Seniors Take Center Stage

Just before the winter holiday I got to see some excellent “performances” by students who probably don’t think of themselves as performers. I had the privilege of serving as one of the judges for Northwood’s Graduation Project.  It was a very successful night on many fronts.  First and foremost, the student presentations I saw were thoughtful, interesting, insightful, and extremely well-planned. Students have clearly taken on this relatively new graduation requirement with serious, disciplined attitudes. They have chosen unique topics and created thoughtful products. In the process, each of the judges in our session learned something new. Across the board, for every student that I have spoken with about this controversial requirement, all have dreaded it and all have said after the fact that it was a valuable experience. And compared to the pilot project 2 years ago, both the displays and the public presentations were more polished and well-crafted. Our group  learned about post traumatic stress syndrome, a Habitat for Humanity project, therapeutic massage, and creating braille children’s books!

One of the other benefits I had not anticipated was the unique opportunity it provided for the school to highlight students’ work to the community. Graduation coordinator Leslie Burwell and Principal Chris Blice welcomed more than 50 community members who came to serve as judges. The school’s culinary class provided a delicious meal. Faculty members served as moderators in each classroom. Student work from the winter art show decorated the lobby. The superintendent also came to serve as one of the judges. For people who had never been to Northwood before, it was a great introduction.

Bravo folks!

NC Arts Ed Task Force Report Submitted

From today’s NC Department of Public Instruction Arts Education Update:

S66 COMPREHENSIVE ARTS EDUCATION PLAN MOVES FORWARD
The State Board of Education appointed a task force of members from the
Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Cultural
Resources to create a Comprehensive Arts Education Development plan for
the public schools in North Carolina. The members include
representatives from NC superintendents, principals, business, parents,
the NC Community College system, the UNC system, LEA arts education
coordinators, the A+ Schools Program, the former Joint Select Committee
on Arts Education, state organizations, and representatives for each of
the arts disciplines (dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts). In
addition to members appointed by the State Board of Education, the task
force includes a member of the House of Representatives appointed by the
Speaker and a member of the Senate appointed by the President Pro
Tempore.

The S66 Comprehensive Arts Education Plan Task Force report was
accepted by the State Board of Education and submitted to the Joint
Legislative Education Oversight Committee of the NC General Assembly on
December 2, 2010. To view the S66 report, please visit the link from the
State Board of Education page:
http://dpi.state.nc.us/docs/stateboard/meetings/2010/12/gcs/12gcs02.pdf.

This has important implications for all our students, teachers, arts organizations, and both K-12 schools and high ed.  Just imagine…

Vision for Arts Education

In today’s globally competitive world, innovative thinking and creativity are essential for all school children. High quality, standards-based instruction in the arts develops these skills and effectively engages, retains, and prepares future-ready students for graduation and success in an entrepreneurial economy. Dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts, taught by licensed arts educators and integrated throughout the curriculum, are critical to North Carolina’s 21st century education.

Convergence

Recently,  NHSAEF, ChathamArts, & NHS Arts Ed hosted a local Creative Conversation for National Arts & Humanities Month, and our friends from EbzB, Serena Ebhardt and David zum Brunnen, presented a great interactive program on Arts Integration. Students, teachers, administrators, and community members participated in a short example as Serena & David led us through the process their students use to create oral history programs during EbzB school residencies. These theatre arts residencies can be used to enhance social studies, language arts, history or civics classes—even math and sciences coursework.

Everyone came away with a better understanding of the challenges and rewards for this kind of well-planned collaboration. And clearly the skills that can be developed (e.g., critical thinking, deductive and inductive reasoning, planning, forecasting, hypothesizing, critiquing, brainstorming, associative, thinking, attribute listing, elaborating, sequencing, evaluating, etc.) have benefits for students in multiple disciplines. [see more photos here.]

Then last weekend I had the opportunity to see a really exciting example of “real world” arts integration.  I was part of a UNC alumni travel group that visited New Bern, NC where the town is celebrating their 300th Anniversary. A highlight of the trip was a special “backstage” tour of the brand new North Carolina History Center at Tryon Palace, just two weeks prior to their Grand Opening, scheduled for October 21-24. Director Kay Williams graciously spent the day showing us this new jewel in the Department of Cultural Resources that has been more than ten years in the making. The facility includes the Pepsi Family Center for a high tech, hands-on experience, where students travel back in time to 1835 and teams work collaboratively to sail a ship, create a quilt, or write stories for the town paper.  The Regional History Museum follows the development of North Carolina from the perspective of its environmental history.  Graphics, interactive kiosks, and exhibits illuminate North Carolina’s culture of diverse peoples— European settlers, Native Americans, free and enslaved African Americans.  The complex also includes a “200 seat state-of-the-arts performing arts hall, exhibit and orientation theatres, a museum store, a waterfront café, and program and administrative space.”

