“[Our teaching artist’s] sensitivity to the needs of students with movement and sensory challenges will foster creativity and collaboration between the artist, the students, staff and families. Her experience as a dancer and dancing coach will inspire students to participate in the creative process and honor their personal movement styles.”

“Teachers feel more equipped to infuse dance and drama into their curriculum, specifically with story elements and retelling. This residency instilled more confidence into teachers to try new elements of performance arts while still meeting the goals of our curriculum.”

“I discovered what I stand for, who I am, where I am from…what I really feel like.”

“These projects raise our school’s profile in the community and help earn us the reputation of being a place where interesting and dynamic things are happening, where we foster a culture of the arts. This generates a lot of pride for staff and students. Graduated students often return and talk about their emotional connection and engagement with the school and the arts within the context of past grants.”

“I learned that it is okay to be yourself.”

“American History in Mr. Morgan’s class will never look the same. The residency has heightened his awareness of how arts integration impacts student learning. Typical coursework merged with the arts, created multiple opportunities for connections, allowed for a deeper personal experience with the material, and enhanced retention of course content beyond the final exam.”

“The children were able to be as creative as they wanted to be with no boundaries. We learned that it’s okay to get dirty, and we learned how to express our creativity through art. We will use this in our classroom by letting them be creative, and also letting them know it’s okay that everyone’s art is not the same.”