Arts are SERIOUS Education!

What's on my mind???...

Saving ARTS in schools and in the community - that's what! Whether that be important school art teachers, music teachers or arts-in-education residencies, teaching artists, after school arts, etc.

Several young, fresh and vibrant art & music teachers are losing their positions at East High School because other schools are cutting and East's teachers don't have as many years in. These are people who are teaching some of the toughest kids in challenging situations.

There is Mr. Louis who is taking additional time out of his day to give individual piano lessons to help Emmanuel (8th grader) deepen his talent. This kid loves the piano and he can really play! He loves it and it is one main reason he comes to school when other things don't excite him!

This band teacher also started a high-energy DRUMline out of 7th and 8th graders who have never touched a drum.

Then there is sweet Ms. Andrews who took an energetic, sometimes naughty, group of 7th graders last year and turned them into the ArtPeace@East chorus when East had not had any chorus going for years. Now she teaches AP@E 7th and 8th graders and has created a school-wide choir!

I hear about amazing teachers at School of the Arts and other places being asked to leave.

Cuts are never happy times, but it is disheartening when we who passionately advocate for arts, arts & technology integration, arts-in-education keep speaking out to PROVE the value of the arts - often to be ignored or marginilized again and again!

Schools don't mind hanging student paintings on the walls or all over district central office, but do they FIGHT to keep these positions going?

Arts are proven over and over again to WORK to educate students, lift scores, improve attendance and make learning more engaging and lively!

Arts are not frivolous, Friends, or expendable. They are to be taken SERIOUSly!

Eyes need to be opened about the pure power of the arts. The humanities tie directly to the arts - you can't teach ELA, Social Studies, World Languages, etc. without tapping into the arts. It doesn't mean abandoning Math and Science. These are not in separate silos.

We are all WHOLE PEOPLE who are working to raise and educate WHOLE CHILDREN (when we can look past our own selfishness to remember the real needs of children).

The Arts & Technology can shine a light on all subjects and be integrated into all academic areas to make learning more engaging, easier to grasp and fun for kids! Art for Art's Sake is needed as well as Arts as a vehicle for teaching all subjects -- yes, even MATH & SCIENCE!!! Guess what, there is even RESEARCH & DATA to show it!

This isn't a plea from the pollyannas and hippies singing Kumbaya around a fire...but a charge from the greatest minds in BRAIN RESEARCH!

Eliminating art from education is like eliminating beauty from nature.

Arts and technology are an integral part of who we are as people and it is essential to healthy communities and individuals - the need to think creatively, to use ingenuity, invent, be flexible, think on your feet and all the skills of improvisation in an unpredictable world are necessary!

Support Americans for the Arts, support ArtPeace, support your schools, support your child's education and the gift of a colorful world. Imagine our world without it...

Thanks,

Kristin Rapp

What Happened to the Century When the World Was Made with Art & Peace?

Today is Jesse's birthday (he is my son). He turned 7. Well, it is after midnight now so yesterday was technically his b'day. Big party this weekend.

Wow! We live in interesting times right now, eh? It seems enlivening and invigorating to see such dramatic shift and change in play, as unsettling as it can be at times. For the most part, I maintain a cup half full perspective.

I am excited that ArtPeace is bringing City at Peace-Rochester's Through Our Eyes to the stage this weekend for its WORLD PREMIERE. It is happening at East High Auditorium at 7:30pm on Fri and Sat, May 29 & 30. I think it is going to be great. These diverse young people (13-19) from throughout Monroe County have worked hard and are also learning skills in conflict resolution, peacemaking, social change and leadership development. The City at Peace founder is in town this weekend and other City at Peace alumni will be on hand to help make the show a success!

ArtPeace is scrambling to get through the end of the year at ArtPeace@East (7th & 8th grade arts and technology integrated school program at East High) and to get ready for their evening showcase "Change Through Perserverance" to end the year - 7-9pm at East High Auditorium.

We are also preparing the way for the 5th annual ArtPeace Young Entrepreneurs program which will be bigger than ever this year! That is bound to be fun and lots of work. The plan is to have many cool businesses -- silk screening, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, culinary arts, landscaping and horticulutre, music and sound recording, dance and movement, visual arts, etc.

We are still looking for our home to house the program and to stay in for the year. Oy! That has been a tough process and I am ready to click my ruby slippers and find the right place.

There is a lot going on and I am still trying to balance it with time with my kids. We haven't had a nanny or child care all year so it feels good to take care of our kiddos in the midst of my husband, David, and I working for ArtPeace full time. We are looking for angels to help us keep it going and create the CENTER we dream of (capital funds campaign)! The youth of this community need the myriad of creative, entrepreneurial, literacy-enhancing and fitness producing projects we can offer! Adults too.

I am very determined to make things soar in 2009-2010 despite the world view.

All things are possible...

Peace Y'All and shout back if you're listenin'...

Kris

Saw the Mayor on Channel 8 last week talking about kids and crime and the NEED to have after school work programs! ArtPeace couldn’t agree more!

ArtPeace is working with other youth, education and arts organizations to come together in a bigger way so as to not duplicate services. The time is NOW!!!

ArtPeace stands READY to work together and
TAKE ACTION NOW
with other community organizations and citizens,
sharing and extending resources to:

1. CREATE PEACE!

2. Employ youth and adults in challenging and productive ways!

3. To educate and ENGAGE young people!

The time is now. We must not let the “economy” of dollars stop us from innovating…and building an “economy” of thinkers!

What’s needed now is a focus on our strengths and on what’s good. Our resources are plentiful when directed properly and it will be our young people that will create the next generation of revolutionary ideas, inventions and new avenues of prosperity!

ArtPeace and other local organizations can serve more kids and adults on the East, Central and West sides of the city right away if the proper funds are raised! Who will step up to help make this happen?

Unused space in this community has been identified in several areas. Many more empty houses and buildings throughout our city sit unused. Why not make these into active centers of creativity, action and education??

THE TIME IS NOW!

ArtPeace can start tomorrow with at least 5 other businesses in collaboration and probably many more... Will YOU join us??

LOOK at our young people with fresh eyes, in a good light, and inspire them to ACTION alongside us.

We are the peacemakers, we are the dreamers of dreams, we are the leaders who will rise and transform this community unto a new day dawning...

THE TIME IS NOW!