2007 COMING UP TALLER AWARDS

PLAYWRIGHT MENTORING PROJECT
BARRINGTON STAGE COMPANY, INC.

Through Barrington Stage Company's groundbreaking Playwright Mentoring Project (PMP), the issues that trouble teens at home and school don't remain suppressed. Instead, during an intensive seven-month after-school program, the teens take difficult material from their personal lives and—with help from theater artists and mental health professionals—transform it into compelling dramas that express the truth of their lives.

Located in one of the poorest areas of Massachusetts, the Pittsfield-based Barrington Stage Company initiated the project as part of its commitment to use the tools of theater to create measurable change in the lives of area youth. Schools, guidance counselors, and human services agencies refer students to the program, which operates in five sites in Berkshire County. Many of the participants are struggling with such issues as substance abuse, family violence, teen pregnancy, and school failure.

An artistic mentor, a playwright, and peer mentors compose a team that guides the youth through a series of exercises to develop improvisation, storytelling, and conflict-resolution skills. As trust develops, participants begin to share incidents from their lives. Then, the teens work with the staff to craft selected stories into 45-minute plays that they perform for the community. A mental health counselor is available throughout the process to help participants deal with difficult issues that emerge during the sessions.

PMP provides the students with key elements that are often missing in their day-to-day lives: focus, discipline, and positive relationships with authority figures. The plays that they create out of their experiences also give them an opportunity to reexamine their options and find new approaches. For example, one teen commented: "It wasn't until we did the pregnancy scene that I understood what a bad idea it would be to have a baby as a teenager."

In addition, the public performances provide recognition and validation that are often missing in the teens' lives. "They always say, 'No one ever listens to me," remarks Nicole Meehan, director of development for the Barrington Stage Company. By helping the youth express themselves and experience the world differently, PMP can fuel their resolve to take on other challenges.

Surveys have found that after completing the program, teens attend school more regularly; increase their involvement in extracurricular activities; and take extra precautions to avoid risky, self-damaging behavior. Many who had planned to drop out have gone on to complete high school, and some have even won scholarships to prestigious universities.

BARRINGTON STAGE COMPANY, INC.
30 Union Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Phone: 413-499-5446
Fax: 413-499-5447
E-mail: nmeehan@barringtonstageco.org
URL: www.barringtonstageco.org

FOCUS: THEATER
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 48
AGES: 14–18
ANNUAL BUDGET: $90,298

"The artistic mentor created an environment where we were all comfortable talking about things that were bothering us. We all realized that a lot of the issues we are facing individually, we were also facing together."
A Playwright Mentoring Project participant

LITTLE COMPANION ART TROUPE
CHINA WELFARE INSTITUTE CHILDREN'S PALACE (CWICP)

Based on Mme. Soong Ching Ling's educational philosophy that the arts and humanities nourish and inspire creativity in children and thus benefit their whole lives, the Children's Palace offers more than 100 after-school cultural programs in the metropolitan area of Shanghai, especially for those who would not regularly have these opportunities during the school day. These exemplary programs, for children and teens, include dance, choir, orchestra, traditional musical instruments, traditional Chinese calligraphy, painting, drama, computer studies, environmental protection, mechanical model-making, photography, and more. In a supportive and exploratory environment, program participants express themselves through individual and group art-making sessions and develop artistic and perceptual abilities, creative problem-solving techniques, and critical-thinking skills.

A vital part of the Chinese government's nine-year compulsory education strategy, the Children's Palace provides students with easy access to affordable, high-quality art instruction and experiences. To date, nearly 6,000 youth have benefited from these opportunities, including migrant students from less urbanized regions of the country, since the Palace was established.

Among the numerous programs in the Children's Palace, the Little Companion Art Troupe is one of the best known. Its seven divisions offer instruction in dance, choir, drama, puppetry, keyboard instruments, orchestra, traditional Chinese musical instruments, calligraphy, and arts and crafts. Equally important, through the Little Companion Art Troupe's "Entering the Communities" project, the students reach out to the community through performances at hospitals, nurseries, and senior citizen care centers. In this way, the participants learn the importance of sharing their talents with others.

Recognized as one of the most popular youth-oriented art troupes nationwide, the Little Companion Art Troupe has performed in China at the 1999 Fortune Forum, the Ninth APEC Summit in Shanghai, the Celebration Gala for the return of Hong Kong and Macao to China, and Shanghai's successful bid for EXPO 2010. Internationally, the Troupe members have toured in more than 20 countries and have won praise as "China's Little Ambassadors" from many diverse audiences.

CHINA WELFARE INSTITUTE CHILDREN'S PALACE (CWICP)
No. 64 Yan An Road
Shanghai, PRC 200040
Phone: (011-86-216) 249-4116
Fax: (011-86-216) 249-0661
URL: http://english.cwi.org.cn

FOCUS: MULTIDISCIPLINARY
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 600
AGES: 6–16
ANNUAL BUDGET: $65,000

Founded in 1953 by Mme. Soong Ching Ling, the late Honorary Chairman of China, the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace in Shanghai was that country's first young people's after-school center.

DISCOVERY TRAILS PROGRAM
ACCESSIBLE ARTS, INC.

Every spring, a group of blind or visually impaired youth spends two weeks retracing the steps of pioneers who journeyed west. Through this program, called Discovery Trails, these teens and young adults are doing something pioneering themselves. They're confronting new situations and challenges and discovering personal strengths, courage, and abilities many did not know they possessed.

