Arts For Learning Maryland Inc

TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES AND EDUCATION OF OUR YOUTH THROUGH THE ARTS BY CONNECTING EDUCATORS, PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND COMMUNITIES.

THE SUMMER ARTS & LEARNING ACADEMY (SALA) IS OUR SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAM THAT WE OPERATE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOLS. THIS FIVE WEEK, FULL DAY SUMMER PROGRAM CURBS SUMMER LEARNING LOSS IN LITERACY AND MATH BY PROVIDING ARTS INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION. THE POWER OF SALA LIES IN THE COLLABORATION THAT OCCURS BETWEEN TEACHING ARTISTS AND TEACHERS WHO CO-TEACH CHILDREN, PREK-5TH GRADE, IN THE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION, KIDS HAVE ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ARTS, ATHLETICS, ROBOTICS AND FIELD TRIPS. IN FY21, THE ORGANIZATION SERVED 1,694 YOUTH THROUGH SALA.

OTHER OUT OF SCHOOL TIME: THROUGH THE BLOOMBERG ARTS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, STUDENTS GAIN FAMILIARITY AND COMFORT WITH WORKPLACE ETIQUETTE, IMPROVE VERBAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS, EXPLORE CULTURAL ASSETS IN OUR CITY, DEVELOP CRITICAL LIFE AND WORK SKILLS, AND PREPARE TO APPLY AND TRANSITION INTO COLLEGE. THIS IS A RIGOROUS PROGRAM WITH THREE MAJOR ELEMENTS: A SIX-WEEK PAID PLACEMENT AND PROJECT WORKING DAY-TO-DAY IN AN ARTS ORGANIZATION; VISITS TO ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS; AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROGRAM STARTED IN NYC AND LATER EXPANDED TO PHILADELPHIA AND BALTIMORE. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO ENCOURAGE A MORE EQUITABLE AND DIVERSE RANGE OF STAFF AND AUDIENCES AMONG CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, WHILE INSTILLING IN THE STUDENTS AN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE IMPORTANT CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF ARTS AND CULTURE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OPERATES SIX SUMMER LIT! PROGRAM SITES ACROSS BALTIMORE CITY. SUMMER LIT! IS A SIX-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS AN ENGAGING, ARTS-INTEGRATED APPROACH TO LITERACY PROGRAMMING. BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE, HANDS-ON LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS, THE PROGRAM HELPS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' READING AND WRITING SKILLS AND TO PREVENT SUMMER LEARNING LOSS. KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE ARTS-INTEGRATED LITERACY INSTRUCTION, SMALL GROUP TUTORING, ARTIST RESIDENCIES, COMMUNITY PARTNER VISITS, AND WEEKLY STEM PROJECTS. SUMMER LIT! SERVES STUDENTS IN GRADES K-5.THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OFFERS A RANGE OF AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING IN AND BEYOND BALTIMORE.

ASALA: DURING THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2021, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE AFTER SCHOOL ARTS & LEARNING ACADEMY (ASALA) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ASALA PAIRS A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND A PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTIST TO DELIVER ARTS-INTEGRATED MATH AND LITERACY LESSONS TO ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. PARTICIPATING STUDENTS EXPERIENCED THREE HOURS OF EXTENDED ACADEMIC LEARNING AND ENRICHMENT PER DAY FOR FOUR DAYS A WEEK. STUDENTS WERE INTRODUCED TO A WIDE VARIETY OF ART FORMS, FROM ILLUSTRATION AND SPOKEN WORD TO PERCUSSION, DRAMA AND DANCE, AND HAD A CHANCE TO WORK ALONGSIDE STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND LEARN FROM PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS. DURING THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2021, 285 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN ASALA, CUMULATIVELY EXPERIENCING 17,016 HOURS OF ARTS-INTEGRATED LEARNING.