News Archive

LeAp’s 11th annual Citigroup show sheds light on student achievement

For the 11th year, Citigroup is generously hosting LeAp’s annual art exhibit, which is currently on display at their headquarters in Long Island City at 1 Court Square. The show features a diverse array of artwork created by LeAp students from around New York City, many of whom participated in LeAp’s nationally recognized Active Learning Leads to Literacy (ALLL) program. LeAp students created murals, Mondrian-inspired paintings, and Papier-mâché plants and animals, among many other exciting projects, while developing their math, science, social studies, and English Language Arts skills.

The works on display in the exhibition demonstrate LeAp’s arts-based approach to teaching the academic curriculum. One exhibit, titled “Flights of Fancy,” features work by LeAp students of P.S. 14 and P.S. 132 in the Bronx. Students studied the hundreds of birds that migrate through New York City and each student “adopted” a bird for intense study, writing essays and creating images of their birds in their natural habitats.

Another exhibit, a series of paintings in the style of the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian were created by LeAp second-grade students of PS 28 in the Bronx. Students explored the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, graphed two numbers in the sequence on graph paper and then rendered their graphs as Mondrian-inspired geometric paintings.

LeAp teaching artists worked with students at the following schools:

P.S. 28 Mount Hope (Bronx) – LeAp teaching artist Emily Provance

P.S. 5 The Port Morris School (Bronx) – LeAp teaching artists Robert Appleton, Joan Dankovich, Peter Gil-Sheridan, Allison Halff, Megan Hanley, Joy Langer, Jessica Maffia, Miriam Schechner

P.S. 315 The Lab School (Bronx) – LeAp teaching artist Deborah Berkson

P.S. 132 Garrett A. Morgan (Bronx) – LeAp teaching artist Joy Langer

P.S. 14 Senator John Calandra (Bronx) – LeAp teaching artist Meghan Bechtel

P.S. 165 Robert E. Simon (Manhattan) – LeAp teaching artist Jessica Maffia

Many of the featured works were created by students who participated in LeAp’s Active Learning Leads to Literacy (ALLL) program. By using multi-sensory, hands-on methods to improve literacy skills, ALLL has significantly improved the academic performance of over 35,000 economically disadvantaged students over the past 10 years, giving them the foundation necessary to meet or exceed standards for children in their age group. ALLL utilizes the arts and active-learning strategies to improve reading and writing skills, enhance language fluency and reading comprehension, and expand vocabulary. For more information about ALLL, click here.

 

The Citigroup exhibit is open to the public and is on display at 1 Court Square in Long Island City in Queens.  The exhibition is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will be on display until December 2012.

 

   

Last chance to check out LeAp's public art installations in NYC parks!

This is the last week to check out the large-scale public artworks created by LeAp’s student artists in LeAp’s public art program!

Student artists from 10 public middle schools in all five boroughs came together to create a large-scale public art exhibit of school lunchroom tables that they transformed into works of art addressing important social issues in their communities, issues including gangs, bullying, teen pregnancy, gay rights and pollution.. This exhibit was the largest student art exhibition in the history of NYC parks and the first to span the five boroughs. The exhibition was created by LeAp in cooperation with NYC Parks & Recreation.

This marks the fifth year of LeAp’s annual public art display, titled “A View From The Lunchroom: Students Bringing Issues To The Table.” The program empowers young people to have a voice in their communities and to speak out on issues of relevance to them and become catalysts for social change through their art.

The student artists/activists presented their artworks and discussed major community issues at a citywide event on May 22nd at Union Square park. Many top city officials and artists were there to pay tribute to them, including NYC School Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott.

The students’ artworks are on display through the end of this week at the following parks:

Bronx

Pictured: Artwork by students of Accion Academy at Crotona Park, located in front of tennis house inside park along Crotona Avenue between Claremont Parkway and Crotona Park North. The art addresses issues of teen pregnancy, gangs and bullying.

At Claremont Park, art by students of New Venture Academy 219X is featured at the top of the park near the gazebo entrance where Teller Avenue meets Morris Avenue (off of East Mount Eden Avenue). This artwork addresses the topic of bullying.

