New Paltz - On a recent Friday afternoon, an extraordinarily diverse collection of artisans, writers, and performers assembled at the Ulster BOCES Conference Center. More than 50 of them showed off their respective talents - everything from African drumming to Hudson River-inspired music making - at an Arts in Education Showcase.
The event attracted teachers, administrators, and representatives from Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) from school districts that participate in the Arts in Education Cooperative Service (Co-Ser). The showcase provided an opportunity for educators to meet artists, look at portfolios and résumés, and observe demonstrations of Arts in Education programming.
Among the showcased artists was Leslie Arouh, a Stone Ridge-based textile designer who promotes learning through fabric-making. "I teach children how to make fabrics from around the world," she says, describing projects focusing on places like India, Mexico, and Mali. "Students can learn a lot about a country by studying its textiles," she suggests.
The Hudson River Ramblers, composed of storyteller Jonathan Kruck and folk balladeer Rich Bala, offered a sampling of their history-based entertainment, while a performance by Ghana native Maxwell Kofi Donkor and his Sankofa Drum and Dance Ensemble had the crowd dancing in the aisles. At one booth, financial planner (and former Ringling Brothers clown) Brad Zupp showed how he uses juggling and other circus skills to teach children about money management. Other booths were manned by representatives of arts groups like the Arm of the Sea Theater and the Children’s Media Project and by creative individuals like ventriloquist Sylvia Fletcher and children’s book author Rose Kent.
Cindy Worrad, a representative of the Highland Elementary PTA, was thrilled with the event. "I’m here to get ideas for assemblies and after school activities," she explained. "This is so exciting; there is a lot of variety, a lot of multicultural offerings. We are looking for interactive activities for K-5 students that fit into the curriculum."
Jonah M. Schenker, Ulster BOCES Arts In Education Coordinator, stresses that the arts are an integral part of education. "The arts are not an ‘add on’ to education - they are a necessity," he states, explaining that students define themselves, and address today’s challenges, though art, literacy, history, and science.
The Arts in Education Co-Ser supports the arts and arts-integrated learning experiences for students and teachers. Arts activities include workshops, assembly programs, demonstrations, residencies, and field experiences in literary arts, visual arts, music, media arts, theatre, and dance. This resource enables students, teachers, and the school community to participate in arts-related learning experiences, integrate the arts into other curricula, and learn about the possibility of the arts as a career option.
