 |
Vol.
13, No. 1
|
||
|
|||
|
Accessible
Arts is pleased to announce the return of one of its most popular programs,
the 99 Drums Music & Cultural Camp. This unique program used to
be offered every other year. However, it has been so successful and
inspired so many requests, that Accessible Arts will present it annually
from now on. 99 Drums will be held at the Kansas State School for the
Blind, April 22-23, 2006 and there is still time to register your child.
Children with and without disabilities, ages 9-15, are welcome for this
interactive weekend of drumming and dancing. The cost is only $45 if
registered by April 14th or $60 after April 14th. The fee includes eleven
workshops, four meals and an overnight stay! Space is limited so call
99 Drums
is a weekend of interactive music and dance workshops exploring the
arts, customs, and food of West African, Native American, Middle Eastern
and Caribbean cultures. Workshops and performances will be presented
by professional artists from the Traditional Music Society (Bird Fleming,
Director), Accessible Arts, two Native American tribes and local ethnic
communities. This camp will bring together a group of children with
and without disabilities to experience music and dance in a celebration
of diverse cultures in an inclusive environment. The weekend will culminate
with a FREE Public Performance on Sunday, April 23rd at 2:30 PM at the
Kansas State School for the Blind. |
|
Accessible Arts
Celebrates 25th Anniversary Accessible Arts is celebrating an important Anniversary this year! We are proud to be entering our 25th year of service to children with disabilities throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and the State of Kansas. A 25th Anniversary comes only once in the life of an organization and we believe this is an opportune time to reaffirm our mission to champion the arts for children with disabilities and advocate access to the arts. Accessible Arts values children and the arts. Above all, access to the arts for children with disabilities is our core principle. Advocacy, education and collaboration are essential components in accomplishing our objectives. We believe that through the arts, children develop critical thinking skills, take risks in a safe environment and experience successes. The challenge of creating something of value instills hope and self-confidence in children of all abilities.
In 1981, Accessible Arts founder and first Executive Director, William Freeman, saw the need for an organization to advocate for active participation in the arts for all children—regardless of their ability. Freeman shared the following thoughts about Accessible Arts and its 25th Anniversary: “During a recent visit to Kansas City, Martin English invited me to join him for a get-together with Kathleen White, former State Board of Education member and past president of Accessible Arts. In the course of our conversation about the history of the organization, I realized that it’s been 25 years since the ‘Arts with the Handicapped/Accessible Arts’ program began — 25 years of ensuring that the arts were made accessible to children with and without disabilities. It seems important to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Accessible Arts as a unique and innovative program that has benefited thousands of children, their teachers and parents. "During my trip, I also met with the first president, Jeannette Nichols, and traveled to Wichita and Topeka, meeting with some of the original consultants and developers of the Accessible Arts program when it was the Arts with the Handicapped program of the Kansas State Department of Education (Betty Welsbacher, Elaine Bernstorf, Bob Ault, Jane Rhys and James Marshall). In all my conversations, it continued to seem right to recognize this important milestone, to think about the legacy of all our good efforts, and ensure that future generations of children with disabilities and those who serve them will continue to receive Accessible Arts services. Everyone deserves and has the right to equal access to quality arts education opportunities. This 25th anniversary of the Accessible Arts program is cause for celebration and appreciation of all who have contributed to its development, and to delight in seeing Accessible Arts continue its important work.” The Accessible Arts board and staff are energized by this organizational milestone and will capitalize on the 25th Anniversary Celebration by looking to the future. Accessible Arts has established a reserve fund as a way to secure the organization’s future and ensure another 25 years of continued success. During this year of celebration, Accessible Arts will be inviting friends to contribute to the reserve fund in increments of ‘25’ (i.e. $25, $250, $2,500, etc.) Of course, a donation of any size would be gratefully accepted for the reserve fund. It is easy to donate. Visit the Accessible Arts website at www.accessiblearts.org, click on the ‘red heart’ and follow the instructions for online donations. We also welcome anyone who would like to donate some of their time as a volunteer for arts programming or 25th Anniversary activities. Call us at (913) 281-1133 for more information about volunteering or donating. Please help launch Accessible Arts into its next 25 years by considering a donation of money or time. |
|
Discovery
Trails Teens to Guide Hikers
A strenuous hike in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah conducted by the Discovery Trails teen pioneers will be one of the offerings at the 2006 Convention of the National Association for Parents of Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired (NAPVI). The four-mile hike follows the trail of the Donner Party, whose tragic journey of 1846 worsened as they struggled to haul their 23 wagons up the side of Big Mountain in the Wasatch. The teens will conduct the mountain hike as a community service. The Trails teens spent two weeks camping along the Donner Trail in June 2005. During the current school year, the teens have been sharing their adventures and knowledge of the famous pioneers as a community service for schools and civic organizations in their home states of Kansas, Pennsylvania, Texas and Oregon. In July, 2006, the Trail teens will come together again, traveling the Cherokee Trail to Utah to present their adventures through various activities for the joint conventions of two blindness organizations meeting at Snowbird, Utah.
