the Museum of Children’s Art and the Theocharakis Museum as a member of the Sparks creative team.

She is a founding member and the inspiration behind the Spithes Creative Team.

In addition, she is a member of the Circle of the Greek Children’s Book – Greek IBBY national section, the Women’s Literary Team, the Scriptwriters’ Guild of Greece and member of the Board of ADHD Hellas.

Find out more at www.elpidaminadaki.com

Dimitra Fotou is a physical education teacher, tennis coach, special educator of psychomotor education, archaeologist and children’s book author. She has developed educational programs of creative activities related to sports, art, and emotions, as expressed through authenticity, games and empathy. She has been awarded by the Circle of Children’s Book with the ‘Pavlos Alefantos Award’ for her work in cultivating a love of reading.

She loves playing, tennis, books and most of all children. With them, she discovers authenticity and that disarming honesty that can be transformed into a great learning process. She believes that free play creates happy children and resilient adults. Playing can be a amazing tool for children to love movement, easily learn the basics of any sport and fall in love with sports. At the same time, it is a serious learning process in the educational program. Her goal is to contribute to rekindling the creative spirit of children through the Spithes Creative Team.

She was born and raised in Athens. She studied French and Greek Literature at the University of Athens. She was further trained in France in special programs of the Universities of Sorbonne, CAVILAM and Grenoble.

She currently teachers French, history and projects in secondary school. She has been involved for over 30 years in the education of children and adolescents trough special training and study programs aimed at approaching the learning process in alternative ways.

Her interests include literature search, music, lyrics writing, writing, dance and theater. She has written pieces for the treater and songs for children in Greek and French. Following continuous involvement with intercultural education and having experience in education, she creates interactive activities for children through creative writing, theatrical play and psychomotor education. She is one of the key members of the Spithes Creative Team.

Athanasia Sklirou studies drawing, painting, jewelry making and gemology.

Since 1995, she has been teaching painting in public and private schools and she has been undertaking the planning of educational programs, painting workshops, museum kits, seminars for teachers and setting up of exhibitions for companies, organizations and municipalities.

She has been working for 22 years at the Museum of Green Children’s Art as an executive for the Educational Department and she has been a Curator for the last 10 years. She collaborates in educational programs with the Spithes team.

She studied Food Technology but was won over by the field of art. Her love for handmade objects led her to make worry beads and jewelry. Being a restless spirit, she quickly entered the world of tailoring, fashion design and theatrical costumes.

She has collaborated with children’s theater groups such as “The journey of the red umbrella”, a play that was presented for two consecutive years on a theatrical stage of Athens. In addition, she creates handmade jewelry and textile goods. In recent years, she made her dream come true: she is collaborating with young creators and helps them develop their business. She collaborates in educational programs with the SPARKS team.

Her love for architecture and interior design, in combination with her civic engagement as the President of the Local Council of the Municipal Community of Argyroupoli, led her to the creation of the 1st Kids Festival of the Municipality of Argyroupoli where she worked for years on the organization of educational and entertainment events for children. Through this, she introduced for the first time an innovative architecture workshop, which she constantly develops with the help of technology and simple and understandable applications that introduce children to the magical world of architecture.

Thus, through fun and entertainment, children learn about basic concepts of architecture.

She studied advertisement and public administration at the Hellenic Open University. However, she was won over by cooking and pastry making, awakening childhood memories through traditional family recipes. She studied under renowned Chef Stelios Parliaros, learning firsthand how to make pastries from homemade materials. In parallel, through the family business (restaurant and catering), she developed her skills and became a seasoned professional in creating special gastronomic delights. She has been organizing corporate events for years. Her experience includes collaborations with big companies (Coconut, Mercedes, Samsung, Prenatal, Cosmote, Piraeus Bank, etc.), as well as catering for television and film crews. In addition, wanting to provide a unique experience to our young friends, she holds seminars for homemade pastries and cooking at schools and activity places for children.

Once upon a time there was a little girl who dreamed of teaching and creating and so she did…. After studying at the University of Crete, she started teaching in private kindergartens, directing for 4 years K.D.A.P. (Center for Children’s Creative Employment). At 2007, she started working as a Kindergarten Teacher in Public Education. Since 2009, she is a Head Kindergarten Teacher.

At her spare time, she sings, writes poetry and swims. Her love for the sea made her discover mermaid-stories which often tells to young and older friends.