Hollywood Arts Council: Home Page

Purpose
Project SOAR, is a series of arts workshops that serves elementary school children in the Hollywood area in the after school hours. This growing program is currently conducted in eight Hollywood Elementary Schools: Alexandria, Cheremoya, Grant, Los Feliz, Micheltorena Street, Santa Monica Community Charter, Vine Street and Selma. Workshops are conducted in various arts disciplines e.g., Shakespeare, Ceramics, Mixed Media, Music, Drawing and Photography and attended by 25 third, fourth, fifth or sixth grade children chosen by the school. Each workshop consists of four two-hour sessions (one session per week for four weeks), providing a total of eight hours of classroom instruction in each art discipline.

Need
Elementary school children need creative activities and positive role models during the critical after school hours. Public school after-school programs in the Hollywood area (Title 1 schools- upwards of 95% of families are at or below the poverty level) have little or no arts resources and no access to quality arts instruction, depriving children of the opportunity to explore the rich personal growth experiences the arts can provide. Many students in the Hollywood area schools are first generation immigrants, influenced by a popular culture their parents maybe struggling to understand. Each year over 1,500 children in grades 3, 4 and 5 are able to create, develop and explore the arts through Project S.O.A.R. These children are designated “at risk.”

Originally conceived as a drug prevention program, Project S.O.A.R. captures the attention of youngsters at an age when imagination is alive and all things are possible, providing skill training, encouragement and completion before puberty and its distractions. It allows young people whose needs and concerns are often ignored, the opportunity to discover the power of the arts and their own potential for creative expression. It has become increasingly apparent that young people must be reached with activities that provide positive influences prior to their entry into middle school. Further, for a community-based arts organization, this is also a very cost effective approach with maximum potential.

Project S.O.A.R. was created to provide a motivating influence and positive reinforcement through arts classes, which provide a deeper understanding of various cultures and art forms as well as a chance to develop skills for self-expression, a key ingredient for positive self-esteem.

“No one remembers when they first learned to read or master their multiplication tables, but everyone remembers their first art project” Peter Riddall, Principal at Alexandria Street Elementary School.

Population
The majority of students served by Project S.O.A.R. live in under-served areas of Council District 13 and 4 and are subject to multiple risk factors e.g. single-parent homes or homes where both parents work long hours; one or both parents unable to speak English well or at all; difficulty in school and exposure to gang influences. The program will be conducted in eight Hollywood Title 1 elementary schools: Alexandria, Cheremoya, Grant, Los Feliz, Micheltorena Street, Santa Monica Community Charter School, Selma and Vine Street. All schools served are Title 1 schools (upwards of 95% of students' families live at or below the poverty level). The public elementary school population of Hollywood is approximately 80% Hispanic; 10% Armenian; 2% Asian; 1% African-American.

Benefit to Population
Project S.O.A.R. provides a free program for at-risk children in the Hollywood area elementary schools. This program offers after-school arts workshops to motivate and give positive reinforcement in the critical after-school hours. Workshops will provide young people whose needs and concerns are often ignored, with the opportunity to discover the power of arts and their own potential for creative expression.

Project S.O.A.R. workshops emphasize patience, working together, written and/or oral communication, cooperation, imagination, creativity and dexterity. Workshop sizes are limited to 25 students so that each child receives personalized attention from both the artist and artist assistant.

Our artists are working professionals in their field. They teach, show students examples of their own work and serve as role models to the children. Many of our artist's come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds (Asian, Hispanic, African, Italian, Ethiopian, etc.) and speak multiple languages enabling the children to relate to them through cultural similarities.

Additionally Project S.O.A.R. has received feedback from teachers who have seen significant improvement in student's classroom performance. They have also remarked that children have greater self-confidence and a readiness to participate in class discussion after their participation in Project S.O.A.R. workshops.

"I found that the students that are normally not focused were very involved and allowed to find success in this class" Raquel Shanna Burbank, Teacher

Artists
The Hollywood Arts Council (HAC) contracts with professional working artists. Each of these artists have been prescreened and evaluated and most have advanced arts degrees. The artists are required to submit lesson plans prior to the workshops being scheduled. Each artist is an specialist in their arts medium and many artists teach a variety of different arts disciplines. Through involvement with the many arts resources in the central Hollywood area, the HAC is continually seeking qualified artists to bring into the program.

Timetable
Each workshop consists of four two-hour sessions (one session per week for four weeks). Project S.O.A.R. is implemented as an after school arts program at the local elementary schools and is run concurrently with the school year which is ongoing since the school is on a three-track system.

Evaluation
Evaluation forms are handed out at the completion of each workshop session (after four weeks) to school administrators and students. Students complete anonymous evaluation forms that give them the opportunity to “grade” their art workshop instructor. Schoolteachers, principals and coordinators, i.e. school administrators, also complete an evaluation form. This evaluation aids in determining workshop effectiveness and artist's ability to lead the students through each project. Examples of the fields listed on the administrators form include: "Workshop project accomplished, Benefits to students, Demonstrated mastery of subject, made the subject matter meaningful through use of examples and applications", etc. Observation questions where written response is required, include: "Have you observed any outstanding student successes?" "Did you notice any problems?" etc.

Evaluations measure whether objectives are being met and guide HAC to refine the workshops by making changes where necessary. The evaluation also give the artists the constructive feedback in terms of what was most effective and what might need to be adjusted or added.

[funded in part by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and the Hollywood Arts Council]

	Project S.O.A.R.