The climb up Big Mountain will be conducted for the children of NAPVI families, both blind and sighted. It will be a strenuous walk, uphill for four miles at altitudes from 5400 to 7200 feet; the last quarter-mile is a 15% grade. The path is often rocky and uneven; creeks and beaver ponds line the trail. At the end, hikers share the satisfaction that the Donner Party felt when, after five days hacking through underbrush, they finally got their 23 wagons to the top of Big Mountain. Also at Snowbird, the Discovery Trails teens will present their Donner Trail adventures at the annual Convention of the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind (AER), the organization of professionals working in the field of blindness. The teens will install and interpret a life-sized sculptural display of the Donner group which they created in October 2005 during a weekend of arts and trail activities. Before leaving Utah, the Trails teens will spend a day in the Great Salt Desert, following the Donner Party on the next leg of their harrowing journey. |
Working
with Materials that are Close at Hand When working with students who are blind or have low vision, you don’t need a lot of fancy materials in order to make a project tactile and accessible. Just take a trip to your local hardware store or grocery store and you will find almost everything that you will need. Spackling compound is flexible, inexpensive, and quick drying. It can be rolled in a ball and used like clay, or applied to a firm surface with a palette knife or other tool. Into this surface students can place various objects creating a relief sculptures. Papier-Mache
is simply strips of newspaper coated with a mixture of flour and water
that has been A fancier version of papier-mache is Fast-Setting Plaster Gauze. This wonderful medium can be bought at art-supply stores or at medical supply outlets. All you need is a pair of scissors and a large bowl of water. Cut the gauze strip to the desired length and then place into the water to activate the plaster. Remove from the water and remove any excess water. The wet gauze strip is then draped over an armature. It is best if the gauze is overlapped. This technique can be used to make a cast of someone’s face. Three-dimensional collages can be made on cardboard by gluing materials such as shells, pine cones, beans, seeds, dried leaves, twigs, rope, prickly-seed pods, small pieces of carpet, wallpaper or fabric, feathers, prickly dry starfish, coffee grounds, sand and imitation fur. Regardless of the materials you choose, allow the students time to explore the various mediums. Through this kind of exploring they will quickly learn what the material is best used for. They may even come up with some ideas that are new to you. Tina is an accomplished artist who has been blind since birth. She presents numerous arts workshops for children, and was AAI Program Director for several years until a traumatic brain injury necessitated her resigning. Following her recovery, she has resumed her workshops and also teaches art for our After-School Arts Club. She was also the recipient of the 2005 Distinguished Service Award in Arts & Disabilities. |
|
July 24 - 28 & July 31 - August 4
Accessible Arts will offer two weeks of summer camp in a new location. This year’s summer camp will take place July 24 – 28 and July 31 – August 4 at the Church of the Resurrection, 137th and Roe in Overland Park, Kansas. The first week is open to children with and without disabilities who are ages 7 – 13. These campers will have the opportunity to explore the many cultures of Mexico through drama, music, dance and visual arts.
The
second week is open to children with and without disabilities ages 11
– 15. This week Both camps will run Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. On Friday of each week the campers stay until 5:00 PM when their families come to share in the fun of a final performance or movie screening. Both camps cost $250 per child, per week with sibling discounts and scholarships available. Please call for more information, (913) 281-1133. |
|
Accessible Arts, Inc. (AAI) and the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) collaborate each year to recognize the valuable work of people who include Kansas children with disabilities in art experiences. To honor these individuals, AAI and KSBE established two awards in 1983, one for Distinguished Service in Arts and Disabilities and one for the Kansas Educator of the Year in Arts and Disabilities. On May 10th, in a ceremony at the Kansas State School for the Blind, the following individuals will be honored for demonstrating excellence in education and service (through the arts) to children with disabilities. Tina Blatter
has been selected for the 2005 Distinguished Service Award. She is a native
of After additional vision loss in the late 1980s, she began to create tactile collages. With a background in Special Education and counseling, Blatter has found it most comfortable to work in the classroom setting. Beginning in 1990, she became involved with VSA arts and has participated in various artist-in-residence and touring arts programs, presenting workshops throughout the mid-west and at the 1994 VSA arts festival in Brussels, Belgium. Tina came to Kansas City in 2000, to work as Program Director for AAI. In 2002, a traumatic brain injury challenged her to look for other ways to develop her art. She continues to teach ceramics and mixed media in the AAI After-School Arts Club and works on her own art in fiber and ceramics. Joell Ramsdell was selected by the Nominations Committee from nominations by peers. Ramsdell has been teaching music for the last 14 years. His varied experiences include teaching in the Virgin Islands, the inner-city of Chicago, the Blue Valley School District, and presently in Olathe. Over the years, Joell has taught students from Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade.
