Teaching Artists in the Classroom
This year, the Journey Program partnered with the Commack, Harborfields, Huntington, Northport/East Northport, Plainview/Old Bethpage and South Huntington school districts. Over 55 teachers from these districts chose to attend the Fall 2010 series of Cultural Arts Workshops and Discovery Chests were used in over 30 of our partner schools. In addition to these benefits of the Journey Program, many schools chose to have visiting artists in their schools to further enrich their curriculum.
Over 40,000 students benefit from the Journey Program every school year.
Commack
Students at Wood Park Primary enjoyed a special video conferencing program on African Masks with the Cleveland Museum of Art. Storyteller Chris Holder talked about immigration with 4th graders. (Other Journey Programs in the Commack school district: Kuniko Yamamoto's origami/storytelling, Sung Sook Setton's Eastern Brush Painting, Australian artist Chris Pitkin's Aboriginal dot paintings, and Robbi K's musical storytelling.)
Robbi K and Bali Dali get K- 2nd graders on their feet at Rolling Hills Primary School.
Harborfields
At Thomas J. Lahey Intermediate School, Australian artist Chris Pitkin taught 3rd graders about the Aboriginal people of the Australia. Students then made their own traditional dot paintings and listened to the sounds of the didgeridoo, the world's oldest wind instrument.
Chris Pitkin plays the didgeridoo for students at TJL Intermediate.
Huntington
Indian artist Puneeta Mittal taught 3rd graders at Southdown, Flower Hill, Jefferson, and Washington primary schools about Ajrakh, the traditional art of Indian block printing. Using an arrangement of foam cut-outs, students created their own printing blocks and used them to print symmetrical patterns on fabric.
A third grader at Jefferson Primary prepares his stamp for printing.
Northport/East Northport
At Northport and East Northport Middle Schools, 6th graders enjoyed an exciting and dynamic performance by Dance China NY in celebration of the Chinese New Year.
6th graders at Northport Middle School participate in the traditional Chinese ribbon dance.
Plainview/Old Bethpage
At Parkway Elementary School, students were visited by Barbara Aliprantis, a Greek American immigrant who incorporates sign language into her storytelling. The Brooklyn Fife Revival, a musical group blending Brazilian music with Mississippi Blues, performed at Parkway as well. To close out the year, Mexican storyteller and musician Felix Pitre performed at Stratford Road Elementary in early May.
Barbara Aliprantis tells 3rd and 4th graders how her family came to this country.
South Huntington
Spanish Flamenco group Sol y Sombra performed a mixture of Latin American and Spanish dances for grades K-2 at Countrywood Primary School. Okra Dance Company performed traditional African dances for grades K-2 at Oakwood Primary Center.
The Okra Dance Company shows 1st graders at Oakwood Primary a traditional dance from Nigeria.
