CREATE
The CREATE initiative was developed by art educators in Community High School District 218. CREATE stands for Community Relationships Enhanced with Artistic Talents and Education. We hope this initiative will develop and establish itself into an after school public art group in our three schools; Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, Harold L. Richards High School, and Alan B. Shepard High School. The CREATE initiative will be proposed as a part of a grant provided by the 21st Century Community Learning Centers associated with the Illinois State Board of Education.
Mission
CREATE mission is to unite art teachers, students, and communities in an after school partnership to produce quality public art and to start a dialogue with the communities we serve. The arts in after-school environments have benefits for all students, specifically low-SES at-risk students, in providing adult mentoring, modeling, motivating activities, and support for youth. Students will work with artists and community members in developing skills and artwork that not only enrich their after-school-learning environment, but in their actual physical environment as well.
CREATE believes the arts represent a way for the students to engage with the real life world, interact with it and themselves, and to explore ideas in a less-evaluative setting. The arts reinforce the theme of community, which can address the surrounding environment's interests and needs as well as identity and age related interests of our students.
CREATE believes the arts represent a way for the students to engage with the real life world, interact with it and themselves, and to explore ideas in a less-evaluative setting. The arts reinforce the theme of community, which can address the surrounding environment's interests and needs as well as identity and age related interests of our students.
Goals
- Design public art projects in our district’s local community.
- Develop the creative skills of our high school students, thereby providing them with tools to articulate their ideas and observations and the confidence to transform their physical environment.
- Increase student performance and achievement in school, particularly with the low-SES at-risk population. The arts serve to motivate students and increase their interest in learning and their self-confidence to learn.
- attendance
- involvement
- academics
- Construct a civil dialogue amongst our schools, students and communities to change the public space and enhance their understanding of place, the community in which they live.
Summary of CREATE Program
ParameterTarget Population
Capacity Duration
Frequency
Staffing Training
Collaborative Partners |
CREATE InitiativeStudents from each school within our district (Eisenhower, Richards, Shepard), grades 9-12, with a high concentration on low-SES at-risk population.
Each school will have their own group, consisting of 15-30 students each.
Each project will consist of a semester (12 weeks each), within the school year.
The students will meet 2-3 hours per session (each week, at each school).
Program director (Art Teacher), professional artists, and possible community members.
Art Teacher will train artists and community members on project. Teachers will receive training from collaborative partners. To be determined |
LogisticsStudents will be referred by teachers, principals, support staff, and self-referrals. There will be a clear method of communication amongst all these professionals to retain these students (i.e. follow up, feedback, etc.)
Students will meet in a classroom location and transported to public art site when determined.
Duration and Frequency of the project is determined by objective for each session. For example, planning and research in-school meetings will require less time than site work off-campus. An art teacher will direct each project and session. Once site work begins, local professional artists and community members are welcome (and will be invited) to attend to mentor and participate. Informal training of artists and community members focusing on program design, goals and objectives, background of student participants, and rules and regulations.
Teacher training would consist of informal and/or formal conferences with members of collaborative partners who have knowledge and experience in public arts realm. Our partners will fulfill one of the following roles:
|