ERIC ED410353: Coming Up Taller. Arts and Humanities Programs for Children and Youth at Risk.

169 Pages·1996·3.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
UD 031 846
ED 410 353
Weitz, Judith Humphreys
AUTHOR
Coming Up Taller. Arts and Humanities Programs for Children
TITLE
and Youth at Risk.
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities,
INSTITUTION
Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
96
NOTE
168p.
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, 1100
AVAILABLE FROM
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 526, Washington, DC 20506;
fax: [phone].
Evaluative (142)
PUB TYPE Reports
MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Adolescents; *Art Activities; Art Education; Children;
DESCRIPTORS
Disadvantaged Youth; Educational Innovation; Financial
Support; Fine Arts; *Humanities; Minority Groups; Program
Descriptions; Program Effectiveness; Self Esteem; Urban
Areas; *Urban Youth; *Youth Programs
ABSTRACT
This report documents arts and humanities programs in
communities across the country that offer opportunities for children and
youth to learn new skills, expand their horizons, and develop self-esteem and
well-being. The report describes the variety and vitality of arts and
programs humanities programs for children and youth and common
characteristics these programs share. The most distinguishing feature of
these programs is their ability to take full advantage of the capacity of the
arts and humanities to engage students. They have in common the fact that
they provide crucial building blocks for healthy development in places of
safety and through interaction with caring adults. Another factor in the
success of these programs is that they place a premium on giving youth a
chance to succeed. Many use innovative teaching strategies, and many promote
concrete job skills. Most are located in large cities, and many target
disadvantaged and minority youth. Most are funded through government
agencies, although 95% report more than one source of funding. The report is
"A Changed Environment for Children";
structured in six chapters:
(2)
(1)
"A Delicate Balance";
"Transforming Lives";
"Culture Counts";
(5)
(4)
(3)
"Two Hundred Plus." Section 6 contains program
"Looking Ahead"; and (6)
descriptions for the 218 individual arts and humanities programs studied.
(SLD).
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
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9
A
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ADVISORS
Jessica Davis
Nancy Rogers
Research Associate
Acting Director
Project Zero
Division of Public
Harvard University
Programs
Graduate School of
National Endowment
Education
for the Humanities
Cambridge, MA
Washington, DC
Diane Frankel
William Strickland
Director
Executive Director
Institute of Museum
Manchester Craftsmen's
Services
Guild
Washington, DC
Pittsburgh, PA
Marianne Klink
Ruby Takanishi
Federal Liaison
Executive Director
National Endowment for
Carnegie Council on
the Arts
Adolescent Development
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Wayne Lawson
Nancy Welch
Executive Director
Senior Research Analyst
Ohio Arts Council
Morrison Institute for
Columbus, OH
Public Policy
Arizona State University
Frances Lucerna
Tempe, AZ
Artistic Director
El Puente
Ha lima Williams
Brooklyn, NY
Co-Artistic Director
Living Stage Theatre
Ellen McCulloch-Lovell
Company
Executive Director
Washington, DC
President's Committee
on the Arts and the
Lynn Wright-Kernodle
Humanities
Coordinator
Washington, DC
MOTHEREAD Literacy
Development Program
Karen Pittman
North Carolina
Director of U.S. Programs
Humanities Council
International Youth
Greensboro, NC
Foundation
Takoma Park, MD
Coming Up Taller
Arts and Humanities Programs
for Children and Youth At Risk
by Judith Humphreys Weitz
,
President's Committee on
the Arts and the Humanities
With the National Assembly of
Local Arts Agencies
This publication was reprinted with
funding from the Bureau of Justice
Assistance, Office of Justice Programs,
U.S. Department of Justice and the
Center on Crime, Communities &
Culture of the Open Society Institute.
This project was funded by the
Anncox Foundation,
Botwinick-Wolfensohn Foundation,
Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation,
Nathan Cummings Foundation,
GE Fund and Harris Foundation.
Photos on the cover are from the following organizations:
First row, left to right: Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation,
Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Bakehouse Art Complex.
Third row, left to right: The 52nd Street Project, Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center.
Fourth row, left to right: MERIT Music Program of Chicago, The Wang Center
for the Performing Arts, Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum.
Fifth row, left to right: Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum,
Settlement Music School, The Brooklyn Children's Museum.
Back cover, top to bottom: Oakland Youth Chorus, Vermont Council on
the Humanities.
Copyright ©1996 President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
Editor: Elizabeth Murfee
Design: Beth Singer Design
Printing: Cavanaugh Press
Profile Research: National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies
Permission to copy, to disseminate or to otherwise use information from
this report is granted as long as appropriate acknowledgment is given.
Copies of this report can be ordered from the
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 526
5
Washington, DC 20506
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
There is no way to fast forward and
know how the kids will look back on
this, but I have seen the joy in their
eyes and have heard it in their voices
and I have watched them take a bow
and come up taller. g g
Willie Reale, artistic director of The 52nd Street Project,
describing the impact of a theater program on youth
living in "Hell's Kitchen," a neighborhood in New York City.'
