M ING II'
TALLER
YOUTH • \ K I s
II I MAN1TIES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The participation of the following businesses, foundations,
and organizations in supporting the Coming Up Taller Awards
has been indispensable.
Elizabeth and Richard Dubin Foundation
GMAC Financial Services
Members, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
Ministry of Culture, People's Republic of China
The National Council for Culture and the Arts of Mexico and the U.S.
Embassy in Mexico, with special support from the Comex Group,
Fundacion Coca-Cola, and United Airlines
Time Warner Inc.
U.S. Embassy in Cairo
Vin and Caren Prothro Foundation
GMAC Financial Services
TimeWarner
With gratitude, the President's Committee on the Arts and the
Humanities acknowledges GMAC Financial Services and Time
Warner Inc. for their leadership commitment to arts and education.
Their generous contributions play a significant role in the success of
the Coming Up Taller program and make this publication possible.
Special thanks go to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
for its partnership in coordinating the Coming Up Taller program.
The following individuals are central to the success of this initiative:
Carmen Boston, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Wilsonia Cherry, National Endowment for the Humanities
Sharon Gee, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Candace Katz, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
Marsha Semmel, Institute of Museum and Library Services
Traci Slater-Rigaud, President's Committee on the Arts
and the Humanities
Anthony Tighe, National Endowment for the Arts
CREDITS
Writers: Carol Dana, Traci Slater-Rigaud
Editors: Jayson Hait, Traci Slater-Rigaud, Tidings Chan
Design: fuszion
Printing: Fannon
Coming Up Taller Logo Design: Time Warner Inc.
Permission to copy, disseminate, or otherwise use information from
this booklet is granted as long as appropriate acknowledgment
is given.
Contact the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
for copies of this publication:
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 526
Washington, DC 20506
Phone: 202-682-5409
Fax: 202-682-5668
E-mail: pcah@pcah.gov
URL: www.cominguptaller.org
www.pcah.gov
ere is no way to fast rorwar
and know how the kids will look
back on this, but I have seen the
joy in their eyes and have heard
it in their voices, and I have
watched them take a bow
and Come Up Taller.
WILLIE REALE
FOUNDER, THE 52ND STREET PROJECT, DESCRIBING THE IMPACT
OF THIS THEATER PROGRAM ON YOUTH LIVING IN HELLS KITCHEN,
A NEIGHBORHOOD IN NEW YORK CITY
Front Cover, center: TADA! Resident Youth Ensemble participant Rovm
Sena in Maggie and the Pirate.
Left: Project Jericho's Family Connections "A Key to the City " module
Photographers: TADA 1 Youth Theater, Project Jericho
A NOTE FROM
LAURA BUSH
Honorary Chairman
President's Committee
the Arts and the Humanities
Welcome to the 2008 Coming Up Taller Awards!
Dr. Seuss once wrote, "Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off
to Great Places! You're off and away!" He could have been talking to
the boys and girls who have benefited from this year's Coming Up
Taller Award winners.
These outstanding programs help children discover their talents
and unleash their imaginations in unique ways. Exploring the customs
of native people in Alaska and leading art museum tours in New
York help young people learn about other cultures through the arts.
In San Diego, photographs conveying stories of immigration to America
give children a new perspective about other people's journeys to
find freedom. And the opportunity to perform traditional opera on
stage in China leaves a lasting impression on a young person's life.
As part of President Bush's Helping America's Youth Initiative,
I have traveled across the country listening to young men and women
whose lives have been enriched by programs like yours. Their stories
are similar: Caring adults have shown them that they matter and
that they have what it takes to succeed.
As Honorary Chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and
the Humanities, I am delighted to join the Committee members, the
National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for
the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services
in congratulating this year's award winners. Thank you to all of the
adult leaders who have made a difference in children's lives. Your
efforts make possible the important goal of building a brighter
future for the next generation.
President Bush joins me in sending admiration to each of you
and best wishes for a great celebration together!
Sincerely
Right: Mark Tubin, Jr. demonstrates the one-arm-reach.
Photographer: Alaska Native Heritage Center
President's Committee on
the Arts and the Humanities
\
The President's Committee applauds the achievements of this year's
Coming Up Taller Award winners. Now in its 11th year, Coming Up
Taller brings to light how arts and humanities programs outside the
regular school day help young people realize their talent and find
their voices. When we gather for these awards, we are reminded of
why they are so appropriately named. After we experience girls
and boys singing, playing instruments, and dancing, we witness for
ourselves how, when taking their final bow, they are Coming Up Taller!
It's encouraging to watch these programs grow across the United
States and to know that they are enriching lives in other countries,
too. Children are learning their own traditions and those of other
cultures by playing a guitar, erhu, or marimba. Our young performers
remind us that it doesn't matter if they become professional artists
or pursue another road. The arts and the humanities are about
exploring the world around us, knowing each other better, and
becoming whole human beings.
As the poet William Butler Yeats said, "Education is not the filling
up of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." Coming Up Taller programs
help light the fires of curiosity, creativity, and motivation in our
young people and nourish these precious flames with mentoring,
caring, and guidance on doing one's best for a common goal.
Bienvenidos to our friends from Mexico; &iH! to our friends from
the People's Republic of China; and, for the first year, l^-y* to our
friends from Egypt! It has been enriching for us to honor programs
from other countries at the White House, and we look forward to
knowing each other better. Plans are being made for exchanges
between Coming Up Taller awardees, bringing programs and young
people together across borders. Our Mexican partners will convene
winners from the United States and Mexico next year, to exchange
ideas, build relationships, and share Mexican history and culture
with us.
We are grateful to our partner cultural agencies— the Institute of
Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts,
and the National Endowment for the Humanities— who have made it
a priority to reach out to other parts of the world with outstanding
programs. We also thank all of our contributors, especially GMAC,
Time Warner, and the members of the President's Committee, for
making this program possible.
A NOTE FROM THE
CULTURAL AGENCIES
HENRY MORAN
cxccuiivc uirenor
President's Committee on
the Arts and the Humanities
W
MELDAM. RADICE
Director
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Wmm
Chairman
National Endowment for the Arts
wm
M.COLE
Chairman
National Endowment for the Humanities
I We cannot always build the
future for our youth, but we can
build our youth for the future. J5
EVELYN WAUGH, ENGLISH NOVELIST
commitment to building a better tomorrow
by cultivating the minds and the talents of
our youth today is at the heart of all of this
'. year's Coming Up Taller award winners.
The young people served by these Coming Up Taller
programs are the next generation of leaders, artists,
writers, musicians, educators, and entrepreneurs.
The choices they make and activities in which they
now engage have a direct link to their success as
adults. We are pleased to join with First Lady Laura
Bush in celebrating the accomplishments of these young
people and recognizing model programs that reaffirm the
vital role of the arts and humanities in human development.
The Coming Up Taller Awards honor and support excellence in
arts and humanities programs that lay new pathways to learning,
self-discovery, and achievement outside the regular school day. The
programs motivate youth to acquire new skills and knowledge and
provide opportunities for them to succeed.
An initiative of the President's Committee on the Arts and the
Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National
Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and
Library Services, the Coming Up Taller Awards symbolize a shared
commitment to enriching the lives of young people through the arts
and the humanities. Leading foundations, businesses, corporations,
and individuals provide additional critical support. Our collective
investment demonstrates the contributions that the arts and the
humanities make to learning for children and teens across
the country and beyond.
Since its inception 11 years ago, the Coming Up Taller program has
received more than 3,500 nominations from every state in the country,
recognized over 400 programs as Semifinalists, and designated
more than 150 programs as Finalists. Together, our agencies have
awarded more than $1,400,000 to Coming Up Taller Finalists; increased
the number of annual awards from 10 to 15; and introduced an
annual leadership conference to enhance the organizational
capabilities of award recipients.
This year's awardees reflect the thriving field of cultural after-school
programs in the United States and the growing participation of
other nations. It is with considerable pride that we have made the
Coming Up Taller program part of our nation's cultural diplomacy
activities in other countries. Through a partnership with the U.S.
Mexico Foundation for Culture and a new partnership with Conaculta,
we have given 14 awards to cultural youth programs in Mexico. Also,
as an outgrowth of our visit to the People's Republic of China in 200~7,
we have cultivated a partnership with the country's Ministry of
Culture, through which we've recognized two programs from China.
Additionally, for the first time, we welcome the inclusion of a youth
program based in Cairo, Egypt, as a Coming Up Taller awardee and
look forward to continuing the cultivation of our partnership with Egypt.
By engaging youth in literature, drama, music, history, and art,
the 2008 Coming Up Taller Award winners are expanding young
minds and helping youth throughout the United States and around
the world build a better tomorrow.
Left: April Baker participates in Project Jericho's Family Connections
"Someone's in the Kitchen With Mommy" module.
Top: Andrew Walker demonstrates an Alaskan high kick.
Photographers: Project Jericho, Alaska Native Heritage Center
Coming Up Taller Uranh i»»S 5
ALASKA
ERITAGE CENTER
AFTER-SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
When I dance, I feel a connection
with my culture. Everything at
that moment feels right. I know
who I am and what my people
mean to me.
