The arts play a crucial role in helping children explore and understand the world around them. As school districts are finding themselves in increasingly tight budget situations, they are looking for alternative ways to offer arts programming. The Rockwell stepped in with the changing landscape of Elmira, NY, a neighboring community. When the funds were cut for in-school and out-of-school experiences, we partnered with the district and teaching artist, Aleta Wynn Yarrow, to create the artist in residence program. The program, which currently focuses on first-grade classes in the Elmira City School District, was piloted at Diven Elementary School in 2013 and is now implemented across all first-grade classes in each of the District’s four elementary schools.
This video gives you a glimpse into the program.
schools.
District wide implementation for all first grade students in the Elmira City School District has been made possible in part with the support from the Anderson Foundation, Inc., Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc., Hardinge Anderson Evans Foundation, The Hilliard Foundation, M&T Bank, and The Tripp Foundation. District implementation for all first grade students in the Bath Central School District has been made possible by the generous support from the Edith Saxton Fund for Steuben County Youth Services. The Saxton Fund is administered and managed by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc.