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BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Table of Contents
6
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
I I
CHAPTER ONE
A Changed Environment for Children: A Status Report
CHAPTER TWO
1 S
Culture Counts: The Case for the Arts and the Humanities
in Youth Development
20
CHAPTER THREE
Transforming Lives: An Overview of Arts and Humanities Programs
28
CHAPTER FOUR
A Delicate Balance: Principles and Practices of Promising
Arts and Humanities Programs
38
CHAPTER FIVE
Looking Ahead: A Next-Step Agenda
CHAPTER SIX
41
Two Hundred Plus: Profiles of Arts and Humanities Programs
APPENDIX
153
State-by-State Index
S4
I
58
A Note on Assessment
I
160
Notes
162
Acknowledgments
The Dance Ring DBA
New York Theatre Ballet
Introduction and Summary
Corning Up Taller is a report
poets, videographers,
filledwith hope, a narrative
museum curators, dancers,
about youth learning to
musicians, muralists,
paint, sing, write plays and
scholars and librarians.
poems, take photographs,
make videos and play
The President's Committee
WHY man
drums or violins. Here are
believes strongly in the
liEPO
stories of children-Who learn
importance of including the
In September 1994,
to dance, mount exhibi-
arts and the disciplines of
President Clinton announced
tions, explore the history of
the humanities in the
the new members of the
their neighborhoods and
school curriculum. This
President's Committee on
write and print their own
study looks at what hap-
the Arts and the Humanities.
books.
pens to young people when
He and First Lady Hillary
they are not in school
Rodham Clinton, who
This report documents arts
when they need adult
serves as Honorary Chair of
and humanities programs
supervision, safe places to
the President's Committee,
in communities across
go and activities that
charged the Committee to
America that offer opportu-
expand their skills and offer
explore ways to enhance
nities for children and
them hope.
the availability of the arts
youth to learn new skills,
and the humanities to
expand their horizons and
The individual programs
children, especially to
develop a sense of self,
described in this study take
those at risk.
well-being and belonging.
place in many locations,
some unusual, in their com-
"Too often today, instead of
Coming Up Taller is also an
munities. Children, artists
children discovering the
account of the
and scholars come together
joyful rewards of painting,
men and women
at cultural centers, muse-
or music, or sculpting, or
who share their
writing or testing a new
ums, libraries, performing
skills as they help
arts centers and arts
idea, they express them-
to shape the talents
schools, to be sure. Arts
selves through acts of frus-
of children and
and humanities programs
tration, helplessness, hope-
youth and tap their
also are based at public
lessness and even violence,"
hidden potentials.
radio and television sta-
noted Hillary Rodham
These dedicated individ-
tions, parks and recreation
Clinton in remarks to the
uals, often working long
centers, churches, public
President's Committee.
hours for little pay, are
housing complexes, teen
"We see too clearly how an
educators, social workers,
centers, settlement houses
erosion and a breakdown of
playwrights, actors,
our most cherished institu-
and Boys and Girls Clubs.
In places unnoticed by
tions have resulted in a
mainstream media, acts of
fraying of the whole social
commitment and achieve-
fabric. We know that the
ment are evident every day.
arts have the potential for
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995 Drama CO
impart new skills and
obliterating the limits that
the arts and the humani-
Above Left: Settlement Music
School. Above:The Wang
encourage new perspec-
are too often imposed on
ties that reach at-risk chil-
Center for the Performing
tives that begin to trans-
dren and youth and to
our lives. We know that
Arts. Lower Left: Lula
form the lives of at-risk
they can take anyone, but
describe the principles and
Washington Contemporary
children and youth.
practices that make these
particularly a child, and
Dance Foundation.
transport that child beyond
programs effective.
B.
Use innovative teaching
Community arts and
the bounds that circum-
strategies such as hands-on
humanities programs pro-
stance has prescribed."
SUMMARY OF
learning, apprenticeships
FINDINGS
vide crucial "building
and technology, often giving
blocks" for children's
The First Lady encouraged
Coming Up Taller calls
youth concrete job skills.
healthy development.
attention to the variety and
the Committee to offer con-
These programs:
crete ideas "about how we
vitality of promising arts
Emphasize excellence and
can provide children with
and humanities programs
expose children to quality
Create safe places for
safe havens." She noted,
for children and youth. It
children and youth where
staff and programming.
The arts and humanities
also describes common
they can develop construc-
Build on what youth
characteristics that these
have the potential for being
tive relationships with
value and understand and
such safe havens. In com-
programs share.
their peers.
encourage voluntary partic-
munities where programs
A.
ipation.
Offer small classes with
Perhaps the most
already exist, they are pro-
opportunities for youth to
distinguishing aspect of
viding soul-saving and life-
Establish clear expecta-
develop close, interactive
enhancing opportunities
these programs is their
tions and reward progress.
relationships with adults.
for young people."
ability to take full advan-
Maintain sustained, regu-
tage of the capacity of the
Place a premium on giving
lar programs upon which
arts and the humanities to
As a first step, the Presi-
youth a chance to succeed
children can count and
engage students.
dent's Committee produced
as a way to build their sense
provide youth with oppor-
this report to identify
Beginning with this
of worth and achievement.
tunities to be valued com-
community programs in
engagement, programs
munity members.
a.1141
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