DEBRA DOMMEK. FORMER ANHC AFTER-SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL
PROGRAM PARTICIPANT, AS QUOTED IN THE ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS
ALASKA NATIVE
HERITAGE CENTER
& Traditional Arts
43-115
AGES:
48,900
-330-8000
/-330-8003
ihartyiqtalaska native, net
w. a laskanative.net
Anchorage has the largest Alaska Native community
in the state, yet the majority of these youth have little
connection to their Native heritage or the dominant
popular culture that surrounds them. Because many
of these young people have spent their entire lives in this urban
area, their lack of personal and cultural identity can
manifest itself in disproportionately high dropout
and unemployment rates.
To remedy this situation, the Alaska Native
Heritage Center (ANHC) runs an intensive
after-school program that incorporates
the arts and humanities to teach high school
students about their cultural roots. Meeting
four days a week for two hours a day during
the academic year, participants work with skilled
Alaska Native instructors, learning traditional
dance and music, as well as carving, mask making,
basketry, and other folk arts.
The young people receive hands-on media and technology training,
gaining skills that they can use to disseminate their communities'
stories to a wider audience, as well as to obtain jobs. They also
develop strength, endurance, and concentration by participating
in Native games. Leadership workshops introduce students to
high-profile Alaskan figures, while challenging them to identify
their own strengths and prepare for roles of greater responsibility.
Participants who complete 120 hours in the program receive a half
semester's high school credit, which counts toward graduation.
In addition, the Alaska Native Heritage Center— a museum and
cultural center that hosts some 100,000 tourists a year— employs
about 15 percent of the program's students each summer as
dancers, cultural interpreters, or guest-service workers.
Teens in the ANHC program have a 24 percent higher graduation
rate than Native high school students who do not attend the
after-school sessions.
Moreover, the immersion in cultural traditions has the potential
to make a lifelong difference. "These are things that touch the
spirit or the soul; they touch the essence of who we are," explains
Director Bob Harty. By promoting a sense of grounding, as well as
greater confidence and maturity, participants
gain tools to make sense of the world and
find their place in it, he notes.
K * w
Left, from background to foreground: (L-R) Flora Phillips, Tamara Sambo, and
Maddelynn Sambo perform during the Alaska Native Heritage Center's Heroes
of Human Rights Day: Jay Rapoza demonstrates videography.
Top: Tiana Fuqua works on her end-of-year project.
Bottom: (L-R) Roberta Gochenauer carves into red cedar in the NW Coast Art
panels class; young men learn how to drum an Unangax song and dance.
Photographer: Alaska Native Heritage Center
Coming Up Taller Iwantsso
AMERICA
Back on Track
When I think about my street...
I think about those trying to beat me down,
trying to make me look like a clown.
But that doesn't make me frown
or look at the ground.
When they come at me like that,
swinging with a bat,
I keep trying to get back on track,
grab my soccer ball and a pencil
and blow those other dudes off the map!
ISAIAH P.. AGE 10, AMERICA SCORES PARTICIPANT
%
AMERICA SCORt
e, nth Floor
New York, NY 10018
FOCUS:
PARTICIPANT
AGES:
BUDGET
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL
URL
6,000
.1 million
'-868-9510 ext. 307
8-9533
ckman aamericascores.org
ww.americaSCORES.org
At first glance, it might seem like an unusual amalgam
of activities for an after-school program: studying and
writing poetry, playing soccer, and working on community
service projects. But that's how nearly 6,000 elementary
school students in some of the lowest-performing public schools
in America are spending their afternoons, five days a week
throughout the school year. And, there's a waiting list!
Known as America SCORES, the program is
the brainchild of a Washington, DC, teacher
who began to share her soccer and poetry
hobbies with at-risk students to give them
something productive to do after school.
The unlikely pairing of athletics and literature
improved kids' grades, keeping them in school
and out of trouble. Today, 200 public schools
in 15 cities across the country offer the program.
America SCORES selects, trains, and pays the
public school teachers who oversee poetry, soccer,
and service-learning workshops and practices.
During the fall semester, participants— many of whom come
from tough environments— spend three afternoons a week playing
soccer and learning teamwork, while getting much-needed exercise.
Two afternoons a week, the young people focus on poetry. They
study basic literary terminology and poetic devices; analyze
the poetry of Emily Dickinson, Robert Louis Stevenson, Christina
Rossetti, and Nikki Giovanni; and write poetry in a variety of forms,
based on their studies. This art form enables participants to express
difficult feelings, triumphs, and dreams, while gaining reading and
writing skills that will improve their chances in school. And, as Paul
Caccamo, president, points out, "For a child who's never had the
opportunity to express himself or herself, poetry is an amazing
tool because there's no wrong way to write a poem."
The fall semester culminates in a spoken-word Poetry Slam!, in
which all of America SCORES' students perform their original poetry
for families and community members, reinforcing participants' pride
in their achievements. Many students get the added thrill of seeing
their poems published in the organization's Kicker! magazine,
which has a national circulation of 15,000.
In spring, students continue to play soccer, but a service-learning
curriculum replaces the poetry component. Once the young
people decide on a project— for example, running a food drive,
raising AIDS awareness, or installing emergency call boxes in their
neighborhoods— they draw on their expository writing
skills to make the case for and publicize their projects.
This component fosters civic engagement, helping the
youth see themselves as "agents of positive change
in their communities," Caccamo notes.
A recent evaluation found that participants improved
their fitness, strengthened their writing skills, and
increased their confidence. They also tended to spend
more free time reading, writing, and exercising.
Left, from background to foreground: (L-R) America SCORES students from
Denver, Cleveland, and Seattle; Michael Perry performs his original poetry at
the program's National Poetry Slam! in New York City.
Top: America SCORES Seattle students recite a poem during halftime of their
soccer game.
Bottom: America SCORES Dallas student works on an original poem.
Photographers: America SCORES, Christopher Auger-Dominguez. Jack Storms
Coming Up Taller lu<anhsaoH 9
ART AND LEADERSHIP
My child is a good leader, but he
doesn't feel confident in particular
situations. This camp has given
him confidence in [pursuing] his
art, going out on his own and
meeting new people, and dealing
with confrontation.
PARENT OF AN ART AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
GEORGIA
)CUS
PARTICIP^
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL:
URL:
5-946-1012
46-1092
;iem a okeeffemuseum.org
okeeffemuseum.org
When people think of leadership, they often associate
it with fields like politics or sports. But many artists
also have the potential to be leaders because of
their ability to see the world in non-traditional ways
and formulate creative solutions to problems, points out Jackie
M., director of education and public programs for the
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
"Creative individuals are visionaries; they're
thinkers," she explains.
In an effort to support and develop the
leadership qualities of artistically inclined
young people, the Museum launched the
innovative Art and Leadership Program in 1998.
It was initially open only to girls, in keeping with
the Museum's focus on O'Keeffe (a woman artist)
and in response to research documenting declines
in girls' achievement as they reach adolescence. The
Museum launched a separate, parallel program for boys in
2002 to address gender-specific factors impeding their academic
success. In particular, because many artistic boys lack role models
the program encourages their creative development.
The tuition-free, gender-based program involves
intensive two-week summer camps. Low-income
children and those confronting at-risk issues
such as abuse, divorce, or death in the family
receive priority placement. The Museum also
runs an after-school program at selected
sites throughout the school year.
Gifted artists lead the sessions. They use theater
games, role-playing exercises, and reflective
components built into arts activities to promote
students' abilities to make sound decisions,
set goals, and articulate needs and boundaries.
For example, in one exercise, girls create two
self-portraits: one at their present age and one
much older. Next, they reflect on what they hope
to have accomplished by their 80th birthday.
M. points out that this helps students
understand that they have choices in their
lives and encourages them to set higher goals,
while countering negative stereotypes about
aging that the girls receive from the media.
Leadership skills can be particularly important
in helping at-risk youth become more resilient,
adds M. By gaining self-confidence and
self-determination, young people can make
changes, however small, in their current
circumstances and feel more in control,
even in difficult environments.
Left: Kevin Lucero and other masked boys run with staffs.
Top: Katherine Robinson conducts a writing workshop by the Chama River.
Bottom: Kaila Griffin draws a self-portrait using oil pastels.
Photographers: Shannon Bay, Ryan Melega
Coming Up Taller \irui
It totally changed my life. It gave
me the confidence to pursue music
and achieve my dreams. I thought,
'You can do this, and you can
make a living doing this.' J J
SEAN SKEETE, 1992 GRADUATE OF BERKLEE CITY MUSIC AND BERKLEE
COLLEGE OF MUSIC FACULTY
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC
FOCUS
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL:
URL
-747-2031
-747-2875
' marcocS>berklee.edu
erkleecltymusic.org
Boston-based Berklee College of Music has been called
the "MIT of pop"— a catchy moniker for this internationally
acclaimed institution for contemporary and popular music.
Berklee should also be called generous. Every year,
hundreds of musically inclined, at-risk students benefit from
the opportunity to study with the school's renowned
faculty and alumni.
