ECT receives $15,000 award from the Northampton Education Foundation

Enchanted Circle Theater has been awarded $15,000 from the Northampton Education Foundation (NEF) in support of The Creative Classrooms Initiative (CCI), a collaboration with the Northampton Public Schools. The Creative Classrooms, Initiative, developed by Priscilla Kane Hellweg, is a coordinated approach to integrating theater into all aspects of learning across academic and social curriculum boundaries. CCI trains all NPS elementary school teachers on the tenets of Arts Integration so that all elementary students in the district have access to arts-enriched learning.

Research proves that integrating arts and education through standards-based curriculum motivates learning, enhances academic achievement and increases self-esteem among students, while it expands the capacity of teachers to reach, and ultimately teach, their students. The Creative Classrooms Initiative is now in its third year and this is the first time it has received NEF funding. “They wanted to take it to another level and we’ve got the resources to help them, “ said NEF’s vice president Martin Wohl.

“Having theater opportunities as part of the regular curriculum has allowed students who might otherwise not be successful in their fundraising pursuits find their “voice” (literally), raising their self-esteem as well as their esteem with their peers, said Jackson Street School Principal Gwen Agna. “The beauty of this work is that it crosses the curriculum, it is not (only) the arts, it is science, math, social studies and English Language Arts, as well as addressing many of students social/emotional needs. For students to feel such joy, engagement and success in their day is our goal and one that is often difficult to reach with our typical approaches in schools.”

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    Youth and Shakespeare: Reconstructing the Connection kicks off its third summer of programming this year with classes in Springfield and Holyoke, MA.Our final performances will take place Wednesday, August 4th at 1:30 on stage at the UMass Renaissance Center.
  • ECT receives $15,000 award from the Northampton Education Foundation
    Enchanted Circle Theater has been awarded $15,000 from the Northampton Education Foundation (NEF) in support of The Creative Classrooms Initiative (CCI), a collaboration with the Northampton Public Schools.
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