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Organization <br />Description <br />North Carolina Arts in Action (NC AIA) uses dance, music and <br />performance to instill self-esteem, persev erance, and excellence in <br />children. NC AIA is an internationally acclaimed in-school, curriculum <br />based, performing arts program for elementary students. As an <br />associate of the National Dance Institute (NDI) in New York, the <br />program is directed at dev eloping life skills such as self-esteem, <br />teamwork, and focus among students, particularly those who are <br />underserv ed. W e prov ide dance teaching from trained instructors, <br />liv e music, and allow students rigorous exercise. In the 2022-23 <br />school year, NC AIA will benefit 22 schools across Durham, Orange, <br />Chatham and W ake counties and directly serv es more than 2,000 <br />children. NC AIA works with ev ery child in the fourth grade at each <br />school. A Lead Teacher/Choreographer, Musician, and Assistant <br />Teacher lead ev ery class. NC AIA reaches div erse low-income <br />communities, and its partner schools are Title I. Since 2005, NC AIA <br />has reached ov er 12,600 North Carolina students through direct <br />instruction. More than just another dance education program, NC AIA <br />motiv ates children to believ e in themselv es, prov ides an <br />env ironment with professional expectations, yet the nurturing and <br />encouragement to dev elop a personal standard of excellence. <br />Teachers report that students who struggle in a traditional classroom <br />gain confidence and increase their ability to focus. <br />Implementing NC AIA in Title I schools is in direct response to a <br />community need. School administrators believ e that the NC AIA <br />program enhances student learning. Rashkis’ program assists its <br />underserv ed population. Rashkis has 451 children with these <br />demographics: 22% are Asian; 12% are Hispanic; 17% are Black; 41% <br />are W hite; 0.5% are American Indian; and 8% are two or more races, <br />and 33% participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch program. Our <br />staff of 5 full time and 11 contract employees includes 1 Hispanic, 1 <br />Asian, 6 Black and 8 white employees. Our board of 15 includes 2 <br />Hispanic, 2 Black, and 11 white members, and one member of the <br />LGBT community. <br />NC AIA uses dance and music to define a standard of excellence <br />through activ e mov ement, intellectual stimulation and artistic <br />expression to build essential life skills children can carry into school <br />and throughout life. The program’s distinctiv e features are using <br />dance as a medium to teach life skills; professional teaching artists <br />trained in the NDI pedagogy teach the children; and an accompanist <br />plays liv e music in ev ery session! NC AIA’s expertise is teaching <br />children how to find excellence in themselv es and enhancing their <br />learning experience. <br />Our program this past year returned with liv e, in-person programming <br />for a 16 session once a week program that will culminated in two liv e <br />final performances for the entire school, parents and the community. <br />Our team prov ided quality programming for all our students during <br />the COVID pandemic. <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: 375CB681-DA09-4299-B189-020A0CE5EBE5