The 17-year-old Berklee City Music (BCM) program
offers rigorous, sequential musical instruction
at no charge to Boston-area children. These
students, who come from underperforming
schools in high-risk neighborhoods, undergo
an interview and audition prior to acceptance
into the program. Although candidates must
have some background in music, passion is equal
to technical proficiency.
"What we're looking for is that spark, for students who feel,
'I just have to do this,'" explains Executive Director J. Curtis Warner, Jr.
BCM's Preparatory School provides private lessons as well as
ensemble and musicianship classes to middle school students.
The Upper School offers continued instruction for talented high
school students. Their lessons take place on the Berklee campus
as part of the school's effort to encourage teenagers to think about
higher education. A special scholarship program allows about 50
BCM students a year to participate in the prestigious, intensive
five-week Summer Performance Program.
To its credit, BCM has an unusually high retention rate: More than
90 percent of participants stay in the program throughout high
school. BCM Director Krystal Banfield attributes this success
to both the college's focus on American popular music and the
collaborative teaching approach, which emphasizes ensemble
work and improvisation.
"It's not something that's dictated; it's shared. They're empowered
through that. They learn their own voices and learn to be creative,"
she points out.
Thanks to a generous scholarship program, talented students can
continue their higher education at Berklee. Currently, about 10 BCM
students receive full, four-year scholarships each year to the college.
Whether students stay at Berklee or pursue other options, they
receive a solid grounding for life.
'BCM participants leave the program as creative,
inventive, and improvisational people-
attributes that are critical to the
success of any pursuit,"
Warner explains.
/
Left: (L-R) J'andre Riccard; Tayler Fernandes-Nunez; a vocalist in the Diane
Richardson Ensemble.
Top: Albertrand Peer on trumpet.
Bottom: Berklee City Music All-Stars perform.
Photographer: Berklee City Music
Coming Up Taller IwardaiooX 13
FULTON
ATRE PROGRAM
The production of Chain
Reaction— written, produced,
and performed by the Youtheatre
team— was, by far, the best
educational piece I have seen
on contemporary slavery. Chain
Reaction made me realize how
much power there is in youth
speaking to youth.
KEVIN BALES, AUTHOR OF DISPOSABLE PEOPLE: NEW SLAVERY IN THE
GLOBAL ECONOMY, THE BOOK ON WHICH CHAIN REACTION WAS BASED
y
FULTON OPERA HOUSE
FOCUS:
ince, Music, Theater
FOUNDATION
PARTICIPA
40
AGES:
BUDGET:
124,000
Lancaster, PA 17603
PHONE:
7-394-7133
FAX:
97-3780
EMAIL:
)rnhauserp.thef ulton.org
URL:
thefulton.org
n a rehearsal space at the historic Fulton Opera House in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, members of the organization's Youtheatre ensemble
are spending a July day putting the final touches on The Heart
Knows Something Different. This play will premiere in a workshop
production later that month. But this is no piece of summertime
fluff. The play— adapted from a book by the same
name— provides a searing and thought-provoking
look at life in the foster care system.
If the script cuts a bit close to the bone, it's
because some of these young actors have
first-hand experience with the system.
Youtheatre comprises teens who have faced
serious life challenges. Social service, juvenile
justice, and other agencies refer youth to the
program. The group has included former gang
members, recovering drug addicts, and survivors
of physical or sexual abuse, as well as teens who
are deaf or autistic.
"There are a lot of marginalized kids whose voices are
not heard, and yet they have so many important things
to say," explains Program Founder Barry Kornhauser.
"We thought that the arts might be a vehicle to
help them transform their lives by dealing with
their own issues and sharing them with others."
Each play develops over a two-year period,
progressing from a workshop production the
first summer to a fully staged production the
second year. Youtheatre goes into high gear
in the summer, when the teens spend five weeks
working with theater professionals to refine
the script, write music, and rehearse their current
production. The daily schedule includes time for a "circle," in
which members share what is going on in their lives. These
sessions build trust and tolerance, while identifying issues that
may require the help of therapists or other professionals.
Fulton's caring environment sets the stage
for personal breakthroughs: For example, an
autistic teen learned to temper "inappropriate"
behavior; a shy Hispanic boy gradually moved
from non-speaking parts to leading roles; and
a former gang member chose to play a gay
character on stage.
During the final public performances,
ensemble members not only claim their
moment in the limelight, but also see themselves
as "agents of change," bringing thought-provoking
messages on topics of consequence to the broader
community, Kornhauser notes.
Left: Celebration from 700 Monkeys in Search of an Elusive Butterfly.
Top: Ismail Smith-Wade-El and Louisa Grosh, with video image of Cat Walker.
Middle and Bottom: Scenes from Chain Reaction.
Photographer: Craig Leaper
Coming Up Taller IwardsaaaS 15
JOURNEY
I was afraid to talk, but I
was not scared to take pictures
That's how I started changing
my life. J
BACH CUC DOAN, JOURNEY PROGRAM PARTICIPANT,
ORIGINALLY FROM VIETNAM
THE AJA PROJECT
irts, Photography
J-223-7001
,9-501-8169
~~dra(a>ajaproject.org
ajaproject.org
FOCUS
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
BUDGET
PHONE:
FAX
EMAIL
URL:
t's hard to overstate the sense of loss and isolation that many
refugees and immigrants feel when coming to the United States.
Not only have many survived wars or other traumatic events, but
many also arrive knowing little or no English. Conversely, Americans
often know little about the newcomers' culture and would be
hard-pressed to find their homeland on a map.
In the San Diego area, Journey, an ambitious
program of The AjA Project, employs photography
to help refugee and immigrant youth make that
difficult transition, as well as educate their peers, i
Students meet twice a week during the school
year to learn photography basics and explore
cultural issues, through various activities. The
youth conduct oral histories; engage in critical-
thinking exercises, discussions, and interactive
projects; and participate in field trips. Between
sessions, they create digital photo essays on such
themes as Old Home, Leaving, Arriving, and New
Community that mirror the immigration
process in pictures and words.
Along with helping participants deal with the
psychosocial challenges of transitioning to a new
culture, Journey enables them to claim a deeper
sense of their identities— what is unique and
what is universal— and provides a foundation
in their new community.
"We're promoting positive self-images because
we believe that is what's going to lead them
to make healthy decisions and become future
leaders for their communities," explains Sandra
Ainslie, executive director of The AjA Project.
The program's goals are even more far-reaching. To raise awareness
of the realities that displaced people face— and, ultimately, to
create a more accepting environment— Journey mounts large-scale
exhibitions of student work in places where the public cannot help
but "interact with" the images, Ainslie adds. The organization placed
more than 150 photographs and text banners in shop windows
along a seven-block stretch of a San Diego thoroughfare and
displayed another two dozen 7 x 8-foot photographs on a fence
encircling the San Diego Museum of Art.
When passersby encounter an image— for example, a
henna hand decoration— and read the photographer's
description of what the decoration symbolizes for her,
it helps to replace misconceptions with understanding,
Ainslie points out.
Left: (L-R) Sevda Rasulova smiles for a self-portrait exercise; Dora Benganyeni
in motion during a segment on bicultural identity; Chit Khin takes a portrait at
the program's site on the border of Thailand and Burma.
Top: While learning about light, students photograph shadows.
Middle: Participants explore intergenerational themes.
Bottom: (L-R) Madina Maho experiments with various photographic techniques;
Fadumo Issa takes photographs during a scavenger hunt.
Photographer: The AjA Project
Coming Up Taller luwn
LATINO ARTS
Students in the Latino Arts
Strings Program receive the kind
of comprehensive, skills-based,
and supportive instruction that
so often makes the difference
between success and failure.
SCOTT EMMONS. INTERIM DEAN, PECK SCHOOL OF THE ARTS.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
LATINO ARTS, INC.
FOCUS
PARTICIPA
AGES:
BUDGET
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL
URL:
Traditional Arts
.000
-384-3100
4-649-4411
alatinoartsinc.org
latinoartsinc.org
nstead of utilizing a deficit model that defines at-risk students
based on what's wrong or what's missing, instructors in the Latino
Arts Strings Program take the opposite approach: They imagine
what's possible, set high expectations, and then constantly raise
the bar, according to Vice President Ricardo Diaz.
Founded in 2002, this after-school and summer
program offers high-quality, sequential string
musical training to underserved and at-risk
youth in grades 1 through 12. The United
Community Center, located in the predomi-
nantly Latino area of Milwaukee, hosts the
classes. Latino Arts provides instruments and
music, as well as individual and small-group
lessons in violin, viola, cello, and guitar.
Furthermore, the organization often waives
the annual token fee of $40. Students from the
Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and the University
of Wisconsin— Milwaukee assist the program faculty.
fc,
The program's lively mariachi bands, youth orchestra,
and guitar ensemble frequently entertain audiences
at community festivals and events throughout
the greater Milwaukee area. These performances
build self-confidence and provide exposure
to new worlds.
"We see instruments and music as a conduit
to get kids into the right settings and to be
able to mingle with populations they might
not otherwise encounter," Diaz explains. These
appearances also help the wider community to
see Latino youth in a different light. "The poise,
the ability to get in front of others, begins to erase
that whole deficit thinking from 'Oh, these poor
kids' to 'Oh gosh, these are talented young men
and women,'" Diaz remarks.
