Being
part of the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration (KCIC) allows a school
community (parents, teachers, and students) to come together for three
years to focus on integrating the arts into the curriculum. Elementary
schools begin by participating in the Crayola Dream-Makers Program, which
recognizes and showcases the visual arts. The most successful programs
begin this way. During the second and third year, a school may choose
to become a Imagination Celebration Mini-Site in conjunction with their
Dream-Makers program. Secondary schools become Mini-Sites for all three
years. Middle schools are strongly encouraged to participate in the Crayola
Dream-Makers program for all three years, made possible by Imagination
Celebration for grades 6-8. High Schools are encouraged to incorporate
aspects of the Dream-Makers program theme.
Benefits of Being a Imagination Celebration Mini-Site:
$300 IMAGINATION CELEBRATION STIPEND - Mini-Sites are eligible to receive $300 from Imagination Celebration. A school agrees to match that amount, resulting in $600 to incorporate the arts into the curriculum -or the school may elect to use the amount towards an Imagination Celebration theater performance for school groups, --or bring in performers or artists-in-residence. The entire $600 must be used for arts programming for the school during the current school year.
ATTEND WORKING COMMITTEE MEETINGS - Attend monthly informational/networking
Imagination Celebration Working Committee meetings. The dates for all
the scheduled meetings are listed on a separate flyer, contact Imagination
Celebration for a copy. Learn in advance of the general public about educational
opportunities and sign up for programming in a timely fashion.
RECEIVE HANDBOOK - Receive a Imagination Celebration organizational handbook to be used by your building committee.
PUBLICITY - Receive publicity for your March/April and early May school events and celebrations through the Imagination Celebration Program Brochure.
ATTEND IMAGINATION CELEBRATION PERFORMANCES - Attend FREE or low-cost performances for students and families.
IMAGINATION CELEBRATIONWEB 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 ideas, calendar of events and student/teacher recognition.
WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITIES - Attend low-cost and FREE educational workshops designed to tap into the teachers' own creativity in order to use the arts effectively in classroom techniques and after-school activities.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS- Receive FREE Imagination Celebration generated educational materials, classroom resources, activity materials, and bibliographies. Teachers are welcome to come to the Imagination Celebration office and access information from the Imagination Celebration Resource Center.
School Commitment:
CREATE A BUILDING COMMITTEE - Teachers, parents and administrators,
create a Imagination Celebration building committee for planning, implementing
and evaluating quality and creative hands-on opportunities in the arts
for all students during the year.
INTEGRATE THE ARTS - Work toward integrating the arts into the existing curriculum.
ATTEND WORKING COMMITTEE MEETINGS- Attendance by a representative from your building committee at all eight (8) Imagination Celebration Working Committee Meetings during the school year is necessary. Meetings are generally held on the third Thursday, unless noted on the calendar, at Celebration Place-our creativity space located on the upper level, Mervyn's wing of The Citadel. Meetings are from 8:45 -11:00 a.m. Principals and additional committee members are always welcome.
PROVIDE ONE ARTS PERFORMANCE - Provide at least one arts performance
for the entire student body. We encourage schools to consider CS Youth
Symphony, Children's Chorale, PAYO, MAT, or Dance Theatre performances
during the year. Imagination Celebration provides an in-depth list of
recommended artists, performers and resources on our website and encourages
schools to utilize this information. We distribute flyers or brochures
about performances held at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and the
Pikes Peak Center.
PROVIDE ONE SHOWCASE EVENT - Plan and host a school-wide event to be held during March, April or early May that showcases student arts activities, including the Dream-Makers Art Show. This will be published in the Imagination Celebration Program Brochure and as such will be designated as open to the public.
PLAN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES - Provide each student with hands-on participatory experiences in as many arts disciplines as possible. During the school year each child should have a chance to have a hands-on or participatory experience in each of the following arts disciplines - dance, visual arts, music, and drama. We encourage classroom teachers to creatively incorporate the arts into the classroom curriculum.
$300 MATCHING MONEY - Commit to match the $300 stipend that is provided in January from Imagination Celebration Underwriters. The resulting $600 should go to arts programming (bring students to an arts performance, or have an artist-in-residence program, hands-on arts or arts focus days at your school) for the students during the current school year.
ATTEND WORKSHOPS - Encourage classroom teachers, art teachers and parents to attend exciting workshops provided by Imagination Celebration and participating arts organizations and businesses. These workshops will be offered throughout the year.
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 electronic versions or three (3) copies of any flyers, brochures, newsletters or publicity to Imagination Celebration on a monthly basis.
KEEP RECORDS AND REPORTS - Please keep records of attendance, volunteers, volunteer time, and costs incurred. Submit this to Imagination Celebration in May for final reports. Imagination Celebration provides the necessary forms for documentation in the organizational notebook provided.
WRITE THANK YOU'S - Each year we ask that schools help thank the Underwriters and Sponsors of Imagination Celebration. Student thank you's and artwork are so appreciated. A list of names will be provided later in the year.
CREATE A SCHOOL BANNER - Each new school will be given blank banners 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, if you are a Dream-Makers Site.
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 August 2005)
Questions?
Call Jane Bennett, Imagination Celebration Schools
& Dream-Makers Coordinator---597-3344