The group travels in a "wagon train," comprising several minivans, along portions of the Oregon or Santa Fe trails. To focus the group's experience, the organizers choose an eventful year from the mid-1800s and explore what actually happened to pioneers who ventured west during that year. Participants read excerpts from pioneer journals and meet with local historians and authors for additional insights into an area's history and geography. Along the way, these contemporary "pioneers" experience some of the challenges that their predecessors faced, such as hiking canyons, fording rivers, and repairing broken wagon wheels.

Accessible Arts, Inc., a Kansas City, Kansas, organization that promotes educational and arts activities for children with disabilities, sponsors Discovery Trails in partnership with the Kansas State School for the Blind. Several historians and artist-educators accompany the group, designing additional activities to engage the participants' imaginations and senses.

Students might touch the names of pioneers carved into rock, plant flowers on a pioneer's grave, or sculpt miniature replicas of geological formations. The group camps for the night along a portion of the trail, and everyone shares in the camp chores. Campfires are times for storytelling and improvisational drama, with the modern-day trekkers taking on the roles of pioneer figures and interpreting their historical contributions.

A professional videographer accompanies the group, recording the adventures and creating a video journal for participants to share with friends and family when they return. The organizers encourage the adventurers to give presentations about their trip to local school and civic groups. Such activities enable participants to share what they've learned, while challenging stereotypes about persons with disabilities. "Often, visually impaired teens are asked only about their blindness," points out Program Coordinator Eleanor Craig. "The trip gives them expertise in something else—the history and culture of pioneer times."

ACCESSIBLE ARTS, INC.
1100 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66102-4411
Phone: 913-281-1133
Fax: 913-281-1515
E-mail: ecraig@accessiblearts.org
URL: www.accessiblearts.org

FOCUS: MULTIDISCIPLINARY
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 15–18
AGES: 13–20
ANNUAL BUDGET: $65,000

"Metaphorically, this program blazes a new trail of opportunity for the blind and visually impaired. Similar to the pioneers who trekked across challenging domains, the young women and men who complete this adventure demonstrate to themselves and the world how being different is not a barrier to success, but a motivation for achievement."

Arnie Abels, psychologist, University of Missouri at Kansas City, and member of the board of directors, Accessible Arts, Inc.


DREAMS CENTER FOR ARTS EDUCATION
DREAMS OF WILMINGTON, INC.

The way one participant describes it, the DREAMS Center for Arts Education provides "an escape route to my creative side." That is an apt portrayal of a program that reaches out to underserved students in Wilmington, North Carolina. Two social workers with backgrounds in the arts created DREAMS a decade ago. Today, the program not only provides a safe haven at sites around the city, but also an avenue to a broader sense of self and possibility.

This ambitious, multifaceted program offers free daytime, after-school, and summer classes in music, visual arts, literature, dance, and theater to more than 500 youth each week. Sessions take place at the organization's inner-city center, as well as at schools, recreation centers, public housing sites, and a county treatment facility for adjudicated youth.

Through classes such as African dance, drumming, and mask making, students connect with their cultural and artistic heritage. Theater classes offer opportunities to explore such issues as social justice, while learning presentation and collaboration skills. Students in mural painting classes expand artistic skills as they deepen their connections with the community, designing murals for a broad range of locations, from an elementary school to a dialysis center. Young poets, meanwhile, experience the pride of seeing their poems displayed on city buses, thanks to a partnership with the city transportation department.

Regardless of the medium, the program's goal is to use the arts to address the deeper psychological and social roots that underlie poverty, drug abuse, and crime. "Society has given up on a lot of these kids. They feel like they don't belong anywhere," explains Associate Director Emily Colin. "When they come here, they are viewed as young people who have something to offer. They feel a sense of connection, creation, imagination, validation. DREAMS is a place where they can receive recognition by doing something meaningful and positive. They don't have to act out to get another individual to pay attention."

DREAMS participants spend an average of 300 hours immersed in the arts each year. As a result, they perform better in school, are more confident, and are less likely to engage in delinquent behaviors. In an endorsement of the program's effectiveness, the University of North Carolina-Wilmington has even established a scholarship program specifically for DREAMS graduates.

DREAMS OF WILMINGTON, INC.
515 Ann Street
Wilmington, NC 28402
Phone: 910-772-1501
Fax: 910-772-1504
E-mail: dreamsprograms@ec.rr.com
URL: www.dreamswilmington.org

FOCUS: MULTIDISCIPLINARY
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 580
AGES: 8–17
ANNUAL BUDGET: $228,700

"We've seen a huge turnaround for the students because here are people saying, "What you have to say matters. What you want to paint matters." And, instead of identifying themselves as bad kids, a lot of these kids are now saying, "I'm an artist."
Emily Colin, Associate Director, Dreams of Wilmington, Inc.

JUNIOR DOCENT PROGRAM
HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM

To meet an urgent need for after-school activities for teens, the Hudson River Museum began working with the Yonkers Public School District to launch the Museum's Junior Docent Program in 1995. The program provides a worthwhile after-school and weekend destination for nearly 80 middle and high school students. It offers learning experiences that give these young people valuable new skills, improving both their personal and academic lives.

To prepare for their docent roles, students undergo an ongoing intensive training process. One afternoon a week after school, they work with curators to learn about the Museum's exhibitions, which focus on the art, history, and ecological environment of the region. The junior docents also meet with teaching artists to explore the media and techniques used in the paintings. In addition, participants' training includes field trips to local cultural institutions and role-playing exercises that teach them how to interact with visitors and respond to challenging situations.