The Latino Arts Strings Program emphasizes discipline,
commitment, and family involvement. Students are
expected to practice daily, and parents sign a log
confirming the times. By fostering these and
other positive behaviors, the program helps
kids to steer clear of gangs and drugs, resulting
in academic success: Research shows that for
5th grade Strings Program participants, the
average reading GPA increased from 2.81 to
3.45 over two years.
This structured musical training is more than
a healthy outlet; it also establishes a solid foundation
for students wishing to pursue careers in music. The Milwaukee
Youth Symphony Orchestra currently includes 17 Latino Arts
Strings participants.
Left, from background to foreground: Latino Arts youth orchestra
participants Alondra Duran and Patricia Avalos.
Top: Mariachi Juvenil performs in front of Lake Michigan.
Middle: Jazmine Medina on her violin.
Bottom: Program Director Dinorah Marquez with the Mariachi Juvenil.
Photographer: Latino Arts, Inc.
Coming Up Taller IwantsaooS 19
PROJECT
I was dubious that a program
geared around writing and arts
workshops would be anything
more than a nuisance. But I'm
now glad I gave it a chance. It is
unbelievable what a difference
Project Jericho has made in our
detention facility.
FRED THOMAS. DIRECTOR, CLARK COUNTY JUVENILE
DETENTION CENTER
: *w&
.*> H
CLARK STATE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE PERFORMING ARTS
CENTER
FOCUS:
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL:
URL
iciplinary
" youth and family members
-328-7951
r-328-3879
sons'Sclarkstate.edu
roject-jericho.com
Just as the seemingly impregnable walls of Jericho came
tumbling down in the biblical account, so can the arts
break down barriers to communication, self-expression,
and self-actualization for at-risk young people. That's
the idea behind Project Jericho, initiated in southwestern
Ohio by the Clark State Community College Performing
Arts Center and Job & Family Services of Clark County
This ambitious effort touches young people
and families in a range of settings throughout
one of the state's most impoverished counties.
For example, youth incarcerated at the Clark
County Juvenile Detention Center can participate
in Inside the Walls, Outside the Box, a Project
Jericho program that employs the arts to foster
positive social interactions, while challenging
participants to explore and claim their personal
strengths. The program has produced a significant
drop in violence within detention facilities.
Upon their release, young people continue their connection
to community arts resources through Project Jericho,
reducing recidivism. Jane Skogstrom, magistrate
of the Clark County Juvenile Court, calls this
"the most worthwhile program to help troubled
youth" that she has seen in 30 years of juvenile
justice work.
Recognizing that healthier family dynamics
can improve the prospects for some at-risk
youth, Project Jericho also holds the Family
Connections program for clients of Job &
Family Services of Clark County. Families-
including intact families and those where a young
person has been removed from the home— collaborate on
a series of art-based projects. By creating albums that examine
their relationships or making masks to explore roles and identities,
families strengthen bonds and improve communication.
Project Jericho also teams with Springfield City Schools in Ohio,
to offer semester-long after-school arts programs aimed at young
people identified as at-risk by teachers, counselors, or other
officials. To promote a sense of community connection
and combat alienation, participants work under the
direction of local artists and arts educators on
projects, such as mosaics or murals, that benefit
the schools or community.
The intensive Summer Arts Camp, the Bucket
Band, and Exodus Hip Hop Dance Troupe are
among Project Jericho's other in-depth arts
experiences that improve the lives of the
county's at-risk youth and families.
ackground to foreground: (L-R) Poetry Slam participant Chalyse
enerly; Exodus Hip Hop dancers; Bucket Band members Andre Russell and
Myreyisha Baker.
Top: Myeisha Smith works on the YouthVOICE painting.
Bottom: Incarcerated youth in a mask-making residency through Project
Jericho's Inside the Walls. Outside the Box program.
Photographer: Project Jericho
Coming Up Taller Imw
It is a model program for
young adults who are eager to
learn about the myriad career
opportunities in the arts.
LAURIE R. DIEN. SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER, PINKERTON FOUNDATION
QUEENS MUSEUM OF ART
ushing Meadows Corona Par
Queens, NY 11368
FOCUS:
PARTICIPA
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL:
URL:
0,000
-592-9700 ext. 241
2-5778
skinsky otqueensmuseum.org
w.queensmuseum.org
Many teenagers living in less affluent, heavily immigrant
communities have limited exposure to career opportunities
in the professional world. "Work" may mean a low wage
after-school job, one that their parents might have to keep
a roof over the family's head and food on the table. The
Queens Museum of Art, in Queens, New York, is striving
to broaden teens' professional horizons through an
intensive docent program that introduces the young
adults to museum-related careers that many may
have thought were impractical or unattainable.
Known as Queens Teens, the program works
with two area high schools and recruits students
who have an interest in the arts or education
and could benefit from a structured, nurturing
environment, explains Laura Groskinsky, family
and teen education coordinator.
In weekly after-school workshops, the teens explore
the Museum's collections and exhibitions, learning how
to approach and interpret art. These sessions also prepare
students to deal with the public, focusing on how
to dress and interact appropriately with a wide
variety of visitors, including those with special
needs. This training leads to paid assignments,
such as conducting weekend art workshops
and public tours for families, or serving as
summer art camp counselors.
Many of the young people blossom in the
multiyear, multifaceted program. "They're
teenagers, and initially, they're completely
self-conscious. They think everyone's staring at their
pimples," Groskinsky laughs. But with training, many
gain remarkable confidence and poise. "It's almost magical
to watch it happen, to see them get up there and face
people and work a crowd."
The Queens Museum of Art also benefits. Because
the teens reflect the diverse community that
surrounds the Museum, they serve as ambassadors
for the institution. "They help translate, whether
it's Spanish or Mandarin, and they welcome
other families, creating a comfort level for
visitors," Groskinsky attests.
About 85 percent of the program's graduates
enroll in college, a high percentage of which
pursue careers in art, design, or fashion. But even
those who choose other fields will be in a better
position to succeed because they have learned, as
Groskinsky notes, "that they can communicate with people,
that they have the ability to explore ideas, and that they can
be taken seriously."
Left: Brandon Lee Harris gives an exhibition tour to fellow Queens Teens.
Top: Program participants set up their annual exhibition.
Middle: (L-R) Susan Xu, Evelyn Stephens-Tse, and Stephanie Wong install their
own work for view.
Bottom: Queens Teens determine the arrangement of artwork for an exhibition
Photographer: Queens Museum of Art
Coming Up Taller Iwardaiot
SIMPSON STREET
I've met many of these children
during my visits to the Press.
They're eager to tell me about
their writing process— where
they find their inspiration, how
they conduct their research,
how they shape their stories,
and how many revisions it takes
to get it just right— things that
I didn't know until I was in my
first job out of college.
JODI GOLDBERG, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR. AMERICAN GIRL MAGAZINE
- /
SIMPSON STREET FREE
PRESS, INC.
FOCUS:
PARTICIP-a
AGES:
BUDGET
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL
URL:
tanities, Journalism
16,440
8-223-0489
,41-9983
_ ,d achorus.net
ww.simpsonstreetfreepress.org
On any given afternoon at the Simpson Street Free
Press newsroom, you might find 15 to 20 reporters
between the ages of 11 and 18, researching material
on the Internet, checking facts on the phone, banging
out articles on computers, and working with editors on story
assignments and revisions. If this newsroom— located
in a Madison, Wisconsin, shopping mall— has the feel
of a "real" newsroom, that's because it is.
This crew of young reporters and editors
puts out a highly regarded 24-page monthly
newspaper filled with articles on history,
cultural geography, science, literary criticism,
and the arts. Articles in a recent issue spanned
topics from global warming and flying dinosaurs,
to the roots of the French Revolution and
reviews of art museum exhibitions.
The majority of the staff come from diverse ethnic
backgrounds and lower-income neighborhoods lacking
meaningful after-school activities. Reporters apply for
the jobs, which offer bylines plus stipends, based on
the number of articles published.
"It really feels cool for a 14-year-old to tell their
friends, 'I have to go to work tonight.' And when
they get there, they have a desk and business
cards," remarks Managing Editor James Kramer.
The paper was founded in 1992 to help students
overcome writing deficiencies, which hindered
their academic success, Kramer explains. Under
the guidance of more-experienced teenage section
editors, as well as paid University of Wisconsin
journalism students and adult volunteers, young reporters
work on "the 'Three Rs': revision, revision, revision," Kramer adds
Participants can spend a couple of months learning
how to develop and write clear, compelling stories.
Once they grasp the process, they dig into their
assignments with enthusiasm. "We've come up
with a system that makes students clamor to
write," Kramer states with pride.
The lessons learned on the paper carry into the
classroom: More than 90 percent of participants
improve their GPA within six months; 92 percent
of seniors go on to college.
Readers also benefit. Now distributed throughout
the city, the newspaper has a circulation of 23,000 and a
growing online presence. The peer-written articles encourage
students to read. Without even realizing it, they soak up core
academic subjects as they peruse the news on sunken ships, the life
of Edgar Allen Poe, and Neanderthal hunters.
