Young Audiences’ Arts Impact Initiative
The Arts Impact Initiative (Aii) program provides substantial and sustained arts programs for children in New Jersey’s public schools that have little or no arts education programming. Through the generous support of corporations, foundations, local businesses, and individuals, this program launched in the fall of 2006 and has expanded since then to reach more students every year.
The Arts Impact Initiative Program:
- infuses sustained arts programming into elementary and middle schools to achieve a broad understanding of the arts and their potential to stimulate growth, learning, and change.
- offers professional learning opportunities for teachers and administrators to promote understanding of the arts as an important tool for learning and encourage inclusion of the arts in daily classroom activities.
- allows students to gain increased knowledge and skills within individual art forms.
- empowers students to cultivate an appreciation for the arts and to develop and nurture their own imaginations and creative abilities for success in life.
- increases awareness and appreciation of different cultures, backgrounds, and points of view.
Arts Impact Initiative Schools receive a full complement of YA programming which can include:
- joint planning sessions by Young Audiences staff, teachers, and administrators to meet each school’s unique needs, goals, and curriculum.
- professional learning opportunities involving artists, teachers, and administrators that facilitate cross-content curriculum connections.
- a series of performances for the whole school.
- in-depth, multi-day, hands-on art-making workshops that can complement the school-wide performances and further supports core-curriculum activities.
Donor Recognition
Businesses and foundations have agreed to fund programs in schools with the understanding that visibility for the school/business relationship will be promoted through the district, school, and community. As part of fostering this relationship, the following events are typically suggested for each school to build recognition for their sponsor. Schools may choose to:
- Hang a banner recognizing their sponsor in their gym or auditorium.
- Invite their sponsors to attend programs occurring in the school.
- Send thank-you letters to their sponsors.
Statistics
Since its launch in 2006 serving 4 Trenton schools, the Adopt-a-School project has grown. We now serve over 9,000 students and 150 teachers in 17 elementary and middle schools in Trenton, 2 schools in Lawrence Township, 1 school in Ewing and 1 school in Hamilton.