Once trained, junior docents lead weekend tours and help run family-oriented, hands-on workshops linked to the exhibitions. In the summer, they work with the Museum's camp programs. Students who are 14 or older receive payment for their work. The Museum provides many participants with their first job experience.

"This is a source of great pride and sense of accomplishment for them, as the students are able to share all that they've learned about the art in the galleries and the history and cultural movements behind it," notes Rebecca Kraus, manager of youth and family programs. "Even more, the students hone their social, personal, and professional skills, gaining the self-confidence, maturity, and poise required to lead visitors of all ages."

One measure of the program's impact is its retention rate. Participants stay in the program an average of five years, spending more than 750 hours in arts, humanities, and science activities. The bonds that form among the program's diverse participants help to break down stereotypes, foster increased tolerance, and create a positive peer group, Kraus points out. The responsibility, focus, and self-confidence that the students gain from the program also benefit them in their academic lives. To date, all participants who have stayed in the program through their senior year have completed high school and gone on to college.

HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM
511 Warburton Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10701
Phone: 914-963-4550
Fax: 914-963-8558
E-mail: rkraus@hrm.org
URL: www.hrm.org

FOCUS: MUSEUM
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 75
AGES: 13–18
ANNUAL BUDGET: $102,900

"We're given responsibility and have to be on task. The experiences and conversations you have with people are really helpful."
Junior Docent Program participant

RITMO EN ACCIÓN YOUTH DANCE INITIATIVE
HYDE SQUARE TASK FORCE

Dance might not be the first method many would think of to combat high crime, violence, and low student achievement in a tough inner-city neighborhood. But in Boston's Hyde/Jackson Square neighborhood—considered one of the most dangerous in the city—an innovative Latin dance program is proving a positive draw for children and teens, one with benefits that go beyond simply keeping youth off the streets.

The Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF), a youth development organization, established the Ritmo en Acción ("Rhythm in Action") Youth Dance Initiative in 2001. Under this program, two of Boston&'s top professional Latin dancers, Burju Hurturk and Victor Perez, provide rigorous weekly instruction in Latin and contemporary dances to teens on an ongoing basis, at no charge. These students perform publicly at a variety of events in the Boston area. They have also received invitations to dance at the West Coast International Salsa Congress in Los Angeles and to showcase their skills in Paris.

The performances promote a positive image of urban youth, while boosting the dancers' self-confidence and social skills. "Dance is about teamwork," explains former Ritmo dancer Chrismaldi Vasquez. "If you're mad at your partner that day, you still have to find a way to get along with them." Dancer Yaritza Pena has learned that mastering new skills is literally a step-bystep process that requires perseverance: "It takes a lot of patience to perfect every dance," she notes.

Performance is only part of the package. After receiving intensive training in dance instruction, the Ritmo teens go on to teach salsa, merengue, and other dances to elementary and middle school children in neighborhood schools and housing developments. The teaching component enhances the older students' leadership skills, while helping to combat inactivity and obesity among the younger participants. The teen dance instructors receive a weekly stipend for their work and learn such job-related skills as being punctual and turning in a time sheet.

Additionally, the program challenges its students to stay in school and to excel. Ritmo teens must maintain a C average in order to perform. To help participants keep their grades up, HSTF provides evening tutoring sessions with staff and volunteers. The program also matches 12th grade participants with mentors who guide them through the college selection and application processes.

The high expectations and support have helped Ritmo teens beat the odds: Since the program began in 2001, all participating seniors—currently about 15 a year—have gone on to college.

HYDE SQUARE TASK FORCE
375 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone: 617-524-8303
Fax: 617-524-2747
E-mail: claudio@hydesquare.org
URL: www.hydesquare.org

FOCUS: DANCE
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 325
AGES: 6-18
ANNUAL BUDGET: $225,500

"The program staff seems to strike that difficult balance of loving support and rigorous expectations. The young participants are getting top-notch dance instruction, opportunities to perform across the city, the encouragement to take themselves seriously as leaders, and ongoing support in academic progress and overall development."
H. Mark Smith, YouthReach Program Manager, Massachusetts Cultural Council


YOUNG ARTISTS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND DEBBIE ALLEN DANCE INSTITUTE
IMAGINATION CELEBRATION FORT WORTH, INC.

Imagination Celebration Fort Worth, Inc., an organization that provides students with arts experiences linked to classroom learning, has been honored with a Coming Up Taller Award for two separate initiatives: the Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP) and the Debbie Allen Dance Institute (DADI). Although the programs involve different disciplines, what they have in common is a reliance on master artists who teach, inspire, and serve as role models for participants.

Launched in 1989, the Young Artists Apprenticeship Program is an intensive 25-week course in the visual arts, facilitated by a team of leading professional artists from across Texas. This highly competitive program bases admission on a portfolio review and recommendations from art teachers. Participants benefit from more in-depth artistic experiences than are available in their public schools, many of which are in underserved areas.

Each year, 30 to 40 high school students attend weekly sessions at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, where they explore painting, sculpture, design, and drawing. The master artists work closely with these teens, strengthening students' technical skills and instilling confidence in their abilities, while providing them with a role model. Through group critiques, the youth also learn to express themselves tactfully and accept helpful criticism.