In his current position, Joell also volunteers hours of instruction each week to assist English Language Learners (ELL) students in Title I reading. Joell has a 10-year-old daughter, Kamryn, and a dog named Bustopher. More information about both Honorees can be found at http://www.accessiblearts.org/Awards%208-01Table.html |
|
|
|
|
|
Jellybeans
from Heaven |
|
|
Accessible Arts recently collaborated with the Jellybean Conspiracy to produce two community-wide projects in Hiawatha and Pittsburg Kansas. The Jellybean Conspiracy project created partnerships between high school theatre and special education departments in each community to produce The Jellybean Conspiracy Play. The plot told the story of a teenage girl and her sister who has Down syndrome. The cast included performers from the high school’s theatre program and from special education classes. Middle school students from each community were bussed in to see matinees at the high schools. Members of the surrounding communities also attended public performances in the evenings. Accessible Arts provided three educational components for the project. The first component was an interactive music workshop entitled Rhythm Weaving that was presented to Hiawatha Middle School students in November 2005 and Pittsburg Middle School students in March 2006. The workshop objectives were to demonstrate music and movement as sources of creative expression and to develop positive attitudes towards people with developmental disabilities. The second
component was offered to community families after they had The third component benefited community arts agencies by giving them best practices on how to make their facilities and arts programming more accessible to children with disabilities. Arts agencies, artists and educators in the surrounding communities attended the Creating Arts for All workshop and then stayed to see a performance of the play. All three workshops were made possible by grants from VSA arts and the Kansas Arts Commission.
Accessible Arts will be taking the Jellybean Conspiracy to Rose Hill and Holton in the coming year. To find out more about the Jellybean Conspiracy visit www.jellybeanconspiracy.org If you’d like to bring the Jellybean Conspiracy to your high school or community, call Accessible Arts at (913) 281-1133. |
||
|
|
||
|
Piano
Lessons for People with Disabilities and the Elderly Age & Play is a non- profit organization dedicated to teaching basic piano fundamentals to the elderly, physically challenged and under-privileged children. Their goal is to establish teaching centers across the country as a community service to those people who would otherwise never have the opportunity to learn music. Age & Play offers programs that are structured to exercise the minds, bodies and souls, to encourage people celebrate their abilities. One special program designed for Alzheimer patients has been proven to have a positive effect in stimulating the portion of the brain affected by the disease. The progress and joy experienced during these lessons has been wonderful. John Hopkins, President of Age & Play, began his musical career with formal piano instruction at age five in the city of Philadelphia. While in the U.S. Army Band program for more than fifteen years, he performed for several United States Presidents and world leaders. He earned the coveted Meritorious Service Medal among other awards and decorations for his work. Upon completion of his service John traveled around the world as a pianist performing in such exotic locations as Istanbul Turkey, Tokyo Japan and Berlin Germany. After a life-changing stroke, John developed Age & Play, a program specifically designed to teach beginning piano as a way to stimulate the mind and build confidence. Students include senior citizens, children, Alzheimer patients and persons with brain injuries. For more information about Age & Play please visit www.ageandplay.bravehost.com/index.html or call (913) 772-8736. |
Back
to top
Accessible
Arts Wish List
 As
a non-profit organization, we are always looking for donations which help
us meet our large commitment to champion the arts for children with disabilities.
Our “Wish List” is one way to engage the community. Are you a
business or individual who has items you no longer use? Perhaps you know
someone who does. Below are suggestions that may give you some ideas of
how you can help. Of course, financial donations are also welcome. |
||
|
Arts
Supplies & Other Items
|
Volunteers
Needed To Help With:
|
|
|
Model magic
clay (by Crayola) |
Watercolor
paper |
Bulk mailings |
|
|
|
Accessible Arts Board of Directors
|
Accessible Arts Staff
|
Saturday - Sunday, April 22-23
99 Drums Music & Cultural Camp
Kansas State School for the Blind, Kansas City, KS
A weekend of interactive drumming and dancing workshops for children of all abilities, ages 9-15. Workshops will cover West African, Native American, Middle Eastern and Caribbean cultures.
