Dreams of Our Children signature art event, May 24, 2011 − The Partnership held its ‘first’ annual event celebrating arts, leadership, and excellence in five schools this spring. A standing-room only crowd of family members, friends, teachers, board members, administrators, community partners, and financial supporters alike were out in force to witness the creative energy and talent of our students. The galleries and main stage at the Gordon Theater of Rutgers University in Camden, NJ were filled with the sights and sounds of the music, painting, sculpture, and performance art created under the tutelage of resident artists from our community arts partners Abrakadoodle, Perkins Center for the Arts, Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts, and Symphony in C. There were also presentations of student awards and high school scholarships.
The Dreams of Our Children art event to honor our students, donors, and community partners –and raise funds for arts programming — takes place again in May, 2012.
Check back often for more information. Sponsors for the first event included PSE&G, Mark & Ann Baiada, the Oxley and Bergstrom families, the Notre Dame Alumni Club of South Jersey and Wegmans. Consider becoming a sponsor in 2012. For more information about ways to support our Dreams event, contact Pamela Rainey Lawler at plawler@catholicpartnershipschools.org.
Instrumental Music Program & Symphony in C
Thanks to the strong Professional Development Internship Program at the heart of the Camden-based Symphony in C orchestra, the generosity of the Domenica Foundation, and instrument donations from scores of community members, the Partnership was to able to create an instrumental program in each of the schools during the 2010-2011 school year.
As of February 2011, each Partnership School had an instrumental class for 10 4th & 5th grade students. Each school housed a particular instrument family – percussion, strings, brass, and woodwinds – and musicians from Symphony in C conducted group classes for the students.
With a renewed commitment for this school year on the part of these partners, the instrumental program will continue to grow under the direction of CPS music director, Mariko Kisada.
Catholic Partnership Schools Choir
Each of our Partnership schools has an established choir that sings at Mass and other school events. The exciting news is that now we also have The Catholic Partnership Schools Choir. Made up of 6th through 8th grade students from each of the five schools, the Choir debuted in November 2010 at the Catholic Leadership Institute Dinner and students wowed the audience of more than 600.
One of the latest developments on the musical front is that this year our new CPS Music Director Mariko Kisada is tasked with creating a choral powerhouse through intensive choral development and performance. She will work in collaboration with the music teachers at the other schools as the students hone their music skills, build their repertoire, and explore new performance venues.
Abrakadoodle
Abrakadoodle is a standards-based visual arts education program developed for children from pre-K through 8th grade. Classes are designed to encourage exploration, innovation and creativity – key skills for 21st century students. Children paint, draw, sculpt, design, imagine, sketch and explore using a wide variety of artist materials and techniques. On-going and generous support from the Rotary Club of Moorestown, New Jersey made it possible to have an after-school Abrakadoodle art club at Sacred Heart School for the past 3 years. A grant from the Camden County Cultural and Heritage Foundation, through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, underwrote 8 weeks of classes for Kindergarten through 3rd grade students at Holy Name School. We hope to continue to build our partnership with Abrakadoodle.
Perkins Center for the Arts – Artists in Residence
The past 3 years at our Partnership schools have been filled with music, drama, Shakespeare and more under the auspices of the Perkins Center for the Arts- Artists in Residence program. Sponsored by the Domenica Foundation, three of the Partnership schools each receive 20-day residencies that are designed around a specific theme developed in collaboration with the principal. The residencies range in scope from visual arts to music, dance, theatre/storytelling, to prose writing and poetry. An original installation or performance is the culminating event.
Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts
During the 2010-2011 school year, 5th to 8th grade students benefited from the Shared Dream Arts Education Program. Additionally, each school participated in a 6-day residency ranging from vocal ensembles to Caribbean dance. Two 15-day residencies are in the works for the 2011-2012 school year.