Two Queens Schools Receive Teacher/Artist Grants

Two schools in Queens have received matching grants to fund partnerships between teachers and artists or cultural organizations that will help students reach New York State Learning Standards. Through the partnerships, educators and teaching artists collaboratively plan and teach Standards-based curricula that teach arts and non-arts subjects as part of an integrated unit. Thirty-six schools applied for the School Arts Partnership (SAP) grants this year. A total of 19 schools throughout the state were funded.

The Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights received a grant for partnering with theatre artists Andrew Ronan and Desi Waters for "The Underage Cabaret". Adding a theater production component to the playwriting skills developed during a previous two-year residency, drama students "bring the page to the stage". Under the guidance of the teaching artists, students produce "The Underage Cabaret" at a neighborhood professional theater, using original material developed in their 9th and 10th grade English Language Arts classes. Producing pieces that link literary and personal life issues, they increase the sophistication of their writing and improve problemsolving and critical-thinking skills.

The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria will use its SAP partnership with Magic Box Productions, Inc. for "Through Our Eyes". Blending art, technology and personal narrative, the project helps build digital skills while nurturing students' intellectual curiosity and creativity by using digital photography and personal narrative as a tool for self-examination and reflection. After visiting the International Center for Photography, sixth grade students use digital cameras and Photoshop to create a school gallery of photographs and text representing their individual experiences as adolescent girls and build positive peer-to-peer reinforcement as they analyze and discuss each other's work.

Syracuse-based Partners for Arts Education (PAE) administers the SAP grant, which is funded by the New York State Council on the Arts. This is the fifth year PAE has distributed funds for the grant, which now total over $766,000. Over the five years, nine SAP partnerships have been funded in Queens.

"The 21st Century student needs new creative skills for the future," PAE Executive Director Laura Reeder said. "The arts continue to provide an essential spark, personal relevance, and energizing challenges for our next generation. These partnerships are a framework for artistic and educational collaborations that can transform communities."

Partners for Arts Education inspires learning and leadership for arts in education in Central New York and throughout New York state, providing funding and support to deepen and enrich educational experiences in and through the arts for students, teachers and artists.