Center For Arts Education Inc

When I first started teaching at PS 206K, the Joseph F. Lamb School in Brooklyn, there was no music program. I despaired as to how we could introduce instruments into our school, since although I am a certified Music teacher, I had no expertise in strings. A Project Arts Coordinator suggested I write a grant to the CAE-NYC/PAAP, and see if we could win a grant to teach strings in our school, starting with our parents. I was getting my Masters at Brooklyn College and was studying the methodology of Suzuki, and realized we had a perfect fit! " Teach the parent and you will reach the child." Our PA gladly came on board and pledged money to purchase the violins, and offered their assistance as well. We won the grant, and for the next eight years continued being awarded because our program, String Fling was a great success. From there we were awarded additional grants for violin study by NYC Councilmember Lew Fidler, and Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein. We developed a fantastic partnership with the Brooklyn Philharmonic, who became more than a partner, by extending every resource and opportunity to our students. Indeed, they became our dear friend. Each year our grant was renewed, we innovated and evolved, adding more instruments, more students, and more services to ou families; no longer just parents. I became a site visitor, panelist, and grant reviewer, tasks that I loved, because they clearly demonstrated the success of the PAAP programs, citywide. Our PAAP even appeared on a video with Mayor Bloomberg, as a witness to the sucess of this program. The most important result of our PAAP program however, was in the day school. The year following our program, we had violins, and a teacher in the school for almost every grade. This was due to our evening PAAP violin program. Our PA was so thrilled to be learning violin, that they insisted the children must have the same experience; and they did! Parents, staff, teachers, all became involved in our PAAP violin program, even the community was touched by it. Additionally, student teachers from Brooklyn College had an opportunity to study and become involved as well. The violin program still exists today, although I am no longer teaching at PS 206K. PAAP changed the climate and direction of a school. It is an extraordinary program that must continue in its efforts to bring the Arts to all children, parents and families in NYC. I know PS 206K will always be greatful for the seed that PAAP provided to build our house. Thank you CAE-NYC/PAAP, for making so many things possible!

We were awarded a PAAP grant by CAE a couple of years ago to do a photography workshop with parents at our school. The entire experience was transformative. Maybe one of the best parts about it was receiving a huge amount of guidance from CAE on how to make the project successful and run smoothly. We were able to avoid a lot of pitfalls by having easy and timely access to experienced, energetic and highly organized CAE staff, and our peers at other schools (via network opportunities organized by CAE). Funding is key, but concrete and expansive presence in the community is of even higher value. Our relationship with CAE has continued to evolve as we have become part of the hugely import initiative to make the arts accessible to ALL NYC school children! CAE strikes me as an effectively organized, caring and motivated group that fills a desperate need for a valuable resource for our children.

Working closely with the Center for Arts Education, I see the impact of their work in New York City and nationally through groundbreaking policy research and advocacy. This organization has done more to advance the field of arts education than any other I am familiar with over the last two years.

The Center for Arts Education awarded our school a grant, called "Parents as Arts Partners(PAAP). We received $3000, and with that money served over500 people. we held 5 workshops for 50-80 parents and children. We made jewelry, worked with clay, created masks and painted. We had a museum visit, attended by over 50people. The parents and children loved these activities, it brought them closer with their children, creating art, side-by -side, and brought the school community together. It was incredible!

My school received PAAP grants for two years from CAE. This wonderful program allowed us to introduce parents and kids (many from immigrant families) to the cultural opportunities available in our own backyard in Queens first year by visiting 3 Queens museums and the 2nd focusing on one the Isamu Noguchi Museum doing in depth work at the museum and in school. both years were great and the help and guidance we received from CAE was immeasurable. Even though the programs are done the ideas of careers in the arts in NYC is a part of our curriculum and an important future goal for many of our students. thanks.