Left, from background to foreground: (L-R) Teen Editor Npib Thao, Olivia
Sanderfoot, and Keith Black; Science and Tech Editor Sisi Chen explains a
lesson plan worksheet to a Summer Writing Workshop student.
Top: (L-R) Gloria Gonzales and Deidre Green work with a wildlife biologist to
collect data during the Wisconsin River sturgeon spawn.
Middle: Volunteer Mariana Pacheco helps Nancy Garduno edit a theater review
about Esperanza Rising.
Bottom: Teen editors and columnists plan an upcoming issue.
Photographer: Simpson Street Free Press
Coming Up Taller livaru
SUMMER ARTS
YOUNG AUDIENCES
FOCUS:
Itidiscipnnary
OF INDIANA
PARTICIPA
300
AGES:
BUDGET:
66,300
Suite 210
Indianapolis, IN 46208
PHONE:
'-925-4043
FAX:
>5-0654
EMAIL:
imunityi&yaindy.org
URL:
yaindy.org
While many children would be thrilled to have the
chance to work elbow to elbow with just one artist,
youngsters attending selected summer camps in
Indianapolis have the good fortune to spend part
of their day with an entire team of professional teaching artists.
Through Summer Arts for Youth (SAY), a Young Audiences
of Indiana program, these artist teams work together
to deliver hands-on, multidisciplinary arts experiences
at eight different sites in lower-income parts
of the city.
Each team comprises a musician, dancer, visual
artist, and theater artist who collaborate with
the youngsters for three hours a day, in sessions
that can last up to four weeks. As a focal point
for their work— and to boost literacy skills— each
team builds its art activities around a high-quality
children's book. For example, in 2007, one of the
participating sites chose / See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus.
A storyteller introduced the book. A visual artist showed children
how to make collages in the cubist style of book illustrator Michele
Wood. A dancer taught various styles, including African
tribal movements and hip hop steps, which linked
to musical periods covered in the book. A musician
drummed for the dances.
Few of these youngsters have had any access
to high-quality arts experiences. Consequently,
the program's intensive, multifaceted focus
builds participants' arts skills and appreciation.
The activities also help students brush up
literacy skills during the summer, when many fall
behind academically, notes Shalom Black, Young
Audiences' director of community programs.
A 2006 study, underwritten by the National Endowment for the
Arts, documented participants' progress: Campers significantly
improved their arts knowledge, as well as dance and visual arts
skills. In addition, children retained new vocabulary and
arts concepts after school resumed.
Black acknowledges that the program's multidisciplinary approach
makes it challenging to support the large number of artists involved.
However, thanks to a consistent group of funders "who appreciate
what the arts can do to enrich kids' lives," Young Audiences of Indiana
can continue its mission through Summer Arts for Youth.
Left, background to "^ foreground: (L-R) Joanna Arellanes; Takiyah
Spikes: Brayan Fernandez and Emiliano Guevara from LaPlaza Summer
Discovery program.
Top: Children participate in a yoga class.
Middle: Young SAY drummer.
Bottom: (L-R) Carlos Casco, Gabe McDonald, and Grace Posey.
Photographers: Caitlyn Maher, Lydia Maher. Toshia Ricks, Larry Gindhart
Coming Up Taller [wards looA 27
SURA
ACADEMY
When students brought
photographs of religious lives
back to class, amazing discussions
followed about specific family
practices and religious beliefs.
Some of our students had never
been exposed to different religious
ideas or views before.
CELINE TAMINIAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ARAB AMERICAN
NATIONAL MUSEUM
ARAB AMERICAN NATIONAL
MUSEUM/ACCESS
FOCUS:
PARTICIPA
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL:
URL:
!9,550
-582-2266
2-1086
ninian d accesscommunity.org
w.arabamericanmuseum.org
n recent decades, a large influx of Arab American families
has contributed significantly to the vibrant cultural fabric
of southwest Detroit. Although African Americans, Latinos,
and other ethnic groups in this predominantly lower-income
area live together, they tend to know little about one
another, and tensions and misconceptions exist.
To create bridges among cultures, the Arab American
National Museum, based in Dearborn, developed
an innovative photography program, the SURA
Arts Academy. Sura is Arabic for photograph.
The free program, aimed at middle school
children, is offered weekly after school during
the academic year, as well as in the summer,
at a school in southwest Detroit. The program
recruits participants from nearby schools, seeking
a diverse group of about 30 students each session
Instructors from Detroit's College for Creative Studies teach basic
camera operation. They provide participants with digital cameras
and send the young people into their communities
to document such topics as work, food, religion,
recreation, and family life. The youth share their
portfolios at subsequent sessions. Every year, the
Museum exhibits some of the best photographs
from the program.
"In the process of talking about the content
of each photograph, they are indirectly
teaching each other about the different foods
or different customs or different practices in
their communities," explains Celine Taminian, the
Museum's assistant director. "They're learning to
respect each others' backgrounds and cultures."
Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of State, youth
in the SURA program also have an opportunity to connect with
photography students in Amman, Jordan, promoting cross-cultural
understanding on an international level. They share photos over the
Internet, comment on each other's work via e-mail, and interact in
real time using videoconferencing technology and interpreters.
Whether the communication occurs among groups from the
same neighborhood or across international boundaries,
the program's organizers believe that it will pay
long-term dividends. "As participants learn
about other people, we're hoping that as they
grow up, they will contribute to eliminating
some of the tensions," shares Taminian.
Left, from background to foreground: Brianna Pitariu and Waleed Silmi learn
basic photography skills.
Top: (L-R) Iman Silmi and Manar Silmi explore nature with their cameras.
Middle: Joshua Napier and Ronald Miller consult on a project.
Bottom: (L-R) Diana Molina, Brianna Pitariu, and Daisy Garcia.
Photographers: Lynnette Blasey, Joe Namy
Coming Up Taller \wnnhioo8 29
TADA!
DENT YOUTH
ENSEMBLE
s I watched my daughter
take the stage, she exuded a
confidence and joy that I hadn't
seen before. At that moment I
thought, 'This is it! This is exactly
where she needs to be.'
PARENT OF A TADA! RESIDENT YOUTH ENSEMBLE MEMBER
TADA! YOUTH THEATER
FOCUS
PARTICIPA
AGES:
BUDGET
PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL:
URL:
I Theater
-252-1619
2-8763
re@tadatheater.com
w.tadatheater.com
Among audiences and theater critics, TADA! Youth
Theater has a reputation for high-quality musical theater
productions presented with unusual professionalism
and verve by an ensemble of talented young actors.
But staging great performances is only one aspect of this New York
City theater company. TADA! is also a youth-development
program that promotes academic and personal
success among its ensemble members, the majority
of whom come from low-income families.
The resident program actively publicizes open
auditions in underserved areas. Once accepted,
participants receive free after-school and summer
training in music, voice, dance, and theater.
Working under the guidance of directors,
choreographers, and musicians with extensive
regional and Broadway credits, the children and
teens have a rare opportunity to pursue their passions,
while learning to strive for excellence. Because ensemble
members can spend hundreds of hours a year in training, rehearsals,
and performances, "they become really skilled in time management,"
notes Executive Director and Founder Janine Nina Trevens. "They
often do their homework on the subway."
The teamwork that's inherent in ensemble work teaches other valuable
lessons, as well. "It's not about becoming a star. It's about being a part
of a group and staying a part of that group," Trevens emphasizes. And,
because participants range from 8 to 18 years old, they're challenged
to move beyond age-based cliques, learning tolerance and respect
for people of all ages and various backgrounds.
The qualities that participants develop— leadership skills, concentration,
self-discipline, self-confidence, and determination— pay off: For the
past five years, 100 percent of the program's seniors have graduated
from high school and enrolled in college. Some go on to careers
on the stage or screen. For example, talk show host Ricki Lake
and actress Kerry Washington are two of the more famous alums.
"It's really not about careers in the arts," Trevens asserts. "It's about
creating people who want to be part of society, who know what they
have to contribute to the world, and who feel like they have a voice
and abilities to do whatever it is they decide they want to do."
om background to foreground: (L-R) Darius Davie, Maya Park,
Levin in They Chose Me; Anthony Sanchez; The Gumball Gang: Crime-Solving
Kids Nicholas Stewart and Casey Wenger-Schulman.
Top: Production scene from Everything About Camp (Almost).
Bottom: (L-R) Robert Aviles and Mary Claire Miskell in Gift of Winter; Christina
Franklin in They Chose Me.
Photographer: TADA! Youth Theater
Coming Up Taller \irni
WORD
NEYS
The outcomes of the program
have shown that lives have been
enriched, attitudes have changed,
friendships have formed, and
new doors have opened for the
children and mentors alike.
FRANCES SJOBERG, LITERARY DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
POETRY CENTER
PIMA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
FOCUS:
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
BUDGET
PHONE
FAX:
EMAIL
URL:
.^-594-5617
-594-5621
sa.bunkerapima.gov
w.l ibrary.pima.gov/wordjourneys
Seated around tables in Tucson's Woods Memorial Branch
Library, a group of 15 elementary school children is busily
dreaming up similes and writing them down on large
brightly colored squares of paper. "I'm as happy as
a bubble," writes one boy, who proceeds to illustrate his example
with a drawing of buoyant blue orbs. A teenage mentor
sits by each child's side, helping with writing and
spelling. Pieces of yarn connect the completed
squares, creating a colorful quilt that offers
a vivid reminder of the fun that can be had
with language.