Nearly 100 percent of YAAP participants graduate from high school, and many go on to college. Imagination Celebration Executive Director Ginger Head-Gearheart attributes much of the program's success to the deep bond formed between the students and the master artists, most of whom donate their time. "One thing that's so beautiful is this deep caring," she says.

The Debbie Allen Dance Institute is an intensive workshop taught each summer by acclaimed dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen, along with a group of dancers from such prestigious companies as the Bolshoi Ballet and Alvin Ailey Dance Company. The workshop spans two and a half weeks, and enrollment is open to students ages 7 to 21, from throughout Texas and other states, who demonstrate either a talent for dance or a strong desire to learn. A scholarship program that covers the tuition makes it possible for some students, who could not otherwise participate, to attend the workshop.

DADI students study a full spectrum of styles, from classical ballet, to jazz, tap, flamenco, hip-hop, and African dance. According to Head-Gearheart, the supportive and inspiring instruction, plus exposure to the range of dance forms, imparts a "freedom of spirit"; to the participants'; dancing. Many students also learn that they can perform movements they didn't realize were within their ability, she says. "They see that even though their legs hurt and their whole body is aching, they can rise up and shine."

IMAGINATION CELEBRATION FORT WORTH, INC.
1300 Gendy Street
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Phone: 817-870-1141
Fax: 817-336-7947
E-mail: imagine@icfw.org
URL: www.icfw.org

FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS, DANCE
ANNUAL NUMBER
PARTICIPATING: YAAP, 30–40; DADI, 150–200
AGES: YAAP, 15–18; DADI, 7–21
ANNUAL BUDGET: $90,000

"As I learned under the mentoring artists, I was transformed from a young person with drawing skills to a young artist with a dream to become a professional artist."
Sedrick Huckaby, former Young Artists Apprenticeship Program participant


LA PILITA YOUTH DOCENT PROGRAM
LA PILITA ASSOCIATION

Visitors to La Pilita Museum in Tucson, Arizona, are often "surprised and charmed"; when they see who will be leading their Museum tour, says Executive Director Carol Cribbet-Bell. That's because this Museum, which celebrates and preserves the history of Barrio Viejo, one of the city&'s oldest neighborhoods, has trained a cadre of elementary school children to lead site tours.

The Docent Program evolved out of a partnership with the nearby Carrillo Elementary School to provide after-school enrichment and community service opportunities for its students, some of whom come from lower-income families. The Museum has adult staff and volunteers, but no adult docents, and relies on youngsters for this service. "We have the philosophy that if you give children real-life work and real-life opportunities, that makes a difference in their lives," Cribbet-Bell explains. "It translates into real learning."

Plus, the colorful tales associated with the neighborhood mesmerize the young interpreters. They enjoy thrilling visitors with the lore surrounding El Tiradito. According to legend, a murder occurred at this historic site. El Tiradito has evolved into a shrine, where people believe that their wishes come true. The docents also eagerly recount stories of the Hohokam, Apache, and early pioneers associated with the area. These youngsters may recite the stories in their own way, "as long as they get the facts right," Cribbet-Bell adds.

As part of their docent training, students visit the Museum four days a week after school and spend time learning about the exhibits and the area's history. To earn the right to wear the blue "master docent" vest and cap, the youth must demonstrate their ability to present site tours, play roles in the Museum's "Readers' Theater" presentations, tend the Museum's cactus garden, and even run the gift shop's cash register.

Students are expected to log 50 to 100 service hours per year, during the three-year program. In the course of their work with the Museum, the youngsters develop greater self-confidence. In addition, as the participants learn more about the area's history, they tend to form deeper cultural connections and express greater interest in their families' roots. As one parent said of her son's experience, "We have wonderful discussions about Tucson history. Our whole family has learned so much!"

LA PILITA ASSOCIATION
420 South Main Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone: 520-882-7454
E-mail: lapilita@qwest.net
URL: www.lapilita.com

FOCUS: MUSEUM
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 18–25
AGES: 8–11
ANNUAL BUDGET: $10,000

"The first time I heard one of your fifth graders tell us the story of the El Tiradito shrine—struggling to get it just right—a warm glow came into my heart."
James E. Turner, historian, Arizona Historical Society


WINGS PERFORMING ARTS
LYNN MEADOWS DISCOVERY CENTER FOR CHILDREN

Theater programs typically teach acting, lighting, and costuming skills. The Lynn Meadows Discovery Center for Children, a nonprofit children's museum in Gulfport, Mississippi, views its performing arts program—called WINGS—more broadly. The Discovery Center uses WINGS as a vehicle for imparting life skills, like confidence and teamwork, that help participants "soar to new heights," explains Program Director Tonya Hays. "What we often say is that a child doesn't join WINGS to become a Broadway star, but to become a better person."

WINGS offers Gulf Coast elementary through high school students the chance to participate in theater productions that are presented at community sites or area schools. Students work closely with adult staff and volunteers, who offer encouragement and an occasional push to step out of their comfort zones, taking on new and more challenging roles and assignments. Through WINGS, youth also learn to collaborate with peers from different walks of life and communities.

Furthermore, the program promotes academic skills and learning in the humanities through assignments linked to the productions. Cast members of Macbeth researched Renaissance history and customs. Participants in Fiddler on the Roof attended a service at a local synagogue and discussed Jewish life and culture with the rabbi and members of the congregation. The crew of Servant of Two Masters designed costumes and selected appropriate music for this 18th-century commedia dell’arte production.

