2013-034 EDC-Arts - McDougle Middle School PTA $1,000

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2012-13 Arts in Education Application — Page Two I. Arts Program Application Narrative A. School Profile McDougle Middle School is in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district, with 700 students, and serving grades 6 to 8. Its population is ethnically and academically diverse, with students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds; an estimated 15-20% benefit from the National School Lunch Program. The demographic composition for the 2012-13 school year is as follows: Male Female African-American 45 44 Asian 17 30 Hispanic 60 60 Multiracial 16 23 Native American 1 3 2 White 225 175 Total 1 366 334 Given the demographic and socio-economic composition of our school, a large percentage of our students would benefit greatly from experiencing a diverse cultural arts program as they may otherwise have few to no opportunities to do so outside the school context. While McDougle Middle PTA has mainly funded the Cultural Arts program in the past, a decline in our ability to raise funds has led us to seek outside funding. This application is in support of the play "A Thousand Cranes" for students in 6th and 7th grade. B. School's Arts Program McDougle Middle remains strongly committed to supporting the arts, despite budgetary constraints. To enhance and complement the core curriculum, the PTA has sponsored or supported performers in coordination with teaching staff. With the generous support of the Orange County Arts Commission, 8th graders were able to benefit from a poetry residency this fall with poet Phillip Shabazz. C. Proposed Uses of Grant Funds. We are seeking matching funds for two performances of"A Thousand Cranes" presented by The Eckerd Theater Company, and which will take place on school premises in March 2013. OCAC grant funds will cover part of the artist fees. (Teacher and Student Study Guides attached.) Integrating Cultural Arts into the Curriculum: The play "A Thousand Cranes" was selected by 6th and 7th grade teachers as it fulfills many of the Common Core standards for Language Arts, emphasizing experiential learning of the range of literary genres, including performance art, and linking this to real world applications. "A Thousand Cranes" also has strong curriculum connections to Social Studies (North Carolina Essential Standards) with the 6th and 7th grade emphasis on World History. The NC Essential Standards require that the five strands covered by Social Studies (history, geography and environmental literacy, economics and financial literacy, civics and governance and culture) be "woven together in an integrated study that helps understand the world in which we live". From the Eckerd Theater Company: There is a legend that says that any person who folds 1000 paper cranes will be granted a wish. A Thousand Cranes is an inspiring play that recounts the poignant story of Sadako Sasaki and the young girl's experience as a victim of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Through the symbolic and delicate act of foldingpaper cranes, Sadako, her friends, and her classmates are guided by a wish for Sadako to be well and a wish for peace. This play is filled with messages of hope, strength, and courage and continues to encourage young people throughout the world to work for peace.