Bethlehem, PA, May 10, 2019<\/strong> \u2013 On May 7, Any Given Child Bethlehem<\/em> announced the program\u2019s strategies and plan to implement arts opportunities within Bethlehem Area schools and unveiled the updated branding and new Any Given Child Bethlehem<\/em> website. Students who participate in art-related activities are three times more likely to be awarded for school attendance. Studies show that both curricular and extracurricular art studies and activities help keep high-risk dropout students stay in school. In September 2017, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts chose Bethlehem as the 24th site – first in Pennsylvania – to incorporate the program into the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD). A collaboration of over 50 members of our community from over 30 organizations worked together to create and define the project\u2019s vision and goals.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was most noteworthy is that, by and large, no matter what our backgrounds or experiences, job title or organizational sector or size of organization, we established these values and goals rather quickly and with a steadfast passion that I found as equally inspiring as the vision itself,\u201d says Andy Cassano, Director and Managing Partner of Any Given Child Bethlehem and Administrative Director at Zoellner Arts Center.<\/p>\n Any Given Child Bethlehem<\/em>, newly branded today as pARTners \u2013 Ensuring the Arts for Bethlehem Students<\/strong>, established a powerful set of goals that includes providing every BASD student a rich, community-based arts experience from kindergarten through eighth grade. The program will expand music, literary and visual arts instruction and use arts to support the social and emotional needs of students. Through these goals, Any Given Child Bethlehem<\/em> seeks to establish a professional learning program to support arts integration into the BASD curriculum, evaluate success, and establish a sustainable governance and communication structure all while positively impacting every BASD K-8 student.<\/p>\n \u201cThe growing number of pARTners in support of Bethlehem Area School District students shows that our local arts community is dedicated not only to enhancing the students\u2019 educational experience, but also maintaining the prominence of the arts in the Bethlehem community,\u201d said Dr. Jack Silva, Assistant Superintendent & Chief Academic Officer of the Bethlehem Area School District.<\/p>\n The announcement, held at Nitschmann Middle School, began with a gathering of community supporters surrounded by artwork created by Bethlehem Area School District students. Once inside the school\u2019s state of the art auditorium, performances by the Broughal Middle School chorus and the Nitschmann Jazz Band entertained and impressed attendees. Along with Cassano and Silva, Broughal Middle School vocal music teacher and steering committee member, Amy Putlock, spoke of the importance of Any Given Child Bethlehem\u2019s work. Other members of the community including Lissette Santana, PPL Corporation, Alex Karras, Bethlehem Mayor Robert Donchez\u2019s office, and Kassie Hilgert, ArtsQuest, expressed the importance of arts education for our students and their futures.<\/p>\n \u201cAt PPL, we strongly believe in the need to energize arts education which will in turn foster creativity and innovation,\u201d says Lissette Santana, PPL Corporation. \u201cnot only for our students but for businesses and the community as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Mission of pARTners \u2013 Ensuring the Arts for Bethlehem Students (in support of Any Given Child Bethlehem)<\/strong><\/p>\n As the Lehigh Valley\u2019s largest collective impact project for arts education, our goal is to ensure equal access to the arts for Kindergarten through Grade 8 Bethlehem Area School District students. We foresee a learning community where every child experiences, creates and values the arts. For more information, visit www.partnersglv.org <\/a>or connect on Facebook and Twitter at @pARTnersglv.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Information Provided By: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nTina Hasselbusch
\nhttp:\/\/www.socialTmarketing.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n
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