In addition to participating in productions, students can apply to become part of a core group of 80 middle and high school students. These teens meet in monthly workshops to explore theater topics in greater depth and discuss practical concerns, such as how to apply for a job or create a portfolio.

To participate in the WINGS core group, students must agree to maintain their grades and take part in community service projects at animal shelters, soup kitchens, or senior centers. This latter requirement further promotes teamwork and a sense of community.

WINGS seeks out at-risk students, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many of the youth in the program fall into that category. As evidence of WINGS’ success, its productions have earned statewide recognition, and 100 percent of graduating seniors have gone on to college.

LYNN MEADOWS DISCOVERY CENTER FOR CHILDREN
246 Dolan Avenue
Gulfport, MS 39507
Phone: 228-897-6039
Fax: 228-248-0071
E-mail: tshays777@aol.com
URL: www.lmdc.org

FOCUS: MUSEUM
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 500
AGES: 6–18
ANNUAL BUDGET: $100,000

"Before I started doing theater, I was a very shy person. I talked very little and was not at all outgoing. Doing Lynn Meadows' WINGS program for two years has not only been fun, but it has also made me a better person! I am much more outgoing and can express myself in so many different ways."
A WINGS participant

RICHMOND BOYS CHOIR

In Richmond, Virginia, the Richmond Boys Choir is helping youth avoid risky behavior by using music, performance opportunities, and academic support to open their eyes to a world of wider possibilities.

Students must pass an audition to become a member of the choir. In twice-weekly rehearsals and an intensive weeklong summer camp, the choir members learn to read music and study rhythm, pitch, and harmony. Although many joined the choir without any formal music training, they soon master a broad repertoire that includes everything from classical pieces and spirituals to Broadway tunes.

The high point for most of the participants is the opportunity to travel and perform with the award-winning choir, which presents up to 25 concerts each season in Richmond, as well as across Virginia and in nearby states. In addition to performing at church concerts and with symphonies and ballet companies, choir members have had the chance to appear with such celebrity artists as Al Jarreau, James Brown, The Temptations, and Wynton Marsalis. This year, they performed for Queen Elizabeth at the opening ceremonies of Jamestown's 400th anniversary.

Because choir members are serving as unofficial ambassadors for the city, they receive coaching in how to conduct themselves in a variety of settings. They've learned the protocol for greeting the Queen, proper table manners when dining at a formal banquet, and how to interact with diverse audiences at post-performance receptions. Furthermore, since choir members range in age from 7 to 17, the older choir members are asked to "adopt" younger members, giving them tips on music and deportment and even teaching them how to tie their ties.

The choir also stresses academics, offering weekly study/homework sessions to help students keep up their grades. Members must maintain at least a C+ average to perform with the choir. Although only a portion of the choir members pursue music-related careers, they all learn skills that help them grow into well-rounded, responsible adults. The choir teaches teamwork, endurance, and patience and provides experience in successfully tackling difficult tasks.

"When we approach some of those more complicated works, they look at all of those pages and are overwhelmed at first," comments Artistic Director Billy Dye. "But then, when they get to the last measure, they realize, 'Oh my goodness, I did that!'" He adds, "I like to think we're preparing them for life."

RICHMOND BOYS CHOIR
200 South Third Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-788-6404
Fax: 804-788-6413
E-mail: billy@richmondboyschoir.org
URL: www.richmondboyschoir.org

FOCUS: MUSIC
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 39–45
AGES: 7–17
ANNUAL BUDGET: $169,000

"The choir's program of musical, academic, and personal development is designed to help boys mature to men who are not only finely trained musicians, but also leaders and role models in our local and global communities."
Billy Dye, Artistic Director, Richmond Boys Choir


CULTURAL CENTER SAN FRANCISCO TZACALHA

The economy of Mexico's Yucatán state has experienced many ups and downs over the years, corresponding to the level of demand for henequen, a fiber used to make twine and rope. Despite a recent modest recovery, this region, which includes a large Mayan population, still faces many challenges.

Contributing to the area's stability and revitalization is the Cultural Center San Francisco Tzacalha, which occupies the Hacienda San Francisco. Within this complex of restored historic buildings, the area's children and teens are able to explore both artistic and vocational opportunities. The Cultural Center provides nearby and underserved communities with a space for creative arts activities, as well as training for jobs in pottery, carpentry, and other crafts.

One of the Center's proudest achievements is the establishment of four choirs, which serve more than 100 children and teenagers in the towns of Dzindzantún, Yobain, Dzilam Gonzalez, and Dzilam de Bravo. Participants study vocalization, scales, body movement, and musical interpretation. For many, this is their introduction to any type of musical training. These students also learn a rich and diverse repertoire. Mayan and Spanish songs connect choir members with their own cultural heritage, while Latin, Italian, and French pieces expose them to other cultures and musical traditions.

The choirs have performed in the state capital of Merida, as well as in local schools, churches, public plazas, and theaters. One high point for participants was the invitation to sing Carmina Burana, a cantata based on medieval poems, with Yucatán’s symphonic orchestra. The students' multilingual training and their diverse performance experiences nurture self-confidence and a respect for their own heritage, as well as those of other countries.

