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More than 1,000 Students Attend “Black History Month @ THEARC Theater”

Submitted by: DC Collaborative Staff Photos submitted with permission by: Kamala Subramanian, SEED Public Charter School and Dr. Koura Gibson, Sousa Middle School February 26, 2016

Collaborative Effect

This month more than 1,000 students from Ward 7 and 8 attended Black History Month educational programs at THEARC Theatre on on February 3, 10 and 25-26 through the Arts for Every Student program. THEARC is a dedicated, longtime member of the DC Collaborative who consistently contributes transportation reimbursements and free tickets to make these experiences possible. The Collaborative is thrilled to be able to offer this programming to DC public and public charter school students and witness the transformative power that these experiences have on the lives of students.

“THEARC Theater has been thrilled to have the support of the DC Collaborative in effectively doing outreach to our core target audience of schools in Ward 7 & 8. With the expansions of our programs, we have been able to create memorable experiences for youth that will last a lifetime. We value the strong network of schools that participate in the Arts for Every Student program and are proud to be the host venue bringing the schools high quality performances from arts organizations and artist locally and nationally.”

Kimberly Douglas, Director,Theater Operations and Programming Building Bridges Across the River at THEARC

SEED PCS students attending ‘Black Angels Over Tuskegee’ on February 25.

Program Descriptions

Taratibu Youth Association: “WE ARE THEY!” Presented by: THEARC Theatre The Taratibu Youth Association (TYA) celebrates the African diaspora in the 2016 Black History Show, “WE ARE THEY!” With our guests, SD Prisms, Soul In Motion African Dancers and Drummers and the Farafina Kan Youth Drummers, TYA pays tribute to the culture, languages and dances of Haiti, St. Croix, South Africa, Cuba, Guinea, Tanzania, Jamaica and Mali.  Join us February 3, 2016 at THEARC in Washington, DC, for a small sampling of cultures of color that tie us together as Africans in the diaspora. Date: 2/3/2016 Discipline: Music, Theater Curriculum Connections: English/Language Arts, History/Geography, Diversity Grades: K-5th

SING AND SHOUT!: Exploring the history of Gospel Music Presented by THEARC Theatre Featuring members of Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir Led by: Michele Fowlin, Director of the Choir In celebration of Black History Month, join Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir as we explore the rich history of Gospel Music and how it reflects our society.  The Choir will perform music that shows how genres like jazz and spirituals have influenced gospel music.  They’ll engage the audience in sing-along, call and response, and fun demonstrations.  Students from the audience may even have the chance to sing a solo with the choir!  You’ll leave with a song in your heart and the knowledge that music can help shape your community. Date: 2/10/2016 Grades:  Pre-K thru 12th Standards reviewed: DCPS Music and Social Studies standards

Black Angels Over Tuskegee Presented by: THEARC Theatre Black History Month @ THEARC Theater will highlight the Off Broadway production "Black Angels Over Tuskegee." Written & directed by Layon Gray.The production is currently in its 6TH YEAR Off-Broadway and tours around the country and abroad educating while shedding light on these American heroes the Tuskegee Airmen. This performance is presented through the support of Wells Fargo and powered by The I CAN Technical Theater Internship program @ THEARC. Additional performances will feature: Taratibu Youth Association supported by THEARC’s I CAN Tech Theater Interns; WPAS Childen of the Gospel, and AARP Black Cinema Film Festival Date: 2/25/2016 and 2/26/2016 Discipline: Music, Theater Curriculum Connections: English/Language Arts, History/Geography, Diversity Grades: 6th-12th

Sousa Middle School students group photo at the “Black Angels over Tuskegee” performance.

Quick Links

Tuskegee Armen Museum Website

THEARC

THEARC Theatre

DC Collaborative

Arts for Every Student

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3,000 DC Students Go 19,000 Feet Up Mt. Denali with the Environmental Film Festival

Testimonials submitted by Brandon McCaskill, Ballou Senior High School, Sarah Harris, Washington Yu Ying PCS, and Angela Isom, Burville Elementary School Text written by Nicholas Kelly, DC Collaborative Program Intern  March 3, 2016

On March 2, the DC Collaborative partnered with the Environmental Film festival to send 3,000 students to a film screening at DAR Constitution Hall through the Arts for Every Student (AFES) program. The students came on 62 buses from 50 schools all over DC, and they came prepared to engage with the film: An American Ascent, about a group of African-American mountaineers climbing Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.

Students arriving at DAR Constitution Hall (Photo by: Tracey Alperstein Wyton, DC Collaborative Program Director)

It was clear right from the start that the students were invested in this documentary. They cheered and applauded at every advance the climbers made up the mountain, at the awe-inspiring mountain vistas, and at the inspiration the climbers drew from the words of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to pursue their dreams in a field lacking diversity.

The film also had a special significance for this Washington, DC audience. Tyhree Moore, one of the climbers, is a Southeast DC native who graduated from SEED Public Charter School. His appearance onscreen inspired perhaps the biggest cheer of the screening, and when he injured himself during the climb and faced the possibility of turning around, the sympathy and tension in the room was palpable.

As a special treat, Tyhree attended the screening and appeared onstage with the director to take questions from the audience. The students asked great questions, including why the climbers needed to bury their food in ice, how Tyhree became involved with the expedition, and how he has applied his mountaineering experience to his everyday life.