 

 

 

 

Manhattan

Pictured: Artwork by students of Robert F. Kennedy School 169M at Central Park, located at the basketball courts by Great Lawn – entrance at 85 St. The artwork addresses water pollution and how all living things should be able to live peacefully together.

At Augustus Saint-Gaudens Playground, artwork by students of Salk School of Science 255M is featured at Second Ave at 19th Street. The artwork addresses the importance of respecting ourselves and the Earth. Topics include gay rights, equality, environment.

Staten Island

Pictured: Artwork by students of Robert Randall School 373R at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, located near the greenhouse along gravel path – entrance Richmond Terrace at Tysen Street. The artwork addresses  Emotional literacy and the need to have self awareness and control.

At Silver Lake Park, artwork by students of IS 25R is featured, located behind dog run – entrance on Victory Boulevard at Eddy Street. The artwork addresses pollution and the need to eliminate dangerous fuels that pollute our world.

 

Queens

Pictured: Artwork by students of 75Q at Forest Park, located at Jackson Pond Playground corner of Myrtle Ave. and Park Lane South. The artwork addresses bullying and intolerance. The students were inspired by Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, which made them think about their own dreams of the future.

At Juniper Valley Park, artwork by students of 9Q is featured near the flagpole at Juniper Boulevard South at 78 St. The artwork addresses violence and drug abuse. The students hope to create a balance in their lives and community between the negative aspects like violence and drug abuse and the positive ones— so that they can have happy, successful futures with careers and families.

 

 

 

 

Brooklyn

Pictured: Artwork by students of Mark Twain School for the Gifted and Talented at Kaiser Park, located at Neptune Ave at West 27 Street. The artwork addresses pollution and the environment and how it is vital that we take care of our planet.

At Detective Joseph Mayrose Park, students at P.S. 53K have artwork on display at Seventh Ave between 17-18 Street. The artwork addresses the benefits of technology and communication making the world a smaller place and bringing people closer together. When people can communicate with one another, there is an understanding which leads to peace.

 

   

LeAp’s ALLL Program Recognized with Grant from U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education has recognized the effectiveness of LeAp’s (Active Learning Leads to Literacy) ALLL K-2 program with a major professional development grant awarded to the Children’s First Network and  charter schools. This three-year grant is one of only four grants awarded nationwide this year. This year 68 teachers in 56 schools are attending LeAp’s professional development workshops at NYU as well as benefiting from 40 days of in-classroom modeling. This summer the participating teachers will be paid to attend a week-long summer seminar. In all, the grant will eventually serve about 3,700 high-need and high-poverty K-2 students.

The funds from the Arts in Education-Professional Development for Arts Educators grant were awarded to school districts in New York, California, Florida, and Nevada to support high-quality model training programs in elementary and secondary education for music, dance, drama, media arts, or visual arts. The program aims to train educators serving in schools with students from low-income backgrounds.

"Creating by doing is a uniquely powerful way to learn. That's why I think a high-quality arts education is absolutely critical to providing all students with a world-class education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “The study of the arts can both significantly boost student achievement and give students a reason to look forward to coming to school. All children should have arts-rich schools."

LeAp’s ALLL program is a unique approach to teach literacy that uses multi-sensory, hands-on, arts-based teaching strategies in music, theater, visual art, dance, cooking, and games to successfully teach literacy to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. LeAp’s ALLL program taps into the varied learning styles of students, reaching those students who are unresponsive to traditional teaching methods and are falling through the cracks. LeAp’s ALLL program is endorsed and supported by the U.S. Department of Education and the New York City Department of Education as well as by major foundations. According to extensive research conducted by New York University, ALLL raises test scores and strengthens literacy and higher level thinking skills in students regardless of socio-economic level, age or school resources—leveling the playing field for all students.

The USDOE’s Arts in Education-Professional Development for Arts Educators grant is administered by the Office of Innovation and Improvement.

For more information about LeAp’s ALLL program, click here.

 

   

Students at PS 5X LeAp into summer school!