CULTURAL CENTER SAN FRANCISCO TZACALHA
Hacienda San Francisco
Dzindzantún, CP 97500
Yucatán, MX
Phone: (011-52-991) 915-5341
E-mail: suenozarri@hotmail.com; isabel.ruz@hotmail.com
URL: www.tzacalha.com

FOCUS: MUSIC
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 102
AGES: 7–16
ANNUAL BUDGET: $8,181

"Our immediate objective is to provide children and teenagers with artistic activities to aid in their development as individuals, family members, and members of the community. However, over the long term, it is our hope that the experience will also instill in participants the confidence to seek out better opportunities in their lives and improve their futures."
Isabel Ruz, General Coordinator, Cultural Center San Francisco Tzacalha

SITKA FINE ARTS CAMP
ALASKA ARTS SOUTHEAST, INC.

Students who live in the small, remote towns and villages of Alaska often have little access to arts education and limited exposure to working artists. The Sitka Fine Arts Camp fills this void. For the past 32 years, this multidisciplinary arts camp has been providing students from across Alaska—and across the country—with opportunities to explore and strengthen their artistic skills through intensive classes in the arts.

Based at a boarding high school in Sitka and led by an impressive faculty, the camp offers a one-week session for local elementary school students and two-week sessions for middle and high school students. Participants can choose from more than 60 different classes in music, visual arts, dance, writing, theater, Alaskan Native art, and art technology. The courses include everything from Shakespeare to Athabascan beadwork, clowning, and hip-hop dance.

Students take five 90-minute classes each day and attend live performances by faculty in the evenings. The sessions culminate in exhibitions of students' projects, as well as performances, all of which are open to the public.

Classes focus on the process as well as the product, and exercises foster group interaction, self-discipline, self-discovery, and creative risk-taking. "Camp gives me an opportunity to be more courageous, which stays with me when I go home," one camper remarked.

With one faculty member for every six students, there is ample opportunity for personal interaction with the teaching staff. Past faculty members have included a feature-film composer, an Emmy-nominated film animator, jazz recording soloists, and esteemed Alaskan Native artists.

During a session in 2004, for example, Alon Yavnai, a pianist with the renowned Paquito D'Rivera Jazz Quintet, tutored a self-taught 15-year-old keyboard player from an Alutiiq Eskimo village of fewer than 200 people. Although the teenager did not know how to read music, he had a flair for composing and had written a piece during the camp session. Yavnai invited the student to perform that new composition during his evening concert, before an audience of 300.

ALASKA ARTS SOUTHEAST, INC.
PO Box 3086
Sitka, AK 99835
Phone: 907-747-3085
E-mail: rschmidt@fineartscamp.org
URL: www.fineartscamp.org

FOCUS: MULTIDISCIPLINARY
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 400
AGES: 5–18
ANNUAL BUDGET: $424,500

"When I first came, I was shy, persecuted, and stomped on all my life. Then I took improv, and it pushed me out of my shyness. It helped my self-esteem go back to where it should have been."
Sitka Fine Arts Camp participant


SUMMER READS: SWARM
PHILADELPHIA READS

The ability to read can make a huge difference in a child's future. Research shows that children who read poorly by the end of the third grade are more likely to drop out of high school, abuse drugs, become pregnant in their teens, exhibit delinquent behavior, and lack meaningful employment.

PHILADELPHIA READS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving children's reading skills, offers a special summer reading program, called SWARM (Science, Writing, Art, Reading, Music). The program incorporates activities in art, music, and science to help teach literacy skills to children in first through third grades.

The organization integrates these disciplines into the curriculum to introduce children to science and the arts, while they are learning to read and write. As Adrienne Jacoby, executive director of PHILADELPHIA READS, explains, "Music and art reach a child's soul and make learning so much more interesting."

The SWARM program operates at 20 recreational camps in areas of Philadelphia that would otherwise provide fewer summer enrichment opportunities. It specifically targets children during the summer months, when educational gains can falter and when many children lack supervision.

The weekday literacy program typically runs about 20 hours a week, for six weeks. Each year, the curriculum focuses on a special theme, such as "Growing Peaceful Communities." Students read books and complete writing, music, art, and science activities relating to that theme. Artists from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) and musicians from the Academy of Community Music (ACM) partner with PHILADELPHIA READS, preparing lesson plans and visiting the SWARM sites to offer hands-on art and music projects. In addition, the youngsters tour the PAFA museum and attend children's concerts at the Mann Music Center.

SWARM participants also learn about civic responsibility and U.S. history through a partnership among PHILADELPHIA READS, PennCORD, and the National Constitution Center. In addition, an arrangement with the Free Library of Philadelphia enables the children to obtain library cards and visit library branches. Another organization, Reading Is Fundamental, allows every camper to choose two books to start their own home library.

PHILADELPHIA READS
1207 Chestnut Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215-851-1723
Fax: 215-851-1953
E-mail: ajacoby@gpuac.org
URL: www.phila.gov/philareads

FOCUS: LITERACY
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 2,200
AGES: 5–9
ANNUAL BUDGET: $251,700

"Art and literacy are intimately intertwined, using creativity as their base. Children create and interpret stories visually as they begin to read and write. Learning is improved through contact with the arts."
Judy Ringold, Director of Public Education, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts


THE LAB
REEL WORKS TEEN FILMMAKING, INC.

What is it like to grow up with a mother who is a drug addict? How does a father's death affect a family? What challenges does a 16-year-old face when she becomes pregnant and decides to have the baby?
Many teens struggle with tough questions. However, through an intensive filmmaking program known as The Lab, students from Brooklyn, New York, are learning skills to turn the difficult raw material of their lives into riveting documentaries.

