Our Arts Education programs have reached hundreds of students and over a dozen teachers already this Spring. We couldn’t be more inspired than we are by the public school teachers and our visiting and alumni artists as they collaborate to offer kids ways to create with words, plaster, colored pencils, projection, and paint.
From making poems out of math equations with Frank Ingrasciotta in Germantown High School to sketching systems and shapes from overlaid projected images with Gina Occhiogrosso in Albany High School, the workshops in our Arts Ed programs have offered students unique and creative ways to engage with learning. Also in Albany HS, Millay alum Tereza Swanda led kids on a two-day mold-making journey with plaster and objects and lace. Dave Johnson has continued poetry workshops in the Hudson City Schools with two visits this Spring. We’re working with him and Hudson School Administrators to develop a program for teachers and English Language Learners using poetry to foster cross-cultural and lingual learning as Hudson is home to large Bengali- and Spanish-speaking populations. As Dave put it, the rhythm of poetry is universal and can be felt across languages. As such it can be uniquely useful in engaging students. We couldn’t agree more.
We are planning a class visit to Jude Hartigan’s room in the Chatham High School for next month. Every year we have the great pleasure of getting together with her and going over the roster of our incoming artists to select projects that would connect with her students.
News on this Spring’s visit coming soon!
We’ve also been working with the Chatham English Department to offer an intensive poetry residency in the School with Millay alum Danniel Schoonebeek and are aiming for Spring 2018.
Our School Programs grew out of the belief that the artists who stay with us at Millay are an incredible resource to our community. While the primary purpose of a Millay residency is the individual practice of the artists, there are many ways to bring these makers to the schools that can actually enhance their time in the studio.