	Micheltorena Elementary's new underwater mural. Jersey Joe and Grant Elementary's kids painted a jungle theme. Gale Gayle and Vine Street Elementary June 2005
	Purpose Project SOAR, is a series of arts workshops that serves elementary school children in the Hollywood area in the after school hours. This growing program is currently conducted in eight Hollywood Elementary Schools: Alexandria, Cheremoya, Grant, Los Feliz, Micheltorena Street, Santa Monica Community Charter, Vine Street and Selma. Workshops are conducted in various arts disciplines e.g., Shakespeare, Ceramics, Mixed Media, Music, Drawing and Photography and attended by 25 third, fourth, fifth or sixth grade children chosen by the school. Each workshop consists of four two-hour sessions (one session per week for four weeks), providing a total of eight hours of classroom instruction in each art discipline. Need Elementary school children need creative activities and positive role models during the critical after school hours. Public school after-school programs in the Hollywood area (Title 1 schools- upwards of 95% of families are at or below the poverty level) have little or no arts resources and no access to quality arts instruction, depriving children of the opportunity to explore the rich personal growth experiences the arts can provide. Many students in the Hollywood area schools are first generation immigrants, influenced by a popular culture their parents maybe struggling to understand. Each year over 1,500 children in grades 3, 4 and 5 are able to create, develop and explore the arts through Project S.O.A.R. These children are designated “at risk.” Originally conceived as a drug prevention program, Project S.O.A.R. captures the attention of youngsters at an age when imagination is alive and all things are possible, providing skill training, encouragement and completion before puberty and its distractions. It allows young people whose needs and concerns are often ignored, the opportunity to discover the power of the arts and their own potential for creative expression. It has become increasingly apparent that young people must be reached with activities that provide positive influences prior to their entry into middle school. Further, for a community-based arts organization, this is also a very cost effective approach with maximum potential. Project S.O.A.R. was created to provide a motivating influence and positive reinforcement through arts classes, which provide a deeper understanding of various cultures and art forms as well as a chance to develop skills for self-expression, a key ingredient for positive self-esteem. *“No one remembers when they first learned to read or master their multiplication tables,* *but everyone remembers their first art project”* *Peter Riddall, Principal at Alexandria Street Elementary School.* Population The majority of students served by Project S.O.A.R. live in under-served areas of Council District 13 and 4 and are subject to multiple risk factors e.g. single-parent homes or homes where both parents work long hours; one or both parents unable to speak English well or at all; difficulty in school and exposure to gang influences. The program will be conducted in eight Hollywood Title 1 elementary schools: Alexandria, Cheremoya, Grant, Los Feliz, Micheltorena Street, Santa Monica Community Charter School, Selma and Vine Street. All schools served are Title 1 schools (upwards of 95% of students' families live at or below the poverty level). The public elementary school population of Hollywood is approximately 80% Hispanic; 10% Armenian; 2% Asian; 1% African-American. Benefit to Population Project S.O.A.R. provides a free program for at-risk children in the Hollywood area elementary schools. This program offers after-school arts workshops to motivate and give positive reinforcement in the critical after-school hours. Workshops will provide young people whose needs and concerns are often ignored, with the opportunity to discover the power of arts and their own potential for creative expression. Project S.O.A.R. workshops emphasize patience, working together, written and/or oral communication, cooperation, imagination, creativity and dexterity. Workshop sizes are limited to 25 students so that each child receives personalized attention from both the artist and artist assistant. Our artists are working professionals in their field. They teach, show students examples of their own work and serve as role models to the children. Many of our artist's come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds (Asian, Hispanic, African, Italian, Ethiopian, etc.) and speak multiple languages enabling the children to relate to them through cultural similarities. Additionally Project S.O.A.R. has received feedback from teachers who have seen significant improvement in student's classroom performance. They have also remarked that children have greater self-confidence and a readiness to participate in class discussion after their participation in Project S.O.A.R. workshops. *"I found that the students that are normally not focused were very involved and allowed to find success in this class" Raquel Shanna Burbank, Teacher* Artists The Hollywood Arts Council (HAC) contracts with professional working artists. Each of these artists have been prescreened and evaluated and most have advanced arts degrees. The artists are required to submit lesson plans prior to the workshops being scheduled. Each artist is an specialist in their arts medium and many artists teach a variety of different arts disciplines. Through involvement with the many arts resources in the central Hollywood area, the HAC is continually seeking qualified artists to bring into the program. Timetable Each workshop consists of four two-hour sessions (one session per week for four weeks). Project S.O.A.R. is implemented as an after school arts program at the local elementary schools and is run concurrently with the school year which is ongoing since the school is on a three-track system. Evaluation Evaluation forms are handed out at the completion of each workshop session (after four weeks) to school administrators and students. Students complete anonymous evaluation forms that give them the opportunity to “grade” their art workshop instructor. Schoolteachers, principals and coordinators, i.e. school administrators, also complete an evaluation form. This evaluation aids in determining workshop effectiveness and artist's ability to lead the students through each project. Examples of the fields listed on the administrators form include: "Workshop project accomplished, Benefits to students, Demonstrated mastery of subject, made the subject matter meaningful through use of examples and applications", etc. Observation questions where written response is required, include: "Have you observed any outstanding student successes?" "Did you notice any problems?" etc. Evaluations measure whether objectives are being met and guide HAC to refine the workshops by making changes where necessary. The evaluation also give the artists the constructive feedback in terms of what was most effective and what might need to be adjusted or added. [funded in part by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and the Hollywood Arts Council]