FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
February 21, 2007
Press Contacts
202-653-4628
Kevin O'Connell, koconnell@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
Mrs. Laura Bush Honors Arts and Education Programs for
Underserved Youth
Honorees from
17 Communities in the U.S. and Mexico Participate in January
22nd Ceremony
Washington, DC--Young people
from communities across the U.S. and Mexico who engage
in after-school arts and humanities programs that promote
educational achievement and productive lives were honored
by Mrs. Laura Bush at a ceremony for the 2006 Coming Up
Taller Awards in Washington, D.C. The ceremony took place
in the East Room of the White House on Monday, January
22.
Coming Up Taller is an initiative of the
President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
(PCAH). The President’s Committee partners with
the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), National
Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment
for the Humanities (NEH) to administer the program, which
was founded in 1998.
“Coming Up Taller gives us the chance
to celebrate arts programs that are helping boys and girls
develop their talents and find their own voices,”
said Mrs. Bush. “The programs we recognize with
the Coming Up Taller Awards bring caring adults into the
lives of children so that these children can grow up to
be successful and healthy adults themselves.”
“By recognizing excellence, Coming
Up Taller encourages effective after-school and out-of-school
programming for youth,” said Anne-Imelda M. Radice,
Director of IMLS. “Children who participate in these
activities are enriched in ways that will help them succeed
in the future.”
The Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and
support outstanding community arts and humanities programs
that celebrate the creativity of America’s young
people, and provide them with new learning opportunities
and the chance to contribute to their communities. The
awards also highlight the contributions that historians,
scholars, librarians, and visual and performing artists
make to families and communities by mentoring children.
More than 250 nominations were received by the program
in 2006.
From student-produced radio programming
in New York, NY, to performing arts steeped in Hispanic
culture in Ft. Worth, TX, to an orchestra program that
nurtures high academic achievement in Berkeley, CA, the
honored programs represent a diverse array of experiences
that enable young people to nurture their interests under
the disciplined and caring tutelage of educators and community
leaders. All programs received $10,000 in honor of their
accomplishments in enriching the lives of young people
and their communities.
Representatives of each program were in
Washington to accept the awards. The following programs
were honored:
Art at the Heart and Intervention Hope, Hope,
AR
Through Art at the Heart and Intervention Hope,
at-risk students aged 6-18 have the opportunity to engage
in a wide range of artistic pursuits and community activities
that provide a sense of place and possibility. In a largely
rural area with high rates of poverty, these programs
benefit children at risk of underachievement in school.
Studioworks, Communities in Schools of New Jersey,
Newark, NJ
Founded in 1999, Studioworks offers training
and employment in the visual and performing arts to keep
young adults safe, productive and engaged in their community.
Studioworks’ year-round workshops are taught by
seasoned professional artists specializing in a range
of disciplines that include photography, mural painting
and vocal training. At the conclusion of each session,
Studioworks hosts a performance, public exhibition, and
a sale of the students’ work.
Radio Rookies, WNYC Radio, New York, NY
Started in 1999 by WNYC Radio, Radio Rookies
enables young people from some of New York City’s
most under-resourced neighborhoods to produce compelling
radio stories heard by 1.1 million listeners in the New
York area and many more through the national and international
radio networks that also feature the Rookies’ broadcasts.
Double Discovery Center at Columbia University,
New York, NY
The Double Discovery Center at Columbia University
is home to two programs funded by the U.S. Department
of Education: Upward Bound and Talent Search. Upward Bound
is a year-round college preparatory program that strengthens
the academic and life skills of more than 165 high school
students every year. Through Talent Search, more than
800 middle and high school students receive academic,
college and career counseling every year.
Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra, New Orleans,
LA
Founded in 1994 by local professional musicians,
area teachers, and parents, the Greater New Orleans Youth
Orchestra offers opportunities for young musicians to
perform in one of the orchestra’s many ensembles
and subsidizes lessons, instruments and tuition to students
in need of financial assistance. As a testament to the
program’s influence, 90 percent of the students
progress to full participation in the orchestra and 90
percent pursue a college education.
Teatro de la Rosa Youth Program, Ft. Worth, TX
Created through a partnership between the Latin
Arts Association and local community organizations, Teatro
de la Rosa enables young people aged eight-to-18 from
Fort Worth, Texas to learn all aspects of theater operations,
from playwriting to production to performance. Students
receive free, on-site classes at the Rose Marine Theater
three days a week for 12 weeks in both the fall and spring
sessions, and four weeks of instruction during the summer.
