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ATG Honored at Youth, I.N.C. Innovators Breakfast
 | | Click the image to view the video! |
ATG was honored with the Excellence in Fundraising Award at Youth, I.N.C. 3rd Annual Innovators Breakfast, hosted by Bloomberg L.P. on January 29th. We were acknowledged for our outstanding work in improving the lives of NYC-area children, as well as for our success over the past two years in Youth, I.N.C. Celebration program . We're thrilled to be recognized alongside two other excellent youth-serving organizations: Creative Arts Workshops for Kids, which received the Excellence in Capacity-Building Award, and GallopNYC, which received the Excellence in Board Advancement Award. Our Board Chair, Allen Pinero, spoke on a panel moderated by Geoff Levin, Partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP and Secretary of the Youth, I.N.C. Board of Directors. Allen discussed how Arts to Grow has leveraged Youth, I.N.C.s Celebration program to increase our fundraising capacity and serve more children. This award was accepted on Arts to Grow's behalf by Kristina, a three-year graduate of ATG's musical theater program at CHLDC IS 171. She opened the event with a monologue adapted from RENT, and later spoke about her experiences with ATG and the impact our programs have had on her future. Click here to learn more about Kristina.
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Arts to Grow Serves More Kids this Winter/Spring
 | | Photo Credit: Ulrik Pedersen |
This semester we are excited to continue adding new programs allowing us to provide opportunities for more kids: - Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation /IS 171, Cypress Hills Brooklyn will host two continuing programs this semester: Musical Theater at IS 171, where students in grades 5-8 will culminate a year long program with performances of an adaptation of In The Heights under the direction of Teaching Artists Taylor Valentine (Theater) and Kevin Alan Daniels (Choreography);
- and Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation/Beacon, Cypress Hills Brooklyn where our Percussion Ensemble with our Teaching Artist David Freeman will continue from the fall. David will lead students from grades 5-8 in learning technique and exploring sounds of Afro-Caribbean ethnic drumming.
- Spring Creek Community Corporation, located in the neighborhood formerly called Starrett City, Brooklyn, will partner with us again, this time on a Theater Arts program for students in grades 2-4 taught by Heleya de Barros.
- Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center will hold two programs: a continuation of our Visual Arts program sponsored by Lowy Frame the Future, taught by Teaching Artist Michelle Hill;
- Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center and a new Percussion Ensemble taught by our veteran Teaching Artist, David Freeman
- Lincoln Park Apartments in Newark, NJ. "Seeing The World Through Digital Media". Where children ages 7-12 will continue to expand upon their work this fall learning the art of filmmaking with our Teaching Artist JC Cotti.
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Program Spotlight: Percussion Ensemble at CHLDC/Beacon
 | | Photo Credit: Mallory King |
Now in its third year, the Percussion Ensemble is music to the ears of students at the Cypress Hills LDC's Beacon community center. Since fall 2011 Teaching Artist David Freeman has worked with an average of 12 students in grades 5-8 on basic rhythmic hand drum techniques. The children master basic rhythm patterns and then use what they've learned to develop their own compositions. Through experiencing this music, the students also gain a deeper understanding of the language and history of West African and Caribbean drumming.
David says that working with kids and adults alike "requires a presence of mind, patience, openness, and a willingness to learn." He sees drumming as a tool to help his students "build self-esteem, accomplishment, and cooperation in a group setting" and to "develop inner strength that they can access at any time in any situation as they move along in life." He enjoys being in the moment with his students, calling the classroom "a fascinating place where anything can happen." He adds, "And each session is a collection of many, many moments."
Click here to read more about David Freeman.
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Board Member Spotlight: Kenneth Jackson
 | | Photo Credit: Ken Jackson |
Arts to Grow is delighted to introduce our newest board member, Kenneth Jackson. Ken is a senior technology professional in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and divestitures for Deloitte Consulting, LLP. Ken joins ATG with a deep commitment to serving the interests of urban and less-advantaged children through the arts. He points to his own childhood involvement in arts programs as inspiration, which he says have "informed [his] current views on the importance and possibilities of art to enrich the learning and educational experience of at-risk youth."
As a member of the board, Ken intends to ensure that Arts to Grow reaches our goal of serving 5,000 kids annually by leveraging his expertise, skills, and professional contacts to support development and fundraising. We welcome Ken to our board of directors and thank him for his commitment to helping more children learn to love learning.
Learn more about Ken's professional background.
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