Thursday, June 29th, 6:00 PM
Accessible Arts Volunteer Appreciation Party
Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City, MO
Accessible Arts will thank all its volunteers by providing a picnic dinner and inviting them to stay for the production of Henry V. (If you’d like to volunteer for Accessible Arts programming, please call us. Then you can join the fun at the Shakespeare Festival too!)
Monday-Friday, July 24 - August 4, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Daily
Accessible Arts Summer Camp
Church of the Resurrection, Overland Park, KS
Summer arts camp for children of all abilities, ages 7-15. Professional artists will lead children in exploring various art forms while learning about Mexican cultures and filmmaking. For information please call (913) 281-1133. For information please call (913) 281-1133.
We are happy to continue sending our newsletter to all persons who wish to receive it. If you would like to remain in our database as a consultant, artist, etc. but no longer wish to receive the newsletter, please let us know. Our new database will allow us to make this distinction. However, if you no longer want to remain in our data base, please help us by letting us know. We will immediately remove your name from our list. If you have any changes or updates for our mailing list, please notify us. You can e-mail us at accarts@accessiblearts.org or drop us a note at Accessible Arts, Inc., 1100 State Ave., Kansas City, KS, 66102-4411 or feel free to call us at (913) 281-1133. We also welcome feedback about our programming, the content of our newsletter, and our web site. Thank you for your help in this matter.
1100 State Avenue,
Kansas City, KS 66102-4411
(913) 281-1133 [Voice & TTY] (913) 281-1515 [Fax]
eMail
Us:
accarts@accessiblearts.org
For large print or Braille newsletter contact Accessible Arts
Home | Who We Are | What We Do | Calendar | Cultural Access | Arts Center | Resources | eMail Us
for a registration form today at (913) 281-1133 or visit our website,
www.accessiblearts.org
mixed
to form a paste. Anything with a firm structure can be covered with
papier-mache, as long as the structure (or armature) is sturdy and balanced.
If you are concerned about the papier-mache sticking to a structure,
then apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly to the surface that
will come in contact with the papier-mache.
will be dedicated to the art of filmmaking with a new collaborator, the
Red Echo Group. These professional movie-makers will guide the campers
through the entire moviemaking process—from script to screen in a
program called, “Let’s Make a Movie!”
New York State and has been legally blind since birth. When she was advised
in high school that an art degree would not be feasible, Blatter continued
on her own to develop her talent, experimenting with various mediums.
With
training from Northwestern University, the University of Kansas, and Pittsburg
State University, Joell has musically instructed special needs children
in self-contained and inclusionary settings. The highlight of his career
has been working with the Learning through Intensive Functions Teaching
(LIFT) program in the Blue Valley School District. The knowledge gained
through this experience has propelled him into creating and providing
fully integrated and differentiated learning opportunities for every child,
regardless of his/her disability.
seen
the play. Artists provided the Families with a Beat workshop that gets
the whole family drumming, dancing and singing. In order to promote
community involvement in developing positive attitudes toward people
with developmental disabilities, this workshop brought families together
to explore these issues in a fun, interactive, non-threatening community
setting.
The
Rhythm Weaving and Families with a Beat workshops reinforced themes
from the play (tolerance, diversity and respect) and Creating Arts for
All taught inclusion. The Accessible Arts workshops reached 707 students
and 229 adults. Students, audiences, teachers and families have consistently
given this project positive evaluations. For example, when high school
cast members were asked ‘Did you enjoy working on the Jellybean
Conspiracy?’ 98% of them responded, “I love it” or “A
lot.” When asked, ‘Did you gain a better understanding of
people with disabilities?’ 98% responded, “Absolutely”
or “Pretty Much.” Their comments included: “Thanks for
letting me a part of this unforgettable experience.” “It was
AWESOME!” “I loved being involved with such a worthwhile project
that touched so many lives.”
Tom
Burns, Special Education Teacher at Pittsburg high school stated, “I
have been re-energized with the knowledge that our students are now
going to reach new heights because of Jellybean. My hope is that effect
will carry over into the community, opening new doors of opportunity
and fostering a new level of acceptance.”