The free, semester-long program teaches the basics of filmmaking to a dozen students who meet once a week and on weekends at a local YMCA. What sets the program apart is that each teen is paired with a professional documentary filmmaker who helps the student choose a topic, shoot it, and shape the footage into a compelling personal story.

Students also learn how to organize and express their thoughts in words. In Rules of Engagement, for example, a Muslim teen tries to come to terms with his family's desire to select his future wife. In Journey to the Unknown, a Latina filmmaker follows two friends through their pregnancies, exploring their choices and changing levels of awareness. And, in A Girl Like Me, a young African-American filmmaker replicates a 1950s experiment, only to discover that African-American preschoolers still associate more positive attributes with white dolls than with black ones.

The filmmaking process can be especially empowering for at-risk teenagers. "The burdens of their lives often become odd assets within the context of The Lab because we're looking for the kids to tell stories," explains Executive Director John C. Williams. Through the filmmaking process, the teens are able to explore and make sense of their issues, while discovering that their "creative energy can be a greater force than their problems," Williams adds.

Group critiques help to strengthen participants' communication and critical-thinking skills. And, by teaching teens how to set goals, persevere, collaborate, and produce results, The Lab imparts essential skills that can help them through life.

The teens' films reach a wide audience and have been broadcast on PBS, MSNBC, HBO Family, and Oprah. One film won a national student Emmy, and others have gained recognition at film festivals. A growing number of the films are also being used in classrooms across the country to stimulate discussion on such important issues as race, identity, self-esteem, and personal choices. "It's a peer-to-peer message that kids really respond to. It's authentic, it's real, and it can't be faked," Williams asserts.

REEL WORKS TEEN FILMMAKING, INC.
357 Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: 718-768-7100 ext. 139
E-mail: thelab@reelworks.org
URL: www.reelworks.org

FOCUS: MEDIA ARTS
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 160
AGES: 15–19
ANNUAL BUDGET: $142,880

"Making my film made me realize that I was wasting my life. The Lab offered a place for me to be with intelligent peers with bright futures, something I've never had before."
A graduate of The Lab

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company

Among the young people who are most at risk for a life of crime or drugs are those who have already spent time in the juvenile corrections system. Statistics suggest that once they are released, many will end up back in institutions.

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, based in Culver City, California, attempts to break this vicious cycle by intervening before young people are permanently lost to a life of incarceration. One of the few programs of its kind in the nation, The Unusual Suspects offers intensive theater workshops to youth in the juvenile corrections and foster care systems.

"Our goal is to help youth set and achieve positive goals and show them that "against all odds" they can develop the tools to make positive choices for their futures," explains Executive Director Sally Fairman.

During an intensive 12-week workshop, The Unusual Suspects brings together theater and film professionals—including some of Hollywood's top actors, writers, and directors—to develop participants'; acting techniques and help them collaboratively write and produce an original play. These writing and acting sessions enable the young adults to improve their literacy and communication skills, fostering self-respect.

Often based on the participants' experiences, the plays provide a vehicle to further examine and resolve issues. The collaborative nature of theater encourages the teens to work closely with their peers—often from rival neighborhoods or gangs—and learn how to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence. Interacting with adult mentors gives young people the chance to experience authority figures in a more positive light.

The full-scale productions continue to shift perceptions. "I've never been to a performance where there hasn't been a standing ovation. And participants' transformation is palpable: You see the pride in the young people's faces. The kids are feeling accepted and are literally standing up taller," Fairman says. The audience sees the young people differently, as well—not as criminals or troubled youth, but as young people with skills and something important to say, she adds.

In fact, spurred by a new sense of possibilities, some participants have gone on to achieve previously unimagined goals, such as finishing high school and attending college. As one participant wrote, "You helped me believe in myself when I didn't, and I thank you a lot for that."

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company
10536 Culver Boulevard, Suite B
Culver City, CA 90232
Phone: 310-558-3190
Fax: 310-558-3191
E-mail: info@theunusualsuspects.org
URL: www.theunusualsuspects.org
 
FOCUS: THEATER
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 250
AGES: 9–25
ANNUAL BUDGET: $250,000

"While it is literally true that artists create art, it is equally true that art re-creates its artists. I cherish The Unusual Suspects as a company that truly realizes the theater&'s potential to transform lives by helping young people find their voices, talents, and dignity."
David Henry Hwang, playwright


WORDS@PLAY
CHICAGO HUMANITIES FESTIVAL & CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT

Over the sun
Through the sky
Into the clouds
Soaring, I fly.

The poem above, by Otis Pruitt, an elementary school student from Chicago's West Pullman Park neighborhood, neatly illustrates what the Chicago Humanities Festival seeks to accomplish with its Words@PLAY project: to tap children's creativity, strengthen their powers of self-expression, and expand their sense of possibility through poetry.

Words@PLAY, a joint program between the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Humanities Festival, is a 10-week after-school program offered at cultural centers in underserved Chicago neighborhoods. Teachers and professional poets lead the weekly 90-minute sessions that introduce elementary school children to great poets and different styles of poetry. With the help of engaging games and exercises, instructors also encourage the children to express their own thoughts and feelings through this art form.

Poetry is a perfect vehicle for the program's 8- to 12-year-old participants. Because poems are vivid and succinct, students don't necessarily need a large vocabulary or a long attention span to enjoy reading, studying, or writing poetry.

