LEARNArts Connect
Arts Connect is a progressive plan for Los Angeles learners to get a fresh real-life digital storyline and multimedia curriculum presented with LA’s legendary icons.
Are any other organizations collaborating on this proposal?
Metta World Peace (center) at Los Angeles High School and College Summit. 1763 Columbia Road, NW, Second Floor, Washington, DC 20009; College Summit transforms the lives of low-income youth by connecting them to college and career, in collaboration with ARTS CONNECT.
Please describe your project proposal.
Arts Connect displays the real-life achievement of well-respected and highly regarded individuals, both historical and contemporary, through a digital multi-media format specifically to enhance student learning experiences. The format follows learning mandates and promotes the broad-ranging potential in all children. This is a complimentary learning management system that offers real world examples and the cosmopolitan language of Art in all its forms as an all-important tool for joyful learning
Which of the LEARN metrics will your proposal impact?
College matriculation rates
District-wide graduation rates
Proficiency in English and Language Arts and Math
Student education pipeline
Suspension and expulsion rates
Truancy rates in elementary and middle schools
In what areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
County of Los Angeles
City of Los Angeles
LAUSD
Describe in greater detail how your proposal will make LA the best place to LEARN?
Around the world Los Angeles epitomizes glamour and is regarded as the international epicenter of creative industry and its foremost hub for innovation. In spite of the city’s progressive reputation for trendsetting and trailblazing, a great dichotomy exists between the flourishing state of its commerce and the reality of how its children are educated. LA has the dubious distinction of ranking as one of the 10 worst school districts in the USA – a status due in large part to low reading & math scores, high dropout rate, and overcrowded classrooms. These undesirable realities generate apathy among students and teachers alike, producing environments short on inspiration, employment opportunities, technical training, and preparedness for contemporary problem solving.
Arts Connect proposes to change these circumstances by implementing creative strategies grounded in real-life, direct experience learning deployed through a system where traditional education methodology intersects with state-of-the-art, next-generation multimedia tools. The goal is to nurture students’ capacity to succeed by engaging them in enriching, real-life learning scenarios presented through digital media by some of the world’s most notable experts, admired celebrities, sports figures, and other individuals distinguished for their success in their chosen fields. Arts Connect responds to the demand for education reform by offering a program that inspires teachers and students alike, and is distributed free of charge throughout LA irrespective of the instruction venue.
Arts Connect challenges both left-&-right-brain thinking in students in order to provoke both imagination and creative problem-solving, but also in order to cultivate a high level of individual character formation, instill self-confidence and solid skill development, and generate personal pride. Success results from lessons which are fun, engaging, authentic, relatable, and designed by classroom teachers dedicated to achieve optimal learning and comprehension outcomes.
Arts Connect curricular integration could not be more timely! Education reform lands squarely on the shoulders of STEAM learning programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) - a curriculum education experts say is imperative to meet the classroom standards put forward by California’s education authorities. Arts Connect strives to cultivate Math, Science, and English disciplines with imagination, culture, innovation and creativity.
Architects of Arts Connect chose to launch its first pilot for grades 6-12, with the distinct purpose of trying to offset the low achievement by many of L.A.'s middle and high school students. Arts Connect will be developed by trained and certified teachers. Arts Connect will ignite a fresh enthusiasm for learning, connect students with contemporary icons whose accomplishments can be seen as “relevant” for young scholars, and energize student interest and a desire to continue and succeed in school.
Please explain how you will define and measure success for your project.
Arts Connect aspires to be the answer to most of the existing issues facing today’s educational system. This program has the ability to enrich, enlighten and excite youngsters about learning, and will go a long way towards that goal.
Arts Connect will define success through measurable: decreases in absenteeism; diminish drop-out rates; decrease school violence created by bored, baffled, and disinterested students; increased graduation rates, increased college acceptance rates, quantifiable success in college, advanced skills training, or workforce development; self-confidence gains and reduced incidents of bullying. .
Arts Connect is holistic in its approach to cultivating and nurturing students to become healthy, productive, and contributing citizens in their community!
How can the LA2050 community and other stakeholders help your proposal succeed?
Money
Publicity/awareness
Education/training
Technical infrastructure (computers etc.)
Community outreach
Network/relationship support
Quality improvement research