Click here to see the program in action, as featured on CBS News!

In partnership with PS 5 in the Bronx, LeAp was one of only two arts organizations selected for the New York City Summer Quest, a pilot program aimed at preventing summer learning loss. The five-week program used LeAp’s active, arts-based model to teach English Language Arts, math, science and social studies, to rising first, second and third graders, 85% of whom were English Language Learners.

In LeAp’s and PS 5X’s program, LeAp teaching artists worked with students during the day using the school’s curriculum, with an additional afterschool component that reinforced topics learned during the day through hands-on visual arts, music, dance, drama and sports activities. The five-week program was split into two sections, the first three-week session focused on plant diversity and the second two-week session focused on animal diversity. A student art show and performance was held every Friday for the parents to promote parental engagement.

Students also had the opportunity to visit several sites, including the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, Pelham Bay Park and Inwood Park.

The partnership between LeAp and PS 5X was one of 11 selected to comprise the NYC Summer Quest pilot program, which focused on narrowing the achievement gap, a problem often exacerbated by learning loss during the summer months when students are out of school. The NYC Summer Quest was sponsored by the NYC DOE, the NYC Department of Youth and Culture and the Fund for Public Schools. The NYC DOE plans to evaluate the results of the program and successful models will be replicated in future years.

LeAp’s Summer Quest program was based on LeAp’s ALLL K-2 (Active Learning Leads to Literacy) program, which uses multi-sensory, arts-based teaching strategies in music, theater, visual art, dance, cooking, and games to successfully teach literacy to students in kindergarten through second grade. ALLL K-2 has been recognized by the NYC DOE and the U.S. Department of Education as a model for successful teaching. To learn more about LeAp’s ALLL program, click here.

 

 

   

NYC STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON MAJOR COMMUNITY ISSUES THROUGH ART IN HISTORIC CITYWIDE PARKS EXHIBITION

Images from three of the student murals created using the surfaces of school lunchroom tables.

NEW YORK—LeAp’s student artists of 10 public middle schools from all five boroughs have created large-scale public artworks—school lunchroom tables that they transformed into beautiful and meaningful works of art addressing important social issues in their communities—comprising the largest student art exhibition in the history of NYC parks and the first to span the five boroughs. Students’ beautiful and meaningful works of art address issues including gangs, bullying, teen pregnancy, gay rights and pollution. The exhibition is on display in 10 parks citywide from June through August. The exhibition was created by Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp) in cooperation with NYC Parks & Recreation.

LeAp’s fifth-annual citywide student exhibition, entitled “A View From The Lunchroom: Students Bringing Issues To The Table,” empowers young people to have a voice in their communities and to speak out on issues of relevance to them and become catalysts for social change through their art. 

The student artists/activists presented their artworks and discussed major community issues at a citywide event on May 22nd at Union Square park. Many top city officials and artists were there to pay tribute to them, including NYC School Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott.

The students’ artworks are currently on display in the following 10 parks:

BRONX

Artwork by students of New Venture Academy 219X at Claremont Park
(at top of park near gazebo Entrance where Teller Avenue meets Morris Avenue (off of East Mount Eden Avenue)
Issues addressed: This artwork addresses the topic of bullying.

Artwork by students of Accion Academy at Crotona Park
(in front of tennis house inside park along Crotona Avenue between Claremont Parkway and Crotona Park North
Issues addressed: The art addresses issues of teen pregnancy, gangs and bullying.

MANHATTAN

Artwork by students of Salk School of Science 255M at Augustus Saint-Gaudens Playground
(Second Ave at 19th Street)
Issues addressed: Importance of respecting ourselves and the Earth. Topics include gay rights, equality, environment.

Artwork by students of Robert F. Kennedy School 169M at Central Park
(at basketball courts by Great Lawn – entrance at 85 St)
Issues Addressed: Water pollution and how all living things should be able to live peacefully together.

STATEN ISLAND

Artwork by students of IS 25R at Silver Lake Park
(behind dog run – entrance on Victory Boulevard at Eddy Street).
Issues addressed: Pollution and the need to eliminate dangerous fuels that pollute our world.