A Q&A with Tyhree Moore and Director Andy Adkins after the screening (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Herzfeldt-Kamprath, Environmental Film Festival)

As part of an environmentally themed festival, the screening was in the context of America’s National Parks. Before the film, the students watched a short video from Subaru about the importance of preserving our natural heritage, and a representative from the U.S. Forest Service came to speak about a program that encourages children from inner cities to take adventures into the wilderness. We hope the students left the screening with a new appreciation for our country’s natural places and the adventurous spirit of those who explore them. We hope the film encouraged an adventurous spirit in its audience, too.

The festival kicks off in a couple of weeks, and this film will be screened for the general public at the National Museum of Natural History on March 19 at 2 p.m. You can find out more information about American Ascent and the Environmental Film Festival here.

Students taking their seats at DAR Constitution Hall (Photo Credit: Lily Blattner, Environmental Film Festival)

A senior from Ballou High School said:

“This is the best field trip I've ever been on.”

A 5th Grader from Washington Yu Ying PCS said:

“The film was inspirational.”

And educator Angela Isom of Burrville Elementary School told us:

“Many scholars said they would like to take their parents and siblings back to get a deeper understanding and see more.”

Quick Links

Environmental Film Festival

An American Ascent

DC Collaborative

Arts for Every Student

Seed Public Charter School

DAR Constitution Hall (Photo Credit: Lily Blattner, Environmental Film Festival)

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Watkins Students Share MLK’s Dream

Submitted by: Polly Terezian, Program and Communications Intern, DC Collaborative; Tori Pergerson, Watkins Elementary, DC Public Schools January 29, 2016

Martin Luther King, Jr. Program

On Friday, January 15th fifth graders from Watkins Elementary School readied themselves to recite Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of a tradition from Watkins students for the past fifteen years.  Supported by about 465 others comprised of the entire Watkins student body, parent volunteers, and teachers all gathered around the same spot that MLK did almost fifty-two years ago. 5th grade teacher Amy Wertheimer is the mastermind behind the event and started the tradition 17 years ago. Music specialist, Tori Pergerson, works alongside the 5th grade team to integrate the music into the presentation.  

Tori has been the Key Communicator for the DC Collaborative’s Arts for Every Student program at Watkins Elementary for the past five years and has followed her passion of sharing music and working with children since college.  Coincidentally, it was also in the fifth grade that Tori knew she wanted to pursue music.  After her first talent show performing Beethoven’s, “Fur Elise” and receiving a standing ovation Tori knew what she wanted to do. She recalls, “This is my first recollection of sharing not only my talent but using my own expression and interpretation of this ‘larger than life’ music with others. I knew then that I wanted to touch people with my music for the rest of my life.” Since then, Tori has.

On Friday, Tori led the fifth graders as one by one each student approached the podium to state a phrase from the well-known MLK speech.  “Working with children and drawing out their special unique vocal sounds is very fulfilling,” Tori remarks.  As part of the Watkins MLK program, Principal Elena Bell of Watkins Elementary accompanied the students in song and later invited the audience to join in.  Together the Watkins community and their audience sung songs including John Lennon’s, “Imagine” and freedom songs from the Civil Rights era like, “We Shall Overcome.” Students danced and proudly displayed signs they had made in support of equal rights for all.  The performance was an inspiring and uplifting way to commemorate the life of this great man and to commence a weekend in celebration of his legacy. 

Arts for Every Student

Watkins Elementary School is one of the partner schools of the DC Collaborative that benefit from the Collaborative’s arts and humanities education field-trips.  Tori states, 

“When students have [the] opportunity to experience arts first hand whether it’s on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or watching a play at the National Theater it seems like the experience is more impactful.  They are able to see the Arts as a part of the world not just a lesson taught in the confines of a classroom setting.”  

One of the core programs of the DC Collaborative is the Arts for Every Student Program or AFES.  The District is home to a plethora of diverse cultural institutions that unfortunately not all students, especially those in DCPS, are able to take advantage of.  Tori adds, 

“My students have benefited greatly from many field trips offered through DC Arts Collaborative. We’ve watched show and concerts at the Imagination Stage, THEARC, the Kennedy Center, Lisner Auditorium, the Spanish Embassy just to name a few.”  

The various AFES programs directly help students get an arts and humanities cultural experience. Trips augment the depth of discussions in the classroom and provide for lasting memories of positive learning experiences.  For example Tori notes, “When students are begging me to play more Bach after seeing ‘Bach In Time’ or able to aurally identify the orchestra instruments that they saw being played at the Kennedy Center, I know that the field trip was an effective resource for their arts education.”   

As a parent of two, Tori has personal experiences to advocate for the arts and its impact on a child’s education.  Her family shares her musical passion and often attends musical performances and venues.  Tori is also a member of NAFME, the National Association for Music Education, an organization that hosts conferences to help educators build and create solid music programs in their schools.  At Watkins, Tori posts announcements, newsletters, and statistics on the benefits of music in education.  She plans all of the Watkins student concerts throughout the academic year and often times will invite parents to engage in rehearsals.  

Always fostering inclusive, dynamic, and educational music classes Tori has demonstrated herself as a pillar and inspiration to her students at Watkins.  In her own words, “I am grateful for every opportunity and I believe it has made me a much better educator, parent, and musician.”

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