This project is the result of the collaboration of a tremendous number of highly skilled, professionals and dedicated volunteers. Architects, exhibit and media designers, engineers and producers, environmental specialists called in to develop this former Superfund property —now a candidate for Silver level LEED certification. Also researchers, historians, education staff, curators, conservators, landscape architects, archeologists, horticulturalists, gardeners, historic interpreters, graphic designers, musicians, costumers, web designers, librarians, writers, fundraisers, and dozens more in business, state government, education, the arts, history and science.

Don’t miss this! As the opening weekend materials say—It’s about Time!

 

Moving Right Along…

For our next act, we’ve got an exciting program planned for October, National Arts and Humanities Month. It’s a collaborative effort and we hope to attract broad spectrum of the community …

Pittsboro, NC—NHS Arts Education Foundation, ChathamArts, and the NHS Arts Education department are partnering with Americans for the Arts to host an Emerging Leader Creative Conversation in Pittsboro on Tuesday, October 5, 2010. Creative Conversations bring together local emerging arts leaders and community members to discuss issues regarding the arts in their communities. Creative Conversations are part of National Arts and Humanities Month programs coordinated by Americans for the Arts. The event is free and open to the public. To attend, register online at http://bit.ly/bh5BnP

The local Creative Conversation features an interactive discussion with special guests EbzB Productions’ Serena Ebhardt & David zum Brunnen. Teachers, parents, students and artists are invited to learn about Arts Integration—What it is, how it works, and how it benefits students and teachers in multiple disciplines. Recognized in the North Carolina Arts Council Touring Artist Directory and in the South Carolina Arts Commission AIE Roster of Approved Artists, EbzB artists have been trained by The Lincoln Center Institute and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to teach Arts in Education Workshops.

Creative Conversations are free and open to the public. Last year, more than 1,500 emerging arts leaders participated in 43 locally hosted Creative Conversations held throughout the country. An interactive Google map is available online at http://artsactionfund.org/events/creative_conversations detailing where Creative Conversations are taking place. Visit the website after October to read summary reports of the events and learn what next steps to take in your community.

National Arts and Humanities Month is coordinated by Americans for the Arts. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. The month-long celebration has become the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. With 50 years of service, Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. More information about Americans for the Arts, Creative Conversations, and National Arts and Humanities Month is available atwww.AmericansForTheArts.org.

EbzB Productions, Inc. develops original, touring, theatrical productions to promote integrity, self-discovery and positive transformation of individuals, artists, audiences, and communities. They believe that the performing arts encourages positive transformation through discoveries unveiled immediately and upon reflection. EbzB artists are dedicated to the promotion of dramatic art as a valuable educational tool. They are trained by The John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts “Artists as Educators:  Planning Effective Workshops”, and The Lincoln Center Institute’s International Educator Program. EbzB Is also endorsed by the North Carolina Arts Council’s Touring Artists Directory. In addition to performances, EbzB Productions, Inc. is available for student workshops, residencies, and professional development seminars.  EbzB Productions – Your World Is Our Stage!   www.EbzB.org.

ChathamArts, the Chatham County Arts Council, is a not for profit organization that supports and presents the arts and artists in our community. They encourage community participation in the arts to enrich the quality of life of the county’s residents. ChathamArts fosters arts awareness and education, and encourages the use of arts as a tool for economic development. www.Chathamarts.org

The Northwood High School Arts Education Foundation (NHSAEF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all-volunteer organization, is a community initiative dedicated to ensuring excellence in arts education by identfying, creating, and supporting programs that enrich learning, foster student achievement, and increase community involvement. Visit NHSAEF at www.NHSAEF.org

Celebrating Arts in Ed in My Neighborhood

Along with many, I’ve been celebrating the first National Arts in Education Week. As with any new project, there are a lot of details and more ideas than can be accomplished in a short amount of time. But here are some of the things that have gotten checked off my list.

