It’s no surprise to anyone who follows education policy that the principles of STEM are viewed as extremely important, and only continue to grow more so.
But even as the values and benefits of STEM are continuously lauded, influential voices have urged policymakers not to undersell the importance of arts education. Studies have shown that it has positive effects on creativity, focus, confidence, motor skills, perseverance and a whole host of other valuable attributes.
Integrating the arts into key educational initiatives has caused the STEM buzzword to morph into STEAM – science, technology, engineering, arts and math. And luckily for the children of central Ohio, not only do they have plenty of options in the classroom, they also have a wealth of options beyond, thanks to local arts organizations.
BalletMet
Jennifer L. Zmuda
BalletMet’s best-known contribution to the arts community is probably the BalletMet Dance Academy.
The academy has hundreds of classes each year for children, teenagers and adults, with youth offerings ranging from the basics to rigorous training. Graduates of the academy’s professional curriculum have gone on to perform for top dance companies around the country, including BalletMet itself, says Maria Torija, director of the academy.
BalletMet’s residency programs are expected to hit 40-plus classrooms during the 2019-20 school year.
Beyond the academy, though, BalletMet has a variety of K-12 educational programs, including:
- Residency programs at local high schools, which allow students at multiple grade levels to study dance during the school day as part of their curriculum
- Lecture demonstrations, bringing one-time, large-group performances to Franklin County schools
- Morning at the Ballet, field trips to BalletMet’s downtown Columbus theater for performances and behind-the-scenes information
- Scholarships for aspiring BalletMet dance students
- Soar On Saturdays, the Access program that features a six-week dance style session
“There’s something to be said for the impact of physically and emotionally experiencing movement,” says BalletMet Education Director Ambre Emory-Maier.
Actors’ Theatre of Columbus
Having started with a single summer acting camp six years ago, Actors’ Theatre has significantly expanded its educational offerings, presenting weeklong themed camps – from monsters and fairy tales to playwrighting and improv – to children, teens and adults in the summer.
The camps are very hands-on, with participants learning about other aspects of theater, such as set-building. And they don’t just teach theatre skills; Actors’ Theatre Education Director Andy Falter has seen participants improve a variety of skills and characteristics, such as public speaking and confidence.
Falter credits one multi-year alumna, who began attending camps at age 6, who gave a speech to her mother’s co-workers despite a previous tendency toward shyness.
Columbus Children’s Choir
www.columbuschildrenschoir.org
With a total of eight ensembles, the Columbus Children’s Choir offers kids copious opportunities – not just learning to sing, but to do it in front of live audiences.
The company’s best-known program is its K-12 choral education program, recognized for its members’ signature red jackets and its contribution to such popular annual shows at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops. But it has a total of six performing choirs, from beginner-level Isabella to the internationally touring New World Singers.
In addition to its performing groups, the Columbus Children’s Choir has three community engagement programs that bring free performances to low-income communities, as well as a day-long choral festival in February that brings in participants who can’t make weekly practices.
Managing Director Kerry Haberkern says anyone can join the choir and newcomers are placed based on the aptitudes exhibited in informal, one-on-one auditions. Though some members have gone on to success in music and theater, there are a variety of other benefits, such as the ability to read music and the opportunity to earn college scholarships for choral performance.
“That’s why they get featured in places: because people can count on them as real musicians,” Haberkern says.
Columbus Children’s Theatre
www.columbuschildrenstheatre.org
Columbus Children’s Theatre presents theatrical classes in the fall, winter and spring, and theatrical camps in the summer, shepherding more than 1,300 students through its academy every year.
Through these programs, children can learn acting and skills adjacent to acting, such as interpersonal communication, and they can have fun doing it, making it easier for the knowledge to be absorbed.
Columbus Children’s Theatre also has a resident artist company that tours statewide, often addressing educational subjects such as the benefits of STEM, and performs more than 250 shows per year at schools, libraries, recreation centers and more.
“They’re having so much fun doing it that they don’t even realize that they’re learning,” says Director of Marketing Rachel Flenner.
Success stories range from a top-rated attorney who credits the company with his courtroom success to Grey’s Anatomy actor Jake Borelli.
Mosaic
www.escco.org/programs-services/mosaic
Mosaic, available to high school juniors and seniors in Franklin County, affords students a different approach to education, focusing on the humanities through an integrated curriculum.
Formerly known as the Christopher Program, Mosaic sees students spend half the day at their home schools for science, math and like subjects, and the other half learning English, art appreciation, cultural studies, social studies and more. Where these classes differ from the standard high school curriculum is in the approach. The subjects all studied together, so, for instance, students might learn about a particular style of art and the era in which it flourished, combining both art and history.
A day’s classes for Mosaic might take students to the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus Cultural Arts Center, Columbus Council of World Affairs or Noor Islamic Cultural Center.
“Because the students self-transport, we can have class anywhere in the city,” says Director Kim Leddy.
The end result is graduates who are more comfortable moving around in the real world, have an easier time with soft skills such as interviewing and are better world citizens, Leddy says.
Young Writers Workshop
english.osu.edu/grad/mfa/young-writers-workshop
For students whose writing skills are developing impressively, but whose families don’t have the resources to help those skills reach their full potential, The Ohio State University’s Young Writers Workshop offers a way forward.
For one week during the summer, 30 high school juniors and seniors live on campus and work with writers from around the country to better themselves and their abilities. It finishes up with readings by each participant.
“Every single kid gets screams and cheers,” says MaryKatherine Ramsey, program director.
“Bad past, bright future, f**k yeah!” –Six-Word Memoir by a Young Writers Workshop participant who went on to escape an abusive personal situation and graduate from college.
Though some students’ success is measured in educational and career achievements down the road, others’ success is measured in their ability to escape difficult circumstances and avoid negative decisions in the future. The deeply personal writing produced by participants never fails to move the program’s instructors, Ramsey says.
Other K-12 Educational Programs by Central Ohio Arts Organizations
- Shadowbox Live: STEM Rocks the Box, a program for high schoolers to learn comedy acting, singing, dance, musical performance, costumes, stage lighting and more.
- ProMusica Columbus: Play Us Forward, a program providing music and violin instruction, as well as instruments, in underserved communities.
- Opera Columbus: Performances in local schools, and invitations for students to attend performances and rehearsals.
- Thurber House: A huge assortment of youth writing programs, including summer writing workshops, a class on writing ghost stories and a freeform writers’ studio for teens.
- CATCO is Kids: Acting classes, summer camps, school residencies, school matinee programs and more.
The Children’s Advocacy (CAP4Kids)
For an exhaustive listing of youth-oriented arts education programs in central Ohio, visit www.cap4kids.org/columbus.
Garth Bishop is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