Known as Word Journeys, this unusual after-
school program arose through a partnership
between the Pima County Public Library and
the local school district. The library meeting
place is critical to the program, explains Marge
Pellegrino, a children's book author and program
leader. "A library is a place for lifelong learning. There
are treasures in libraries," she points out. Word Journeys
seeks to acquaint more families with libraries' riches.
The program, held weekly throughout the schoo
year, targets students in kindergarten through
grade 5, from racially diverse and economically
challenged Tucson neighborhoods. Teachers
and counselors refer the youngsters, who
travel to the library by bus. Trained teenage
mentors are integral to the program and
receive a stipend of $100 per semester. They
demonstrate that it's "cool" to come to the
library and model appropriate behaviors, such
as listening to and interacting with others.
Pellegrino typically begins each workshop with a reading
from a children's book on a particular theme, such as Friendships
Across Cultures. Craft and writing exercises follow, encouraging
children to reflect on the theme and relate it to their lives. Each
session also includes a short "treasure hunt" to familiarize students
with library resources.
At the program's conclusion, children share
their creative projects. Through this exercise,
they learn to value their accomplishments,
while seeing how children from different
backgrounds experience the world. This
year, for the first time, the group included
a number of Bantu refugees from Somalia.
These youngsters have had a difficult time
finding acceptance in the local schools,
and the friendships made through the
program are helping to ease the transition,
Pellegrino remarks.
Left, foreground: Calixte Beohourou reads from one of her projects.
Top: Quilted stories celebrate the day on which each participant was born.
Bottom: (L-R) Khadija Abdille and Phyllicia Ruiz share a story.
Photographers: Lisa Bunker, Erin Stuckrath
Coming Up Taller iu<arri>
YOUTH ENSEMBLE
The Youth Ensemble of Atlanta's
artistic programming allows youth,
who otherwise may never have
the chance, to become active
participants in and creators of art. 55
VERONICA WILLIAMS NJOKU, DIRECTOR, FULTON COUNTY [GEORGIA]
ARTS COUNCIL
YOUTH ENSEMBLE
OF ATLANTA (YEA)
FOCUS:
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
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PHONE:
FAX:
EMAIL
URL:
42,426
4-652-0515
06-9217
a youthensemble.org
w.youthensemble.org
Topics like child abuse, school violence, teen pregnancy,
AIDS, or domestic violence might not seem like musical
theater material. But for the past 18 years, the award-
winning Youth Ensemble of Atlanta (YEA) has been
presenting moving, thought-provoking theater dealing with
the tough issues that young people face in their daily lives. ^
"Musical and dance elements— as well as humor-
draw young people into the subject, while keeping
the productions from being too heavy," explains
Development Director Brad Casey.
YEA comprises 80 youth, chosen through
auditions and interviews primarily for their
passion for the performing arts. The majority
of ensemble members are African American, and
many come from lower-income families that could
not otherwise afford YEA's intensive training. While
there is no charge for participation, members and parents
must sign a contract agreeing to the company's attendance,
attitude, and academic requirements.
Artistic staff and guest artists offer in-depth weekly workshops
in music, dance, and drama. Ensemble members create many
of the vignettes and musical numbers, which the director then
weaves together into YEA's productions. Students who are in or
have graduated from college also work with the company, serving
as role models for younger members, while receiving stipends for
their participation.
One of YEA's unique aspects is its international reach. The troupe
has performed at festivals in Europe and South Africa. YEA's
original play, based on the 1976 youth uprisings in Soweto, South
Africa, earned the Best Overall Production Award at the 2000
Windybrow Arts Festival in Johannesburg.
"While we were worried about the reaction we might face bringing
American youth to tell South Africans the story of their history,
we were surprised by the enthusiastic reception the production
received and their amazement that the Soweto story resonated with
our youth," comments Executive Director Deborah Barber. High
expectations, reinforced by staff and members,
contribute to the success of YEA's productions
and the track record of participants. Since
1996, 100 percent of the ensemble's
members have graduated from high
school. Since 2002, all graduates
have gone on to college— including
such prestigious institutions as
Juilliard and Berklee College
of Music— with the assistance
of scholarships from YEA,
their colleges, and local
foundations.
Left, from background to foreground: Darius Dixon and Brenda Moorer
in Endangered Species: Tia Schafer in Soweto!
Top: A scene from YEA's original musical drama Sowefo.' Soweto! Soweto!
A Township Is Calling, which commemorates the life and death of Hector
Peterson— the first youth to die in the Soweto youth uprisings of 1976.
Bottom: Kamil McFadden and Kayla Williams in Urban Holiday Soup.
Photographer: Youth Ensemble of Atlanta
Coming Up Taller livnn
2006
COMING UP TALLER
Consejo Nacional
para la
Cultura y las Artes
n 2002, the President's Committee on the Arts and the
Humanities joined with Mexican partners in the public and
private sectors and initiated the presentation of Coming Up
Taller Awards for outstanding programs in Mexico dedicated
to the nation's youth. The Finalists in 2008 mark the 13th and 14th
awards recognizing organizations that, through arts and humanities
learning, provide children and youth with the opportunity to enhance
their personal lives, communities, and futures. The President's
Committee on the Arts and the Humanities appreciates the
outstanding leadership of Mexico's National Council for Arts
and Culture (CONACULTA) regarding this and other programs
of mutual interest.
Left and Bottom: Participants from the Boys and Girls to the Rescue of Cultural
Roots program perform on drums and other rhythm instruments.
Photographer: Chontal Indigenous Community Cultural Group
BOYS AND GIRLS
OF CULTURAL ROOTS
The workshops promote the
rescue and promotion of these
traditions. These children are active
participants in the promotion of
the cultural values that give them
identity and respect and position
them at the same level of any
artistic or cultural expression
in the world.
CLAUDIA WALLS, COORDINADORA NACIONAL DE DESARROLLO
CULTURAL INFANTIL
GRUPO CULTURAL
COMUNITARIO E INDIGENA
CHONTAL
es de Tabasco
Andres Sanchez Magallanes
No. 1124
Col. Centro, 86000
Villahermosa, Tabasco, MX
FOCUS:
PARTICIPAI
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
ce, Folk & Traditional Arts,
,500
-52-993) 131-1158 and 312-7497
'raicestabasco'd: hotmail.com
Music and dance have long been central to the cultural
traditions and rituals of the Chontal Indians of Guaytalpa
Nacajuca, in Mexico's Tabasco state, along the Gulf
of Mexico. But like many indigenous people, these
descendants of Mayans are rapidly losing touch with their cultural
roots, as aspects of modern society intrude even into
this isolated corner of Mexico.
To help preserve centuries-old art forms and
deepen young people's connection with their
ancestors, the Chontal Indigenous Community
Cultural Group has been offering intensive
workshops on various aspects of Chontal
culture for youth from Guaytalpa Nacajuca
and nearby communities since 2002.
Three afternoons a week after school and on
Saturdays, traditional artists from the Chontal
community teach students how to play drums and the
marimba, while sharing ancestral dance forms. In this community,
music and dance play a key role in religious rituals and agricultural
traditions, as well as during festive occasions. As young
people learn how to play the music and perform
Chontal dances, they begin to understand how
their ancestors viewed and interacted with the
world. This kinship helps to strengthen their
own sense of identity.
Participants in the drumming and dance work-
shops have gained recognition in local, regional,
and international competitions and showcases.
Such activities both instill a sense of pride in their
heritage and expose Chontal cultural traditions
to a wide audience.
Furthermore, to help ensure that their language remains alive,
Chontal elders offer workshops three times a week to teach young
people how to read and write in their ancestral tongue.
Demonstrating their command of the language,
in 2007, students published Para Curar de Espanto
y Otros Relatos de Guaytalpa (Guaytalpa Stories
That Cure Fear), a collection of their community's
stories, written in both Spanish and Chontal
and illustrated with their own vibrant drawings.
Left: Young dancers prepare for a performance.
Top: Students share their cultural traditions at a Chontal community
dance performance.
Middle: Workshop participants gather for the camera.
Bottom: Performers proudly drum during a concert.
Photographer: Chontal Indigenous Community Cultural Group
CHILDREN'S
BA WORKSHOPS
This project is bringing about
a reevaluation of and renewed
appreciation for traditional
marimba music through the
teamwork of boys and girls
throughout the state of Oaxaca. J J
ANDRES WEBSTER HENESTROSA, CULTURE SECRETARY, STATE OF
OAXACA, MEXICO
i-i'ir
CASAS DE CULTURA DEL
ESTADO DE OAXACA
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, MX
FOCUS:
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
& Traditional Arts. Music
-52-951) 547-3007 and 501-1970
dida19 a hotmail.com
T
here's nothing quite like the lively, infectious sound
of a marimba and nothing cheerier than the sights and
sounds of young people playing this traditional instrument.