1. On Monday, we published NorthwoodArts 2009–2010: Celebrating a Gala Year. This is our annual report highlighting activities and accomplishments of the NHS arts education students and faculty. This accompanies a short video slide show of highlights we completed earlier in the summer.  We presented copies to the Chatham County Superintendent and School Board on Monday evening and posted the online version on our website.
2. NHSAEF participated in Northwood’s annual Open House. Our local mayor issued a proclamation in conjunction with the national celebration and named it also Pittsboro Arts in Education Week. We shared the proclamation, the annual report, a calendar of upcoming events, met new students & parents, signed up new members and added folks to our listserv.
3. [I spent Wednesday night as an arts student myself along with Duke students and community members, trying to master Creole for a Haitian anthem the Duke Chapel Choir has scheduled for Sunday.]
4. On Thursday got some pix of the great banners NHS art students created for the school. Got copies of the annual report in the mail to our representatives in the State Legislature. Participated in a webinar by Americans for the Arts on their upcoming Creative Conversations in October before our ChathamArts Board Meeting.  NHSAEF will be a part of in this exciting initiative. Along with ChathamArts and the NHS arts department, we’re hosting a Creative Conversation at Northwood High School. Our friends from EbzB Productions, Serena Ebhardt and David zum Brunnen will lead an interactive discussion for teachers, students, artists, and community members on Arts Integration—What it is, how it works, and how it benefits students and teachers in all disciplines. In addition to being consummate  professional theatre performers, they have been trained by The Lincoln Center Institute and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to teach AIE Workshops. It’s going to be an exciting beginning to National Arts & Humanities Month.
5. I’ve tweeted and re-tweeted, posted to Facebook, sent emails, worn my Arts Create Jobs button courtesy of Arts NC.
6. I’m off the ballgame to see our Marching Chargers perform Amusements. Their first competition is next weekend at Pinecrest Band Fest.
7. Oh, and I’ll be collecting your recyclables (laptops, old cell phones, digital cameras, ink jet cartridges, hand held games, etc) at the game for our Arts Ed Fundraiser …

Thank you 50 Times

Summer is officially here and NHS Arts Ed Foundation is completing it’s 3rd year supporting the Northwood High School Arts Education department, faculty, and students. We just announced our third set of college scholarships—for a total of $15,000 in 3 years distributed to 15 talented student artists and performers. [Read about this year's great group of recipients here.]

Take a minute and visit our Patrons/Sponsors page. Many thanks to all the parents, teachers, community members, businesses, and civic organizations that contribute, participate, donate, and support NorthwoodArts! That especially includes three members of our board completing their terms—Secretary Yvette Navarro, Community Liaison Jerry Richardson, and Parent Liaison Diane Damico. Vice-President Crystal Horton and Treasurer Evelyn Shaw are on board again next year (Hurrah!) and will be joined by Dianne Gordon stepping into the secretary’s position, Cynthia Shelby, our new community liaison, and the first of our student board members, Josy Christian from Tri-M (the international music honor society).

Michael Kaiser, president of the JFK Center for Performing Arts, just posted his Prescription for Summer. He mentions summer as the time arts organizations typically have the opportunity to reflect, to listen to audience/membership feedback, and to make future plans.

So send us your thoughts and ideas, areas where we can improve and make a bigger contribution, or attract more folks to work with NorthwoodArts.

Celebrating Duke Chapel’s 75th Anniversary

Program for Sunday’s concert:

Beautiful Savior F. Melius Christiansen
Sanctus Charles Gounod
Cantique de Jean Racine Gabriel Fauré
Beautiful River arr. John Rutter
How Firm a Foundation Traditional American arr. Emma Lou Diemer
Where E’er You Go Allan Friedman (sung by Schola)
Magnificat on the tune WOODLANDS David Arcus
(Carillon) Improvisation on AURELIA J. Samuel Hammond, (University Carillonneur)
Le Cantique de Simeon Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (Vespers Ensemble)
(Duet) Kyrie (from Messe Basse) Fauré
Tantum ergo Charles-Marie Widor
Sanctus (from Mass for Two Choirs and Two Organs) Widor
INTERMISSION
Requiem Maurice Duruflé

A few notes of interest—

Beautiful Savior was sung at the chapel every Sunday for many decades.  The Gounod was the first choral work performed in the Chapel. The Diemer was commissioned for the choir. The Magnificat was composed by our chapel choir organist, David Arcus and the Schola piece, Where E’er You Go is by our assistant conductor, Allan Friedman.

