March 01, 2018

Q. Smith, featured cast member of Broadway's Come From Away, is set to host the 10th annual New York City August Wilson Monologue Competition, sponsored by LEAP (Learning through an Expanded Arts Program, Inc.). A total of 16 LEAP students from eight New York City high schools in four boroughs will inhabit Wilson's extraordinary characters and provide their unique interpretations.

June 09, 2017

Sixth-graders from I.S. 77 in Ridgewood have a message for everyone: child abuse and cyberbullying are never acceptable. Over 60 students from the middle school participated in the Learning through an Expanded Arts Program‘s (LEAP) “A View From the Lunchroom Students Bringing Issues to the Table” art exhibit where they painted a lunchroom table with inspiring pictures and messages outlining the two community issues that they felt needed to be addressed. That table is now proudly displayed at Benninger Playground, and will remain there through August.

June 07, 2017

Sixth and eighth grade classes from the Joseph B. Cavallaro School in Bensonhurst, I.S. 281, have officially been given a space to express their opinions, decorating a lunch table in Bensonhurst Park that addresses unity and diversity with original designs. The artsy group was over 30 kids strong and squirmed for the pictures, excited to see their table in the park which will be on display until August.

June 01, 2017

Students from 10 NYC public schools, whose plays will be published by renowned publisher Samuel French, will showcase their original works and perform them at The Pearl Theatre as part of the acclaimed LEAP OnStage program.

May 17, 2017

The world has spent the last five months twisting and contorting itself into a new normal, and we adults have spent much of that time glued to our televisions and phones. The news consumes conversations with our families, friends, and colleagues, but the most vulnerable among us — children — rarely get a word in. Yesterday, in Union Square, middle schoolers from all five boroughs gathered to unveil a citywide public art project that they’ll use to register their concerns about the state of humanity, and engage with those of us who often forget to ask what they think.

February 14, 2017

Student artists from I.S. 77 in Ridgewood will have their work displayed during the Learning through an Expanded Arts Program’s (LEAP) 15th Annual Student Art Exhibition later this week. The exhibition will feature works by students in kindergarten through eighth grade from schools in Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Manhattan who participated in LEAP’s Afterschool Program, LEAP’s Public Art Program and LEAP’s Active Learning Leads to Literacy Program.

March 14, 2016

Hillcrest High School actress Benne McCants has conquered the New York stage, and now is on her way to take on the rest of the country. Benne earned second place in LeAp’s NYC August Wilson Monologue Competition held at the MMAC Theater in Manhattan last week. She will now represent the city in the national finals slated to take place at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre May 2.

July 02, 2015

Learning Through an Expanded Arts Program participants at two borough middle schools, I.S. 219 in Morrisania and M.S. 244 in Kingsbridge, showcased their own artwork about issues confronting youth.

June 15, 2014

Learning through an Expanded Arts Program, student artists have created artwork that speaks to major social issues in their communities. In their pieces, they addressed the issues of drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, dropping out of school and bullying.

July 01, 2013

After watching a production of her recently published play, “Likkle Bowy, Big Mon,” Queens’ newest playwright, Amanda Morris, turned her attention to her next big project: picking up her diploma at Jamaica’s Hillcrest High School’s graduation ceremony. While still a student at Hillcrest, Morris, 18, received first place in this year’s LeAp — Learning through an Expanded Arts Program — Onstage play writing contest, which earned her the chance to see the show produced at Baruch College and to have the manuscript published by Samuel French Publishers.

July 09, 2012

On Thursday, four students from Fordham High School for the Arts will shine in the spotlight when they gear up to contend in a national monologue competition. The eager juniors and seniors have practiced every day-- at home, in the shower and on the train-- at monologues from famed playwright August Wilson’s works. “You really gotta connect to that character,” said senior Kevin Crumpler, 18, who plays the role of the title character in the 2001 play “King Hedley II.”

March 05, 2012

For 34 years, the nonprofit group Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp) has provided music, dance, theater and visual arts programs at New York City public schools, including many in the Bronx. Last Wednesday, on leap day (Feb. 29), Mayor Michael Bloomberg proclaimed it to be “LEAP DAY” in honor of the group’s contributions.

July 07, 2011

PS 373 students presented their table at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center (near the greenhouse along the gravel path entrance off Tysen Street). It speaks of the need to stop the violence and protect the environment by not littering or smoking.

June 07, 2011

Students from Accion Academy in the Bronx unveiled a new piece of public art in Crotona Park. The piece, a painted lunchroom table, was created through LeAp (Learning Through an Expanded Arts Program). The piece was a part of LeAp's fourth annual citywide student exhibition entitled A View From The Lunch Room; Students Bringing Issues To The Table.