I have been involved with the CAE on behalf of my school for about 9 years. During that time, the center has funded many wonderful arts functions and programs designed to link school, family and community together through the arts, and spread the word about the importance of arts education by connecting us with talented artists who beautifully unite the arts with curriculum learning. The staff, students and families of P.S. 279 have been touched many times by the efforts of the CAE and their commitment to achieving their goals of keeping the arts alive when economic times are so difficult. We wish to thank the Center for Arts Education for all of their help in supporting our school's arts endeavors.

I am a professional freelance illustrator who has worked in the field for over 30 years. Over the past few years, I've been teaching art at a local non-profit arts organization, and also taught a class at a local private elementary school. I found that I needed teaching artist training to enhance my abilities to instruct students according to DOE and NYC Blueprint standards, and luckily for me the Staten Island Teaching Artists Institute began the kind of training I needed this past spring. The Center for Arts Education is a vital part of the partnership that created and administered the Staten Island Teaching Artists Institute. In training artists like me to teach their art according to DOE standards and practices, they have furthered their goals of "ensuring that New York City public schools integrate high-quality arts learning and teaching into the education of every student", and "improving the quality of teaching and learning through grant programs, professional development, cultural partnerships, and other initiatives." The Center for Arts Education has, through the Staten Island Teaching Artists Institute, conducted an intensive teaching artist training and internship program in which professional writers, visual artists, and performers learned to transform their talents into creative teaching tools to inspire underserved young people. And now, due to this training experience, I am happy to report that I have been hired by Studio in a School, a highly regarded teaching artist organization, to begin teaching art this new school year in NYC schools. There is also the possibility that I will be working with a second organization to do the same in other area schools. Thank you Center for Arts Education, for your diligent efforts to further the cause of using art in schools to enhance and complete the education of all students.

I work at Academy of American Studies, a public high school in Long Island City, Queens. I have written several grants for the school with The Center for Arts Education in the last 7 years. These have included Parents as Arts Partners grants (4), which gave us the opportunity to bring parents into the school to work with their child on an art project; a Partnership Grant with Museum of Modern Art which has continued for 3 years beyone the grant, at MoMA's expense; and for the last 3 years, the Career Development Program which matches selected students with arts-related industries for internships. All of these programs have had a tremendous impact on the Arts curriculum in our school! The internship program has had an equally spectacular impact on the students who have been chosen in the last 3 years. These students have all been Seniors, and have gone on to college with an extra credit on their transcript, experience which is priceless, in some cases a continued relationships with their worksite (for instance, continued working there in the summers or during college years), and most recently one of our students was chosen for a college scholarship through this program. The dedicated staff at CAE have been with our school through all of these programs and have supported our staff and students with professionalism.

My initial connection with Center For Arts Education began as a Parents As Art Partner Grant (PAAP)recipient in 2003. Through the years my relationship with CAE has continued through Career Develpment Program and also becoming involved as a panelist and site visitor. Our parent community as well as our student and school community have been able to continue to collaborate with CAE. Our parents gain a stronger sense of the Blue Print Standards as they spend time with their child, whether it be young or old. My personal connection in past years has been enhanced through CAE's wonderful staff, their honesty and true expressions of values that we strive to instill in our upcoming generation. I have seen through the Career Development Program some amazing young adults. CAE's programs are well developed, and in all honesty I feel that they are a wonderful example to be shared with other countries. Their programs work, proving to reflect positive with the arts.

I have been involved with the Center for Arts Education since 2003 as an Educator Intern in the Career Development Program. The program provides internships to high school students in arts related idustries. The Educator Intern is the school liaison between CAE and the student interns from their school. I have been very pleased and impressed with the Career Development Program. Students learn how to go about getting and keeping a job. The focus is on careers in the arts, but not necessarity as a performer or painter. The interns get to learn about the business of the arts and the many varied careers that are available to them.

I was a high school student that was introduced to The Center for Arts Education through my school. This was a program that prepared us students for the real life career world. Even to get into the career development program there was an interview process. Once in the program they taught all of the basics that school doesnt teach about going about looking for a career. I highly appreciated that. In the bootcamp training they introduced all the students to different experiences reguarding the different art careers. This opportunity should last for other students to experience.