Also, to learn more about the 75th, attend

75th Anniversary Celebration – Laying Foundations, Living Faith Celebration
April 17, 2010, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Duke Chapel
All are invited to join us as we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Duke Chapel. Festivities will include a viewing of a short film about the life and history of Duke Chapel, an invocation by former Dean Will Willimon, remarks by Dean Sam Wells, and musical performances. Contact: 919-684-2921.

In the Thick of It Thicket

Last week I was listening to a Downstage Center Podcast from the American Theatre Wing.  Susan Hilferty, Broadway costume designer for Wicked, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Spring Awakening was interviewed and talked a lot about the process she goes through. Two points I especially find interesting at the moment: 1) How much the music  influences her costume design choices (“the story is just a bunch of ideas, the music is key”) and 2) How most of the creative work is, of course, all going on concurrently and it’s not until very late in the process that things come together and you actually see what you’ve got.  For most of us, when you hear West Side Story or Wicked or Sweeny Todd, we have some immediate impressions. But for many members of the creative teams involved, most of the work takes place before they get that cohesive image they are creating. “I’m always having to  imagine all those pieces on the stage. But there’s no moment when all those pieces are together before the technical rehearsals start.”

Rehearsals for Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat

That’s certainly true for our annual local high school production.  Even though it’s a Broadway classic, Northwood’s Guys & Dolls might as well be an original creation for most of the students working on the show. New music they’ve never heard to learn, a new set to create, new light and sound design, new lines to learn, new accents to master, new students learning the whole process, new opportunities for collaboration, problem-solving, cooperating.  It is fascinating to watch the director take all these disparate strands of student activity and get them on a trajectory to (almost always) peak at the same time. [Of course there have been some past performances with wet paint on stage, but that just becomes part of the lore.] It’s really an almost year-long process for  the production team and a very intense project for those dedicated students that come back year after year.  Audiences only get to see the tip of the iceberg.  But audiences are the last variable that will make or break a show. The difference that half a house and standing room only can make in the quality of a show is mystifying and terrifying.

The company is spending twelve hour days at school now. Opening night is a week away.  This kind of project is going on at schools across the country during the spring. During the month of March alone, MTI, the licensing agency,  is listing 101 productions of Guys & Dolls.  It’s not Broadway. It’s an incredible, learning project that students never forget.  A senior told me this weekend that this was her 6th show. Like the senior three years ago talking about his last show, she’s beginning to realize she is now at that same place.

“Now I understand what he was talking about.”

Snippets

I love the things that just appear on my digital doorstep.  Since my husband introduced me to google alerts, every day I get information both useful and quirky. At the moment, in addition to alerts for “arts education” + “gina harrison” [always good to know what the several of us are up to], I’m getting all the news online about “Guys & Dolls.” The Frank Loesser 1950 classic will be  Northwood’s Spring Musical March 25-27.  So today I learned via the Huffington Post that Lady Gaga was a dynamic Miss Adelaide in her middle school G&D production.

On the E-Newsletter front, Edutopia is featuring some of their recent articles on Parent Participation. This topic is timely for arts education types since March is right around the corner. March is Music in Our Schools Month, Theatre in Our Schools Month, and Youth Art Month.  Visit these websites. There are lots of ideas for celebrating. Help spread the word. Volunteer. Go see a student production, exhibit, or presentation.

You might also like Americans for the Arts’ Arts Watch newsletter … Or the ArtsEd Digest from the Arts Education Partnership …

In the Neighborhood

Back in September ArtsBlog from Americans for the Arts started a section focused on Arts Education with more than 25 arts ed experts from across the country making contributions. There are some fascinating posts with provocative ideas. Andrea Temkin’s post, What is Arts Learning Anyway? began with some information about the Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership where she works.

She says it includes the a county arts commission, school districts, community arts organizations, higher ed, teaching artists, teachers, administrators, parents and youth.

If we could create such an alliance in Chatham County, what would that look like? Would you be involved? Can you envision an opportunity to work together, collaborate on long-range plans, pool resources, create and support  innovative programs with input from a wide variety of talented community members to improve arts education opportunities for all our students?

I encourage you to read the ArtsBlog posts, join the conversations, think about the opportunities here in NC and imagine the possibilities.