Nine Schools Named Winners of up to $10,000 in Arts Education Scholarships From Target and Young Audiences!

Grants provide an array of high-quality arts education programming for schools in need

PRINCETON, NJ, December 1, 2014 – Nine schools in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania have been chosen to each receive up to $10,000 for Arts Education Grants from Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania (YA) and Target Corporation. For a fifth straight year, Target and YA will partner together to provide quality arts education programming to schools in need. Through the grant, winning schools will work closely with YA to deliver a variety if arts education programs for the students, teachers and families throughout the region to inspire and expand their learning.

“We received an overwhelming response from the New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania school communites to our Arts Education Grants,” said Larry Capo, President & CEO of Young Audiences. “The nine selected schools are all committed to providing arts-rich educational programs, but lack the funding to put them in place. We look forward to working closely with these schools to develop the kind of meaningful arts programming that will continue to enrich and inspire students creativity.”

Out of over 60 schools throughout New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania to apply for the grants, nine schools were selected. Schools were chosen on a competitive basis, with priority given to those demonstrating financial or circumstantial hardship.

The winning schools are:

• Bancroft School at Voorhees Pediatric Facility, Voorhees, NJ
• Burlington City High School & Wilbur Watts Intermediate School, Burlington City, NJ
• Chaplain Charles J. Watters School #24, Jersey City, NJ
• Albert M. Bean Elementary School, Pine Hill, NJ
• Fitler Academics Plus, Philadelphia, PA
• La Salle Academy, Philadelphia, PA
• Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Asbury Park
• Vineland School District, Vineland, NJ

Each school will work with Young Audiences’ staff, and their roster of professional teaching artists, to plan first-quality arts programming tailored specifically for their schools’ unique needs. They will receive funding for a variety of initiatives, including:

• professional artist performances at their school
• in-depth, hands-on workshops with professional artists
• professional development to help classroom teachers connect the arts to other learning
• assistance in creating a community event celebrating students’ work

Winning schools have expressed how proud and excited they are to be a 2014-2015 recipient of a Target & Young Audiences grant.

“Being thrilled about having this opportunity at the Bean School is almost an understatement!  We are ecstatic!  I can’t wait to see my students expressions when they hear others dedicated to the arts encouraging them to be young artists,” said Colette Staab at the Dr. Alfred Bean School. “I’m hoping this experience will later inspire them to research and apply for helpful programs that may make their futures brighter.”

This grant is part of Target’s ongoing efforts to build strong, safe and healthy communities across the country. These efforts include Target’s long history of giving 5 percent of its profit to communities, which today equals more than $4 million every week. As part of this commitment, Target is on track to give $1 billion for education by the end of 2015 to help kids learn, schools teach and parents and caring adults engage.

In addition to the grant received by Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania, Target also gives through signature programs such as:

• Take Charge of Education, a school fundraising initiative that provides undesignated funds to local schools for whatever they need most, from books and school supplies to classroom technology.
• Arts Accessibility, free or reduced-price admission to arts and cultural events nationwide.
• Target School Library Makeovers, a program that leverages Target’s world-class design expertise to transform school libraries across the country with new construction, furniture, and technology, as well as 2,000 new books.
• Education Grants and Awards, including Books for Schools Awards, Target Field Trip Grants and Early Childhood Reading Grants, that provide schools, libraries, teachers and nonprofit organizations the resources they need to bring learning to life and put more kids on the path to graduation.

“At Target, we are committee to serving local communities where we do business,” said Laysha Ward, President, Community Relations, Target. “That’s why we are proud to partner with Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania as we work to strengthen communities and enrich the lives of our guests and team members.”

YA Professional Teaching Artist, Josh Robinson with students from School 24 in Paterson, NJ during their Afro-Cuban Percussion Residency.

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About Young Audiences – Founded in 1973, Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania is the premiere arts-in-education resource in the region, providing high-quality performances and artist-in-residence programs to nearly 500,000 children pre-kindergarten through 12th grade annually. Young Audiences’ extensive professional artist roster represents all art forms—from dance and theater to music, language and visual arts.

Young Audiences’ programs are accessible to all socio-economic, ethnic, cultural, and geographic communities, and are designed to strengthen the arts in schools, meet local and state curriculum standards, involve families in arts activities, and enrich cultural life in New Jersey and Pennsylvania communities.

Young Audiences New Jersey & Pennsylvania is the first arts education organization designated as a major service organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and, as part of the national network of Young Audiences, Inc. was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. Young Audiences provides over 4,000 programs annually and are made possible in part through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State and Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. Additional funds come from the National Endowment for the Arts, foundations, corporations and generous individuals.

To learn more, visit yanjep.org. To be “social” with us, join us on Facebook and Twitter

About Target – Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at 1,921 stores – 1,797 in the United States and 124 in Canada – and at Target.com. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $4 million a week. For more information about Target’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit target.com/corporateresponsibility.

PRESS CONTACT:

Denyce Mylson

Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania

609-243-9000

[email protected]