A member of the percussion family, a marimba consists of keys
or bars that the player strikes with mallets. Wooden tubes
suspended below each key amplify the sound and give
the instrument its distinctive, resonant tone.
Marimba music has long been a staple of
the highlands of southern Mexico. However,
the instrument's popularity has been waning
there in recent decades. For special occasions,
people often find it cheaper to hire musicians
who play keyboards or synthesizers, rather
than engaging the traditional multi-instrument
marimba bands. And, as older marimba musicians
pass away, there was a concern that the art of playing
this unusual instrument would disappear along with them
In an effort to preserve this traditional art form, the Ministry
of Culture of the State of Oaxaca, along Mexico's southern
coast, is offering carefully structured, in-depth
marimba instruction at cultural centers in selected
communities throughout the state. Acceptance
into the program is based on a youngster's
interest and ability. Students spend five hours
a week learning marimba history, technique,
and repertoire; music composition; and how
to both tune and care for the instrument.
The success of the first marimba workshops in
the Culture House of Tuxtepec, founded in 1997,
inspired others to establish their own classes. And,
from each group of workshop participants, seven students
are ultimately selected to form a local marimba band. The program
currently boasts 11 marimba bands in 11 communities that span the
valley. One of the bands, the Santo Domingo Tehuantepec
Children's Marimba Band, has already recorded its
own compact disc.
Program officials believe that along with
ensuring the continuation of a living cultural
tradition, the music study and performance
experiences promote discipline, teamwork,
and intellectual development. These skills, in
turn, help students to perform better in school
and to develop into successful adults.
Left: Participants perform together on their marimbas.
Top, Middle, and Bottom: Young marimba percussionists share their music
in a variety of venues.
Photographer: Children's Marimba Workshops of Oaxaca
Coming Up Taller I
200C
COMING UP TALLER
Ministry of Culture, People's Republic of China
For the second year, the President's Committee on the Arts
and the Humanities welcomes the inclusion of a youth arts
learning program based in the People's Republic of China
as a recipient of a Coming Up Taller Award. This award is
consistent with the President's Committee's interest in seeking
mutual international understanding through the arts and the
humanities and follows up on the U.S. President's Committee's
Delegation to the People's Republic of China in June 2007, which
culminated in implementing an Accord for Cultural Exchange
2007-2009 between our two countries.
The goals of international understanding are shared by the
Honorable Cai Wu, Minister of Culture of the People's Republic
of China, who said, "We are pleased to be a part of the Coming
Up Taller Awards for it provides a unique platform for both China
and the United States to communicate on issues relating to arts
education for youth; to share their practices and experiences; and,
moreover, to enhance the role of culture and arts in the overall
development of individuals." The Ministry of Culture further shares
the vision of nurturing the cultural lives of young people so that
they may realize their talents, express their creativity, and give back
to their communities. We are grateful to the Ministry for identifying
a leading arts program for children and youth and for supporting
the Coming Up Taller Awards.
Left, foreground: A young opera heroine prepares for her performance.
Bottom: Shaanxi Opera trainee strikes a dramatic pose.
Photographer: Shaanxi Opera and Drama Research Institute
AMATEUR ACTOR
IHtfHViW
SHAANXI QIN QIANG OPER
je of flourishing popular
culture, here stands a group
of young people with a profound
commitment to the art of Qin
Qiang. We should commend them
not only for their performances,
but also for their dedication to
our cultural heritage.
ZHAO LEJI, SECRETARY OF THE CPC SHAANXI PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE
SHAANXI OPERA AND DRAMA
RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, PRC
FOCUS:
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
BUDGET
PHONE:
EMAIL:
URL:
Opera, Literature, Music
1-86-298) 786-3404
0331®163.com
/w.sxqq.net
Like other vanishing traditional art forms, regional Chinese
opera is facing tremendous challenges in modern life. In
response, the Shaanxi Opera and Drama Research Institute,
the largest arts group in Shaanxi Province, formed the
Amateur Actor Training Class of Shaanxi Qin Qiang Opera, to
preserve and revitalize this cherished art. For young people
in the surrounding rural areas, this training program
offers them a new avenue for artistic growth,
personal development, and career possibilities.
The student actors and musicians— all taught
by professional opera artists and musicians-
undergo rigorous training in a year-round
program. The teens study voice, drama, and
literature, learning to portray the four character
roles in Qin Qiang opera— sheng (male), dan
(female), jing (supporting male, with painted
mask), and chou (clown). They learn how to enunciate
different dialects and appreciate minute differences in the
opera itself in terms of pronunciation, melody, and movement.
Student musicians become skilled in a variety of Chinese and
Western instruments, such as the banhu, suona, erhu, bangzi,
yangqin, sanxian, flute, guzheng, and cello.
All students learn opera repertoires that feature such timeless
subjects as the fight between the loyal and the treacherous, in
addition to other universal human themes that reflect the honest
and upright aspirations of the local people. True to its folk origins,
Qin Qiang opera scores are considered bold and colorful, featuring
a more natural vocal expression of human emotion than the traditional
Peking opera. Productions are also distinctive in showcasing such
unique skills as spitting fire, along with time-honored dances.
Most of the opera company's students come from underdeveloped,
agrarian villages and highly value musical and operatic training as
an opportunity to attain personal success. Through their performance
education, they also learn diligence and the importance of hard work.
Apart from coaching participants in these technical and preprofessional
skills, program instructors also teach history, Chinese language, and
English, among other courses. Field trips to the library and other sites
improve the quality of learning and enhance understanding of stage
performance. Reading rooms are available to help participants
reflect and study.
After five years of training, students are able to master three
full-length plays and more than 40 highlights from other opera
styles. They also have the opportunity to entertain diverse
audiences in various centers and opera festivals in the city
of Xi'an and surrounding areas. Past performances have raised
money for public welfare causes, such as the H.H. Special Child
Development Center for disabled children. Student productions
have won widespread acclaim from Chinese opera experts and new
devotees alike. As further evidence of the quality of arts training,
many students who are inspired to dedicate their lives to the craft
may join the Shaanxi Opera and Drama Research Institute or other
opera companies as professional members.
Left, foreground: The female lead and her companions exhibit strong emotions
during a scene.
Top: Two officials stage a quarrel.
Photographer: Shaanxi Opera and Drama Research Institute
wards until 45
2oo8
COMING UP TALLER
For the first time, this year the President's Committee on the
Arts and the Humanities welcomes the inclusion of a youth
arts and humanities learning program based in Cairo, Egypt,
as a recipient of a Coming Up Taller Award. This award is
consistent with the President's Committee's interest in seeking
mutual international understanding through the arts and the
humanities and follows up on efforts to expand the impact and
scope of our international activities.
It is heartening that the goals of Coming Up Taller are shared
around the world and that inspirational learning spaces for children
and youth are being made available in many countries. We salute
the creative learning opportunities that the Egyptian awardee
offers its young participants and expect that the $10,000 award
will enable further growth of the Townhouse Gallery's much-needed
youth programs.
We are grateful to the U.S. Embassy Post in Cairo for identifying an
outstanding youth program to participate in the 2008 Coming Up
Taller program.
FRIDAY WORKSHOPS
Before I started coming here,
I didn't really know much about
anything. But after I started
coming, Friday after Friday,
I learned a lot about different
things, such as animation,
theater, and art.
AYA FATHY TAWFIK, FRIDAY WORKSHOPS FOR WORKING
CHILDREN PARTICIPANT
TOWNHOUSE GALLERY OF
CONTEMPORARY ART
Hussein El Me'mar Pasha Stre
Off Mahmoud Basyouni Street
Downtown
Cairo, EGY
FOCUS:
PARTICIPANTS
AGES:
BUDGET:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
URL:
-202)2-576-8086
j)thetownhousegallery.com
w. thetownhousegallery.com
The Friday Workshops at the Townhouse Gallery of
contemporary art offer child laborers throughout
neighborhoods in Cairo, Egypt, a new vision of themselves
and of their world through the arts. Many of these young
people work six-day weeks to support their families and have
limited educational opportunities. However, thanks
to the efforts of the Townhouse Gallery, some of the
working children have a place where they not only
explore new areas of their own potential, but
also build a sense of self-worth and confidence
that could be applied to their daily lives.
The Workshops introduce participants to
a range of arts disciplines, including various
forms of visual arts, theater, and animation.
Resident and visiting teaching artists, Workshop
leaders, and trained social workers work together
to support and offer professional mentorship to the
youth throughout the process. The students also particularly
enjoy spending time with their peers on art projects,
and as one 14-year-old participant said, she likes to "work
as a team." Other special components of the program
are outside their neighborhoods and Cairo itself.
In this part of the curriculum, young people learn
to interact with others in different contexts and
explore new possibilities in a larger world.
It's been noted that the Workshops have
a remarkable effect on the participants.
Many informally share the lessons learned
in the program by teaching other children the
confidence-building games and activities in
the streets of their local areas. The positive effects
can also been seen in parent/child relationships: At the
beginning, parents were reluctant to allow their children to
take part and demanded payment for their time. But as they
witnessed the beneficial impact, this issue was resolved. There is now
a long waiting list, with other parents eager to enroll their children.