In addition, "as children listen to the poetry of their peers, they learn to better understand what others around them are feeling—their thoughts, viewpoints, challenges, concerns—and to celebrate both similarities and differences," points out Mary Kate Barley-Jenkins, director of education.

Workshop participants have an extra incentive to throw themselves into their writing assignments. At the annual fall Children's Humanities Festival, a professional theater company called Barrel of Monkeys presents a lively, humorous performance that features some of the youngsters' original poetry. The students themselves also have the chance to be in the spotlight, reciting their poems on stage for family and friends, at a separate event held at a Chicago Park District cultural center.

Children respond enthusiastically to the Words@PLAY experience. "It helps me express myself. It helps me see the creativity of others," one student commented. "We have fun, and we can let out our feelings," added another.

CHICAGO HUMANITIES FESTIVAL & CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT
500 North Dearborn Street, Suite 825
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: 312-661-1028
Fax: 312-661-1018
E-mail: chf@chfestival.org
URL: www.chfestival.org

FOCUS: LITERATURE
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 153
AGES: 8–12
ANNUAL BUDGET: $46,500

"Words@PLAY teaches children to express themselves individually and collectively, and it gives them the vitally important assurance that their words are heard and that they matter."
Stephen Young, Program Director, Poetry Foundation


DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF HUAPANGUERO CHILDREN AND YOUTH OF QUERÉTARO
INSTITUTO QUERETANO DE LA CULTURA Y LAS ARTES

One of the most distinctive cultural traditions of Mexico's Huasteca region is the lively, rhythmic music and dance style known as huapango, or son huasteco. Instrumentalists playing the violin, quinta huapanguera (a large guitar), and jarana huasteca (a smaller guitar) typically perform this music, accompanied by singers and dancers. Weddings, baptisms, feasts honoring patron saints, and other religious celebrations often include the huapango. It always makes for a special occasion, providing a joyful sense of connection to the community. In recent years, however, the region's cultural fabric had begun to unravel. More and more people were emigrating from this northeastern part of Mexico, and youngsters were no longer learning the traditional musical forms.

To address this situation, in 2002, the Instituto Queretano de la Cultura y las Artes launched a program to build a bridge between generations. The 13 master huapanguero musicians, from 11 towns in the region, teach young people how to play the instruments, sing the lyrics to the songs, and perform the dances. Nearly 100 children and young adults, ranging in age from 4 to 23, attend the workshops annually.

During its five years of operation, the program has nurtured an important connection between the area's elders and youth, while revitalizing an appreciation of the Huasteca region's musical heritage. Some of the more inspired participants have gone on to form huapanguero trios of their own, make recordings, and perform throughout the country.

INSTITUTO QUERETANO DE LA CULTURA Y LAS ARTES
Andador Venustiano Carranza 4
Centro Histórico, CP 76000
Santiago de Querétaro, MX
Phone: (011-52-442) 212-0255, 224-0570, and 214-2259
E-mail: lucaduran@hotmail.com
URL: www.culturaqueretaro.gob.mx

FOCUS: FOLK MUSIC AND TRADITIONAL ARTS
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 97
AGES: 4–23
ANNUAL BUDGET: $16,363

"We can say with certainty that the success of the program in Querétaro lies in the instructors, the huapanguero musicians of the region. In the words of musician and songwriter Guillermo Velazquez, these master musicians are ‘reconstructing the link between tradition and destiny."
Junípero Cabrera Berrones, Director, Historical Museum of the Sierra Gorda


YOUTHLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
HAMPDEN FAMILY CENTER, INC.

"Dreams come true, if you follow though," reads the billboard. It rises high above a low-income, inner-city neighborhood and features photos of children holding handmade signs listing such professions as pediatrician, cop, surgeon, and basketball player. Eye-catching and hip, the billboard looks as if a big-city advertising agency could have produced
it. But, in fact, a group of Baltimore, Maryland, middle school students conceived, shot, and designed this message.

The youth are part of the Youthlight Photography Project, an after-school photography and media literacy program. Marshall Clarke, a Baltimore-based freelance photographer, developed the program. Through the medium of photography, Youthlight helps young people gain confidence in expressing themselves and in trusting their instincts, skills that help them combat negative influences in their lives.

Youthlight offers after-school sessions two days a week during the school year at centers in central and southwest Baltimore. There, the 30 participants, drawn from nearby middle schools, learn to compose and shoot pictures with a 35mm camera and to develop and print the black-and white images.

Their photographs capture a wide variety of subjects, from graffiti-marked buildings, to tensions in a school hallway, to a blurred scene of children swinging. While some are playful and funny, others are poignant, and still others are disturbing. The images "document the complexities of their neighborhoods and their families and their longing to create and be something better," according to Clarke. Community centers, local galleries, and universities have displayed the students' photographs.

HAMPDEN FAMILY CENTER, INC.
1104 West 36th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211
Phone: 410-467-8710
Fax: 410-243-3407
E-mail: info@hampdenfamilycenter.org
URL: www.hampdenfamilycenter.org; www.youthlightproject.org

FOCUS: PHOTOGRAPHY, MEDIA ARTS
ANNUAL NUMBER PARTICIPATING: 30
AGES: 11–15
ANNUAL BUDGET: $57,900

"Through publication of photographs, inclusion in an exhibition, visits to local exhibits, and recognition as budding artists and photographers, Youthlight participants are being recognized for their talents, rather than as "at-risk" kids.";
Marshall Clarke, Youthlight Director