What: An environmental and health-focused arts afterschool program

Who: 2nd and 3rd grade

When: throughout the school year

Where: P.S. 55

Current Funders: This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council through a CASA grant from NYC Council Member Vanessa Gibson.

Goals:

• To expose children to the importance of healthy living, healthy foods, and physical fitness

• To increase children’s self-confidence through writing and public speaking

• To develop children’s fine art skills in drawing, painting, collage, and sculpture

• To expose children to social activism

 

Program Description: The Museum provided 32 art sessions at P.S. 55 twice a week from January to June 2018.  Teaching Artists Estelle Maisonett and Estefania Chavez led twenty first and second grade students from the SCAN After-School program in developing fine arts skills in drawing, painting, collage, theater, and film. Guest speakers included Veggication and BLK Project. Students integrated these skills within the content areas of environmental sustainability and healthy living, empowering them to share with their peers a better understanding of healthy eating and life habits through public service announcements, which they wrote, directed, and filmed for their peers and caregivers. Healthy slogans included: “Eat Peppers and Spice Up Your Meal!”, and “It's Fair To Have Clean Air!”, which were showcased on signs the students held while marching in the Bronx Day Parade. The Museum's mobile bus also visited the students to further explore the concept of environmental sustainability and stewardship. The students’ culminating event took place on June 14 for parents, family members, and caregivers where attendees viewed a screening of the short film the children created and participated in a discussion on how to lead healthy lives. 

 

TESTIMONIALS

 

“After I learned about being healthy, I want to see in my neighborhood a track to run on, more trees, free karate classes, gymnastics, healthy stores, a bike path, and water parks. If we had more free things to do that are good for you then people will be happy and healthy. They can play with their families and we can all be healthy”- Maryamou M.

 

“There aren’t enough gardens in our neighborhood so people can plant and eat things from nature. Sometimes people want to eat junk food . Instead of icey and ice cream trucks outside on hot summer days they should sell water around our school. It is hard for people to watch what they and we need to stay healthy so we can be focused and energized. We need fruits and veggies so we can be happy and not stressed all the time”.- Leah

 

“We have a lot of homeless people in our community. They are sick and I want to give them medicine and vegetables because it has protein to make them strong because right now they are weak. It is good to help homeless people because we already have help. If we have more gardens around, then we can give the homeless people jobs growing fruits and veggies to sell to our community. I want to be a marine when I grow up so I can help homeless people and help serve our country so people can be safe.” – BouBou V.

  

“I liked making our campaigns and working with our friends so we can help our community stay healthy. I like to help people”- Jeramiah K.