This project and other outreach efforts are consistent with the
Townhouse Gallery's mission to forge group cohesion through
the creative process in an unpoliticized space and strengthen
relations between those from diverse backgrounds and life
experiences. In addition to the Friday Workshops, Townhouse
Gallery provides inclusive Saturday arts workshops and animation
programs. Participants from all ages and backgrounds interact and
work creatively together, some of whom are refugees, children from
private schools in Zamalek, working children, professional artists,
and workers in the lanes near the Gallery.
Since its inception in 1998, the Townhouse Gallery of contemporary
art has established itself not only as one of the largest private
exhibition spaces in the Middle East, but also as one of the region's
leading independent spaces for visual arts, film, theater, music,
and arts education.
Left: Students celebrate the completion of their project.
Top: Participants discuss the themes of a play.
Bottom: Students examine digital artwork.
Photographer: Townhouse Gallery of contemporary art
Coming Up Taller IwardstoaA 49
WA
COMING
SEMIFINALISTS
After School and Cultural
Citizenship Project
Art Education
Kid Power-DC, Inc.
Mexic-Arte Museum
Washington, DC
Austin, TX
Crescendo Music Program
Art a la Carte
Academy of Community Music
Federated Dorchester
Fort Washington, PA
Neighborhood Houses
Dorchester, MA
Express Yourself, Inc.
Peabody, MA
ARTclub
Fine Arts for Children & Teens, Inc.
Job Training in the Arts
Santa Fe, NM
Downtown Aurora Visual Arts
Aurora, CO
Art High
Armory Center for the Arts
Kids on the Hill, inc.
Pasadena, CA
Baltimore, MD
ArtReach
Learning Early Network
Kemper Museum of
Bradford County Regional
Contemporary Art
Arts Council
Kansas City, MO
Towanda, PA
ArtReach
Museum Action Corps (MAC)
Philbrook Museum of Art
Internship Program
Tulsa, OK
The Peabody Essex Museum
Salem, MA
Arts Corps
Seattle, WA
Myron P. Levin Learning Center
Special Summer Program
Arts Express After School Program
Latin Americans for Social and
Museum of the Gulf Coast
Economic Development, Inc.
Port Arthur, TX
Detroit, Ml
Blunt Youth Radio Project
MYSO Progressions
WMPG, University of Southern
Milwaukee Youth Symphony
Maine Student Senate
Orchestra, Inc.
Portland. ME
Milwaukee, Wl
New Directions YouthArts
Office of Cultural Affairs
City of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
New Urban Arts
Providence, Rl
Power Hour, Cultural Program
and Fine Arts Program
Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls Club
Indian Island, ME
Project STEP, Inc.
Boston, MA
Providence CityArts for Youth, Inc.
Providence, Rl
Recreation Programming
for Children and Youth
City of Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
Rejoice School of Ballet
Rejoice Ministries, Inc.
Nashville, TN
RiverzEdge Arts Project, Inc.
Woonsocket, Rl
SmARTs Program
South Chicago Art Center
Chicago, IL
SoBRO Theme-Based After
School Programs
South Bronx Overall Economic
Development Corporation
Bronx, NY
Songs of Hope
Sounds of Hope, Ltd.
St. Paul, MN
Teens Together
Music Theatre Workshop
Chicago, IL
Telling It
SOS Community Services
Ypsilanti, Ml
The Harmony Project
Los Angeles, CA
Three Rivers Jenbe Ensemble
Fort Wayne Dance Collective, Inc.
Fort Wayne, IN
WriteGirl
A Project of Community Partners
Los Angeles, CA
Young People's Chorus
of New York City, Inc.
New York, NY
Left and Bottom, from background to foreground: (L-R) Simpson Street
Free Press student Mai Yang; Berklee City Music Saturday Upper School
vocalists in performance; Project Jericho participant Jaylen Mitchell..
Photographers: Simpson Street Free Press, Berklee City Music,
Project Jericho
NATIONAL JURY
Arts Education Manager
Americans for the Arts
Washington, DC
Chris Anthony
Director of Youth & Education
Will Power to Youth
Los Angeles, CA
larbara Carpenter
Executive Director
Mississippi Humanities Council
Jackson, MS
Libby Lai-Bun Chiu
Senior Advisor for
Learning Initiatives
Illinois Arts Council
Chicago, IL
Ginnie Cooper
Chief Librarian
DC Public Library
Washington, DC
Gary Henrickson
Dean of Academic Affairs
Minnesota State Community
and Technical College
Fergus Falls, MN
Suzanne LeBlanc
Executive Director
Long Island Children's Museum
Garden City, NY
Laura Vural
Director, Truce
Harlem Children's Zone
New York, NY
Left, from background to foreground: Fadumo Issa takes photographs
during a Journey program scavenger hunt; Mary Claire Miskell in TADA!
Youth Theater's production of Gift of Winter.
Bottom: (L-R) Flora Phillips, Tamara Sambo, and Maddelynn Sambo perform
during the Alaska Native Heritage Center's Heroes of Human Rights Day.
Photographer: The AjA Project, TADA! Youth Theater, Alaska Native
Heritage Center
jming Up Tailer \ward$aoo3 53
APPLICATION REVIEWERS
Wayne Cook
Arts Program Specialist
California Arts Council
Sacramento, CA
Dana Lupton
Artistic Director
Moving in the Spirit
Atlanta, GA
Robert Hall
Associate Head of Education
and Visual Arts Specialist
Anacostia Museum and Center
for African American History and
Culture
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC
Sandra Jackson-Dumont
Kayla Skinner Deputy Director
of Education and Public Programs/
Adjunct Curator
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle, WA
Patty Langley
Administrative Librarian
Delaware Division of Libraries/
State Library
Dover, DE
Barbara Meyerson
Museum Consultant
B. Meyerson Consulting, LLC
Phoenix, AZ
Robin Middleman
Arts Education Coordinator
New Jersey State Council
on the Arts
Trenton, NJ
Catherine O'Brian
Arts in Education Coordinator
New Hampshire State Council
on the Arts
Concord, NH
Raeshma Razvi
Programs Manager
California Council for
the Humanities
San Francisco, CA
Marianna Roll
Executive Director
Greater New Orleans
Youth Orchestra
New Orleans, LA
Sheila Sears
Arts Education Consultant
Colorado Council on the Arts
Denver, CO
Martin J. Skomal
Director of Programs
Nebraska Arts Council
Omaha, NE
Jenna Ware
Associate Director of Education
Shakespeare & Company
Lenox, MA
Judith Willoughby
Wanda L. Bass Professor
of Conducting and Choral Music
Education/Artistic Director
Canterbury Youth Choruses
Wanda L. Bass School of Music
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, OK
Mark Alexander Wright
Director of Partnerships
National Children's Museum
Washington, DC
ind to foreground: Berklee City Music Saturday
Preparatory School students; Project Jericho participant Ray Collins.
Bottom: (L-R) SURA Arts Academy students Alaa El-Beshir, Fatima
Shareef, Wafa Fidama, and Mouna Alghathie.
Photographers: Berklee City Music, Project Jericho, Aimee Allen
FEDERAL CULTURAL
AGENCY PROFILES
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 526
Washington, DC 20506
Phone: 202-682-5409
Fax: 202-682-5668
E-mail: pcah@pcah.gov
URL: www.pcah.gov
The President of the United States recognizes that the nation's cultural life
contributes to the vibrancy of society and the strength of democracy. The
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities helps to incorporate
the arts and humanities into White House objectives. It recognizes cultural
excellence, engages in research, initiates special projects, and stimulates
private funding. Areas of current focus include programs in youth arts and
humanities learning; preservation and conservation; special events;
and expansion of international cultural relations.
First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chairman
Adair Margo, Chairman
Henry Moran, Executive Director
Institute of Museum and Library Services
1800 M Street, NW
9th Floor
Washington, DC 20036-5802
Phone: 202-653-IMLS
Fax:202-653-4600
E-mail: imlsinfo(g>imls.gov
URL: www.imls.gov
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The
Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect
people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level
and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage,
culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support
professional development.
Anne-lmelda M. Radice, PhD, Director
National Endowment for the Arts
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20506
Phone: 202-682-5400
Fax: 202-682-5611
E-mail: webmgr@arts.endow.gov
URL: www.arts.gov
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to
supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing
the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.
Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal
government, the Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of the
arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities,
and military bases.
Dana Gioia, Chairman
National Endowment for the Humanities
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20506
Phone:202-606-8400
Fax:202-606-8240
E-mail: info@neh.gov
URL: www.neh.gov
Because democracy demands wisdom, the National Endowment for
the Humanities (NEH) serves and strengthens our Republic by promoting
excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all
Americans. The Endowment accomplishes this mission by providing grants
for high-quality humanities projects in four funding areas: preserving
and providing access to cultural resources, education, research, and
public programs.
Bruce M. Cole, PhD, Chairman
Left and Bottom, from background to foreground: (L-R) Journey
program participant Famo Musa; a scene from Soweto! performed
by the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta; Summer Arts for Youth student
Takiyah Spikes.
Photographers: The AjA Project, Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, Young
Audiences of Indiana
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