WASHINGTON D.C. — The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with Daimler Financial Services, has completed the launch phase of its innovative educational program On Location: Spotlight On Your Community at the Arts and Technology Academy Public Charter School here.
The digital media classroom on wheels, specializing in arts and technology, has started its odyssey across the United States and will travel to nine states through the end of May.
The program is designed to allow students the opportunity to tell the story of the arts in their communities, which will be shared worldwide on the Internet. Each of the 10 schools is receiving a media equipment package. Students and teachers will be trained in storytelling, filmmaking, editing, and producing video stories.
A new, customized Thomas Built Bus, a leading provider of school buses, manufactured and donated by Daimler Trucks North America, was converted into a media studio, and is visiting each school for two weeks. A drama teaching artist and media teaching artist will work with the classes in storytelling techniques and media skills. The teachers and students will work together to create a short video about an artist or arts group in the community. The completed video projects will be uploaded to www.onlocationproject.org web site maintained by the Kennedy Center and shared around the world.
“After months of planning, we are pleased to see the bus head out on the road,” said Darrell Ayers, Vice President of Education for the Kennedy Center. “We were impressed by the enthusiasm, creativity, and talent demonstrated by the first school in D.C., and we can’t wait to see the final products the other schools will produce.”
“It is exciting for us to see this ambitious initiative reach the launch phase and see the bus start its’ journey,” said Richard Howard, Vice President of Daimler Truck Financial, a business unit of Daimler Financial Services. “It is an honor to partner with the Kennedy Center to bring this educational initiative to students, teachers and diverse communities across the United States.”
Schools Selected for the 2008-2009 School Year:
— Arts and Technology Academy Public Charter School, Washington, D.C.
— Hometown Elementary, Hometown, West Virginia
— Samuel S. Gaines Academy, Fort Pierce, Florida
— Beaufort Middle School, Beaufort, South Carolina
— Antonia Pantoja Charter School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
— Anderson Middle School, Berkley, Michigan
— Normal Park Museum Magnet, Chattanooga, Tennessee
— Foley Middle School, Foley, Alabama
— Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School, Joplin, Missouri
— W.A. Meachum Middle School, Forth Worth, Texas
Each school will receive:
— A two-week visit by the “On Location” Bus
— Installed Media Lab consisting of a computer, digital editing software, camera(s), sound recording equipment, and accessories valued at approximately $5,000
— $1,000 for the school to support the project
— Curriculum materials and support to develop media projects about the arts in the community
— Training for teacher(s) and students on how to use the media equipment and development of storytelling skills by professional teaching artists in drama and media
— Ongoing relationship with the Kennedy Center’s Education Department and the opportunity to work on additional projects with the Kennedy Center through its online program, ArtsEdge (www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org)
For more information on this project, please visit www.onlocationproject.org For more information about the Kennedy Center please visit www.kennedy-center.org
