Arts at Alternative Education Center important for students

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri has some exciting announcements about an Artist-in-Residency project at the Alternative Education Center, which ends in May.

The Alternative Education Center [AEC] is in Cape Girardeau and serves 100 youth from the Cape Girardeau Public School District. Working with faculty at the AEC, a program was formulated to invite three artists from various disciplines to facilitate weeklong residencies at the AEC.

Through the supplemental, in-school art education program, students gain access to important musical and theatrical arts education the AEC currently lacks. According to a 2013 study by the group Americans for the Arts, students within school art education have higher attendance rates, higher test scores and higher graduation rates.

Craig Thomas, renowned muralist, worked with coach Lawrence Brookins' Art I and II students in January to produce a 44-foot-long mural at the entrance of the AEC. The mural is a permanent addition to the school.

Sowah Mensah, a master drummer from Ghana, collaborated with Josh Tomlin's World History students in April, teaching them about African musical tradition and culture. For more information about this residency, and its impact on the students, please refer to the recent Southeast Missourian story.

In May, two master teaching artists from The American Place Theatre in New York City will conduct a Literature to Life theater residency. Every student will have the opportunity to view a performance of The Secret Life of Bees at the beginning of the residency, and for the remainder of the week, Mary Richards and Cathi Greer's English and language arts students will work with the teaching artists to learn drama terms and techniques.

To assist in raising the $3,000 needed to match the National Endowment for the Arts grant award, the Arts Council has established a Kickstarter Campaign to facilitate online giving. Find out more information about this project, or pledge a donation online, by visiting the following link: kck.st/10BuDKx.

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri would like to sincerely thank the National Endowment for the Arts for the opportunity to participate in the Arts Engagement in American Communities Initiative and the faculty of the Alternative Education Center. Additional thanks also are in order for The Bank of Missouri, Youth United Way and the Cape Girardeau Public School Foundation Board for their financial support of this program.

Murielle Gaither is the executive director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.