ARTS IMPACT INC

ARTS IMPACT'S INNOVATIVE ARTS-INTEGRATED PROGRAMS RESPOND TO EDUCATIONAL TRENDS AND MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND THE COMMUNITY OF GREATER CLEVELAND. THE ORGANIZATION HAS SERVED OVER 45,000 STUDENTS DURING THE PAST 22 YEARS. OUR MISSION IS TO BRING LEARNING TO LIFE THROUGH ART. OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO USE THE ARTS TO HELP CHILDREN LEARN, CREATE, IMAGINE, DREAM, EXPLORE, GROW AND SUCCEED. ARTS IMPACT HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT SCHOOL PARTNER FOR THE CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT (CMSD), IN PARTICULAR, BY PROVIDING MULTI- SESSION ARTS INTEGRATION RESIDENCIES THAT IMPACT ACHIEVEMENT AND INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT FIRST GRADERS BUILD BIRD GLIDERS WHILE STUDYING LIFE SCIENCE. SECOND GRADERS CREATE DIGITAL STOP-MOTION ANIMATIONS ON IPADS WHILE STUDYING THE WEATHER AND ATMOSPHERE. THIS CREATIVE, HANDS-ON LEARNING HELPS THE CURRICULUM "STICK." BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH 2023, ARTS IMPACT IMPLEMENTED AN INTENSIVE ARTS INTEGRATION PROGRAM WITH A 3RD GRADE CLASSROOM AT PAUL L. DUNBAR ARTS ENRICHMENT ACADEMY AND A 1ST GRADE CLASSROOM AT HANNAH GIBBONS-NOTTINGHAM SCHOOL. THIS PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED TO DETERMINE IF THIS APPOROACH POSITIVELY INFLUENCES STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANDING THIS MODEL. HANDS-ON PROJECTS INTEGRATED ART INTO ALL AREAS OF THE CURRICULM INCLUDING MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS. TWO OVERALL SUCCESSES EMERGED: 1) THE STUDENTS ENJOYED THE PROGRAM AND WERE HIGHLY ENGAGED, AND 2) THE STUDENTS SHOWED PROGRESS IN BOTH THEIR ART SKILLS AND IN LEARNING THE SUBJECT AREA CONTENT. TEACHERS REPORTED STUDENTS WERE HIGHLY ENGAGED IN THE PROGRAM, AND IT PROMOTED STUDENTS' ABILITIES TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY. ADDITIONAL POSITIVE OUTCOMES FROM THE 3RD GRADE TEACHER INCLUDED IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENTS ASKING QUESTIONS AND DEMONSTRATING EMPATHY. SINCE 2019, ARTS IMPACT HAS OFFERED SERIES OF ARTS-BASED PROGRAMS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, TO EXPLICITLY ADDRESS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL). EACH WORKSHOP INCLUDES INTRODUCTION OF AN SEL COMPETENCY, DISCUSSION, ACTIVITIES, AND AN ART PROJECT TO DEEPEN THE LEARNING OF THAT COMPETENCY. ARTS ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS TAKE PLACE IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS DURING OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME. THESE WORKSHOPS AND CAMPS ARE ARTS-BASED AND NOT TIED TO OTHER ASPECTS OF THE CURRICULUM AS THE STEAM AND SEL OFFERINGS ARE. PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS GUIDE STUDENTS TO PAINT MURALS, DESIGN LOGOS, SCULPT, DANCE, AND MORE.