Summer was a busy time for arts in education for New Jersey youth. Across the state, we conducted more than 226 visual arts, music, theater, and dance workshops for elementary school students in Bergen and Essex Counties, led high school students in a sneaker project in Middlesex County, and hosted a week-long visual arts camp for 6-11-year-olds in Somerset County.

We kicked it off on June 27 with a 4-day, 5-week program at Lindbergh Elementary School in Palisades Park, NJ. Teaching Artists Michele Baldwin and Will Simon, who have previously brought Arts Horizons programming to the school, led the students in Recycle Me Art, Mask Making, Paper Window Art, Wearable Art, and Composing and Recording workshops.

Next, we teamed up with the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders (NJCTS) for their annual Tim Howard Leadership Academy on the Busch Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Along with Artist Michele Baldwin, we designed a project that supports the Academy’s goals to provide opportunities and a safe environment for participants to explore and identify their strengths, challenges, needs, and skills. The result was a visual arts project where 25 high school students could express themselves and show off their creative talents by designing their unique pair of sneakers – and did they ever.

We concluded the summer at JCC Camp Ruach in Bridgewater, NJ., from August 22-26. For the fourth year, TA Michele Baldwin conducted a visual arts specialty camp where 1st-6th graders enjoyed making various visual arts projects, including paper murals, sculptures, wearable art, and more. At the end of the week, the campers had many wonderful things to show off and be proud of.

On July 5, we were excited to continue our partnership with Arts Ed Newark for the Newark Board of Education (NBOE) Office of Expanded Learning Time’s (ELT) 5-week (July 5-Auguat 5) SummerPlus program. This year, AH brought comprehensive programming to 13 public schools (Abington Street, Belmont Runyon, Elliott Street, George Washington Carver, Hawkins Street, Mount Vernon, Oliver Street, Park Elementary, Rafael Hernandez, Speedway Avenue, South Street, Thirteen Avenue, and Dr. W. Alma Flagg). Workshops included Hip-Hop, Mask Making, African Drumming, Wearable Art, Improv, Storytelling, Fun with Portraits, Look Books, and Poetry and Public Speaking. Among the teaching artists that provided creative and engaging programs to the students were long-time AH artists Natalie Alleyne, Yahaya, Michele Baldwin, and Jahlil Shabazz, joined by new artists Diana Brito, Kenya Goines, William Ruiz, Kyana Bunch, Shamika Simmons, and Scott Goines.

Next, we teamed up with the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome & Associated Disorders (NJCTS) for their annual Tim Howard Leadership Academy on the Busch Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Along with Artist Michele Baldwin, we designed a project that supports the Academy’s goals to provide opportunities and a safe environment for participants to explore and identify their strengths, challenges, needs, and skills. The result was a visual arts project where 25 high school students could express themselves and show off their creative talents by designing their unique pair of sneakers – and did they ever.

We concluded the summer at JCC Camp Ruach in Bridgewater, NJ., from August 22-26. For the fourth year, TA Michele Baldwin conducted a visual arts specialty camp where 1st-6th graders enjoyed making various visual arts projects, including paper murals, sculptures, wearable art, and more. At the end of the week, the campers had many wonderful things to show off and be proud of.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Bostic, Manager of NJ Programs:

Stephanie E. Bostic

Program Manager of NJ Programs

stephanie@artshorizons.org

201-567-1766 ext. 114