Shakespeare in the Courts, Lenox, MA
Shakespeare in the Courts is a collaboration
between Shakespeare & Company and the Berkshire Juvenile
Court in Pittsfield, MA. Over 100 juveniles, who participate
in the performance program as part of their community
service, have successfully completed the Project since
its inception. The participants rehearse three times a
week and perform one of Shakespeare’s plays, which
is presented at the end of the project to families, friends
and the media.
Birmingham Cultural Alliance Partnership (B-CAP),
Birmingham, AL
Led by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute,
B-CAP annually connects 200 inner-city youth and their
families with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s
community partners in a program that uses the arts and
humanities to reinforce classroom learning, promote student
achievement, nurture personal development and increase
parental involvement in education.
Write to Read-Youth Literacy at Juvenile Hall,
Alameda County, CA
A partnership between the Alameda County Library,
the Department of Probation and the Alameda County Office
of Education, the Write to Read: Youth Literacy at Juvenile
Hall program has introduced the joy of reading to more
than 4,000 incarcerated youth. Founded in 1999, Write
to Read motivates young people housed in the Alameda County
Juvenile Hall to strengthen their reading skills and make
meaningful connections to authors and books that can positively
influence the choices they make in their own lives.
Young Musicians Program, Berkeley, CA
The University of California, Berkeley’s
Young Musicians Program (YMP) enables as many as 90 young
people each year to receive intensive personal musical
training as a means for influencing academic achievement
and personal growth. While the majority of the students
are from low-income communities and the program is undeniably
rigorous, YMP has a zero dropout rate, and 100 percent
of its graduates enter college.
Baltimore Urban Debate League, Baltimore MD
The Baltimore Urban Debate League (BUDL) enables
young people to engage in public policy debate as a venue
for developing skills in communication and critical thinking.
Beginning in 1999 with 90 students from eight schools,
the League has evolved into a nationally recognized program
that transforms the lives of over 1000 students from more
than 60 middle and high schools throughout the city each
year.
ShakesPEERS, Washington, D.C.
Based in Southeast D.C., ShakesPEERS enables
250 students in grades four through 12 to rehearse and
perform the classic texts of William Shakespeare as a
venue for creativity, critical thinking and forging connections
to their community. The program is offered by the Shakespeare
Theatre Company, which was founded in 1985 to present
classical theatre in an accessible, skillful, imaginative
and American style.
Snow City Arts Foundation, Chicago, IL
Snow City Arts Foundation was founded in 1998
to provide arts education and foster cultural enrichment
for the benefit of hospitalized children in Chicago. The
program has served more than 7,500 children who would
otherwise experience a serious gap in educational access
due to illness. Past projects of Snow City Arts include
published anthologies of children’s poetry, films
created for local and international film festivals, compilations
of original music and numerous art exhibits. This year,
Snow City Arts will bring educational programs to thousands
of hospitalized children at Children’s Memorial
Hospital, Rush University Children’s Hospital and
John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County.
Starfish Academy, YMCA of Greater Charlotte,
Charlotte, NC
Developed by the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, Starfish
Academy is a literacy program that builds important reading
and writing skills among children who are at-risk of academic
underachievement. Founded in 1999 through a strong, strategic
partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as a summer
literacy camp, it expanded in 2004 to include an after
school component and now serves nearly 300 children at
nine sites throughout the community.
Tlingit Language & Culture Program, Haines,
AK
Now in its 17th year, the Sheldon Museum’s
Tlingit Program offers students of Haines, Alaska the
opportunity to explore the language, culture, art and
history of the native people of the Chilkat Valley, an
effort that strengthens bonds with their heritage while
teaching important life lessons. The Tlingit Program includes
activities and classes at the Museum, as well as in local
Indian schools. Language classes, guest speakers and a
wide variety of hands-on experiences engage children and
teenagers while connecting them with community elders
who serve as role models.
Children’s Cultural Center La Vecindad,
Morelos, Mexico
Serving 55,000 children and 9,000 adults throughout
22 municipalities in the state of Morelos, Mexico, Children’s
Cultural Center La Vecindad offers opportunities to participate
in numerous art activities. From performing arts, to drawing,
to sculpture, photography, radio broadcasting and more,
the wide array of offerings creates fertile ground for
nurturing creativity and growth. The Center also provides
great benefits to the larger community through annual
exhibitions, performances, fairs and festivals and radio
programs.
La Chacara Children’s Cultural Center,
Campeche, Mexico
Created in 1998, La Chacara Children’s
Cultural Center strengthens communities and neighborhoods
throughout Campeche, Mexico by engaging young people with
diverse cultural activities. Its offerings span several
disciplines of art, including oil painting and craft-making,
regional dance and music instruction.
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