The
Crayola Dream-Makers program is the official visual arts component of
the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration (Imagination Celebration) which
believes that art is an educational necessity for a nation that hopes
to pass on its most valuable legacy, the creative spirit, to future generations.
Colorado Springs is one of five national Imagination Celebration sites.
The Crayola Dream-Makers program is the entry-level program for Imagination
Celebration elementary schools and utilizes the visual arts to accomplish
the goal of arts integration throughout regular classroom curriculum.
Benefits of Being a Crayola Dream-Makers School:
BE PART OF THE IMAGINATION CELEBRATION FAMILY - Receive many benefits by being associated with the Imagination Celebration program. Attend informational/networking Imagination Celebration Working Committee meetings. Learn in advance of the general public of educational opportunities and sign up for programming in a timely fashion. Receive Imagination Celebration organizational handbook to be used by your building committee. Schools receive publicity for March/April/May events through 20,000+ Imagination Celebration Program Brochures distributed throughout the Colorado Springs area.
ATTEND IMAGINATION CELEBRATION PERFORMANCES - Attend FREE or low-cost performances for students and families.
IMAGINATION CELEBRATION WEB SITE - Use Imagination Celebration Web Page - www.imaginationcelebration.org that was recognized by the Independent Newspaper as the "Best Community Education Site" to access curriculum, calendars and student /teacher recognition.
WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITIES - Attend low-cost or FREE educational workshops designed to tap into the teachers' own creativity in order to use the arts effectively with classroom techniques and after-school activities.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS- Receive FREE Imagination Celebration generated educational materials, classroom resources, activity materials, and bibliographies. Teachers are also welcome to use our Resource Center.
FOCUS ON THE VISUAL ARTS - Work as a school community to integrate the visual arts into the curriculum. Encourage hands-on student learning activities.
CRAYOLA DREAM-MAKERS TEACHER'S GUIDES -Each school receives a limited number of copies of the nationally produced Dream-Makers teacher's guide from Binney & Smith, Inc. maker of Crayola products. This is a rich resource of curriculum ideas and arts activities. Enclosed parent communication letters can provide a link between school and home. Purchase additional guides by contacting Crayola. Dream-Makers schools also receive a small assortment of Crayola products.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITYWIDE, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS - Art exhibitions sponsored by the Imagination Celebration and Crayola Dream-Makers programs recognize hundreds of student accomplishments during the year. This recognition calls attention to the creative work of children and teachers. Accompanying "Dream Statement" cards give students the additional opportunity through this literacy component to communicate their subject, ideas and creative process.
School Commitment:
CREATE A BUILDING COMMITTEE - Appoint a teacher and a parent coordinator to organize a committee to oversee the project and work closely with the Imagination Celebration Schools & Dream-Makers Coordinator. It is essential to involve the art teacher as the coordinator or as a committee member. Plan, implement and evaluate quality and creative hands-on opportunities in the visual arts for all students during the year.
ATTEND THE IMAGINATION CELEBRATION
WORKING COMMITTEE - Send at least one representative (a Parent or
Teacher Coordinator) to eight (8) Imagination Celebration Working Committee
Meetings (held once a month, dates are on the Imagination Celebration
Calendar). The meetings are always open to additional school representatives.
UTILIZE THE DREAM-MAKERS TEACHER'S GUIDES. Use the lessons from the guide to integrate the visual arts into the curriculum.
HOLD A SCHOOL EXHIBITION - Hold a Dream-Makers exhibition in your school during the March/April time frame. Showcase at least one piece of artwork from every student in the school and display an accompanying "Dream Statement."
- Guidelines for the display and "Dream Statements" are in the Dream-Makers guides.
- We encourage schools to showcase student performances in conjunction with the art show.
- Art show should be open to parents and members of the community.
- Information about this art show will be published in the Imagination Celebration Program Brochure.
- Each student should receive a Crayola Dream-Makers certificate of recognition. This is also included in the Dream-Makers guide.
- PARTICIPATE IN THE CITADEL MALL DREAM-MAKERS EXHIBITION - Send outstanding art works as directed to be exhibited at The Citadel Mall. This show takes place from mid-March through April.
SCHOOLS HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AIRPORT EXHBITION - Send outstanding art works as directed to be exhibited during one of the Airport's quarterly exhibitions.
PARTICIPATE IN THE REGIONAL DREAM-MAKERS EXHIBITION - A school may choose to participate in a juried Regional Exhibition is held annually. Works selected for the exhibitions eventually become part of the Binney & Smith, Inc. permanent corporate collection that is on exhibition throughout the Department of Education Building in Washington, D.C.
ATTEND WORKSHOPS - Encourage classroom teachers, art teachers and parents to attend FREE and "low-cost" workshops demonstrating visual arts activities that are sponsored by the Imagination Celebration/Dream-Makers program.
FOCUS ON PUBLIC RELATIONS - Work closely with the public relations department of your school district. With each project, develop ideas for stories and document with photos. Please submit three (3) copies of any flyers, brochures, newsletters or publicity to Imagination Celebration on a monthly basis-or send documentation via electronic mail.
KEEP RECORDS AND REPORTS - Please keep records of attendance, volunteers, volunteer time, and costs incurred. Submit this to Imagination Celebration and Dream-Makers Coordinator in April/May for final reports.
WRITE THANK YOU'S - Each year we ask that schools help us thank the Underwriters and Sponsors of Imagination Celebration. Student thank you's and artwork are so appreciated. A list will be provided later in the year.
CREATE A SCHOOL BANNER - Each new school will be given a blank banner to create a school banner for use at the Imagination Celebration Kick-Off Party, Free Family Festival Day, and The Citadel Dream-Makers Art Exhibition.
UTILIZE A SCHOOL BULLETIN BOARD AND SCHOOL NEWSLETTERS - Encourage your school to feel a part of the total Imagination Celebration through the use of an informational school bulletin board and updates in the school newsletters. (Revised Aug. 2005)
Questions? Call Jane Bennett,
Imagination Celebration Schools & Dream-Makers Coordinator--- 597-3344