Artwork by students of Robert Randall School 373R at Snug Harbor Cultural Center
(near greenhouse along gravel path – entrance Richmond Terrace at Tysen Street)
Issue addressed: Emotional literacy and the need to have self awareness and control.

QUEENS
Artwork by students of 75Q at Forest Park
(Jackson Pond Playground corner of Myrtle Ave. and Park Lane South)
Issues addressed: BULLYING and INTOLERANCE: We all want to live in a world where anything is possible and the sky is the limit for every single person. But to do that, we need to stop bullying and being intolerant of people’s differences. We were inspired by Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and thought about our own dreams of the future. 

Artwork by students of 9Q at Juniper Valley Park
(Near flagpole at Juniper Boulevard South at 78 St.)
Issues addressed: VIOLENCE and DRUG ABUSE: We are looking at how we can create a balance in our lives and community between the negative aspects like violence and drug abuse and the positive ones— so that we can have happy, successful futures with careers and families.

BROOKLYN

Artwork by students of Mark Twain School for the Gifted and Talented at Kaiser Park
(Neptune Ave at West 27 Street)
Issues addressed: The topic is pollution and the environment and how it is vital that we take care of our planet.

Artwork by students of 53K at Detective Joseph Mayrose Park
(Seventh Ave between 17-18 Street)
Issues addressed: Technology and communication make the world a smaller place and bring people closer together. When people can communicate with one another, there is an understanding which leads to peace.                       

This exhibition is part of LeAp’s Public Art Program. Beginning last February, LeAp teaching artists worked with students in 10 schools to explore community issues, study the history and practice of public art, and ultimately create beautiful works of art on the surfaces of the lunchroom tables for public display. In addition, internationally-renowned Guest Artists Christo, Mark di Suvero, Audrey Flack, Nari Ward, Mel Kendrick, Daze, Sanford Biggers, George Boorujy, Mary Mattingly and Emma Amos, met with students to discuss their work and the power and impact of public art.

“LeAp’s Public Art Program gives our students a citywide platform to showcase their artistic talents and generate awareness for important issues facing their communities,” said Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott. “We are thrilled to have LeAp as a partner in our efforts to enhance arts education in the schools.”

“Once again New York City’s schoolchildren will become the city’s youngest public artists this summer, thanks to the efforts of LeAp,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “There is no better place to kick off this annual, socially-minded exhibit than in Union Square Park, where New Yorkers have been broadcasting their ideas for over a century. The students’ thought-provoking artwork is sure to enliven the City’s parks and raise awareness on the issues that are most important to them.”

LeAp’s Public Art Program was made possible by the generous support of NYC Parks & Recreation, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Fridolin Charitable Trust, HSBC Bank USA, NA, Hot Topic Foundation, Jack and Jill of America Foundation, Kinder Morgan Foundation, Richmond County Savings Foundation, Astoria Federal Savings, Lewis-Feigenbaum Charitable Trust, Auer’s Moving & Rigging Co., Inc., The Compleat Sculptor, Environmental Technology Inc., Mariano Brothers Specialty Moving, Whole Foods Market, Zabar’s, KADKO and CAMBRO. A very special thanks to NYC Department of Education and its Department of Facilities.

Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp) is a nonprofit, arts education organization committed to improving the quality of public education through a unique, hands-on, arts-based approach to teaching the core curriculum. Since 1977, LeAp has provided more than two million New York City students in kindergarten through 12th grade with music, dance, theater, digital media, and visual arts programs that directly teach the academic curriculum.  LeAp offers in-school residencies, afterschool activities, teacher trainings, parent workshops, and assembly programs to schools citywide, conducts programs in hospitals, shelters, and cultural institutions and develops educational materials. LeAp is an innovative leader in the field of arts education, and has received major awards, grants, and endorsements from the United States Department of Education, New York City Department of Education, Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), The After School Corporation (TASC), and the offices of the mayor and governor.

www.leapnyc.org

###

   

More Articles...

Page 2 of 7