i Can @ thearc newsletter-Did You Hear That?

by Morgan Clark



Nolvert Garcia ( pictured in the striped shirt) the technical director of THEARC Theater conducts hands on workshops teaching local students the art of sound design in a theater production. The students are a part of a summer long program

called THEART @ THEARC Theater, created to nurture the development of young producers, stage and house managers along with sound and lighting technicians. The kids range in ages 14-21 years old, along with a few talented younger individuals.



Garcia opened his portion of the program by refreshing some and introducing others to the operation of the soundboard. A soundboard allows for full control of all the sound in the theater on one piece of equipment.



"What's this?" Garcia asks his students while pointing to what seems like one of hundreds of knobs on the soundboard. If the student doesn't know, it's okay. Garcia isn't afraid to let the students push buttons, turn knobs, try out the equipment and figure it out for themselves. And when they do there are plenty of high fives to go around.


WHAT IS THEARC?

Ten non profit partners at THEARC have come together under one roof to help children.
Since its opening in 2005, Town Hall Education, Arts and Recreation Campus-THEARC- has become a national prototype combining social, cultural and health services. It is a $27 million 110,000 square foot center on 16.5 acres of land in Southeast Washington, DC. THEARC provides a daily safe haven for the children it serves, with a wide range of arts, educational, recreational, health programs and services. In addition there is a 365-seat theatre (the only theatre east of the Anacostia River) a regulation size gymnasium, computer lab, art gallery, state-of-the-art music and dance studios.



WHY IS THEARC NEEDED?


Shockingly, the U.S. Census Bureau 2005 American Community Survey shows that our nation’s capital has the highest rate of childhood poverty of any jurisdiction in the United States. Three out of ten children in Washington, DC live at or below the poverty line—.



Will you contribute to help each charity fulfill their missions? Just click on the donate button! For more information about THEARC please go to our website http://www.thearcdc.org/ or you may call 1-202-4-THEARC (1-202-484-3272).

Selected for the 2008-2009 Catalogue for Philanthropy
“One of the best small charities in the greater Washington region”

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

The Summer Youth Employment program is in full swing at THEARC and to our great delight the kids enrolled the I Can Workshop at THEARC Theater Program showed their skills by creating the first ever i can @thearc newsletter. So with no further ado in their own words……..

Role Play: I CAN Youth Act as The Producers of Their Own Shows
By Morgan Clark

One hand in a family size bag of cheetos and the other on the remote control, it’s three in the afternoon and the typical young person on summer vacation is just waking up. But, by 3 o’clock THEART @ THEARC students have already been hard at work in and out of the theater.

Every Monday morning, students attend a class titled The Producer’s Lens, taught by Kimberly Douglas. On the first day of class Douglas split up her class into two groups and asked them to think of a production that they would like to put on.

One group is producing a karaoke style music concert, featuring the look-a-likes of some of today’s most popular hip hop and r&b artists like singer Trey Songz. They will also be holding a car wash to fund their event.

While the other group is producing a play titled “Our D.C.” “Our D.C.” is a collection of mini-plays, or skits, about the residents of Washington, D.C. It’s goal is to show other’s that our nation’s capital is more than politics and museums.

From house manager to director, these students will be responsible for every aspect of putting on their shows. The show and fundraiser dates have yet to be announced.


WHAT IS THEARC?

Ten non profit partners at THEARC have come together under one roof to help children.
Since its opening in 2005, Town Hall Education, Arts and Recreation Campus-THEARC- has become a national prototype combining social, cultural and health services. It is a $27 million 110,000 square foot center on 16.5 acres of land in Southeast Washington, DC. THEARC provides a daily safe haven for the children it serves, with a wide range of arts, educational, recreational, health programs and services. In addition there is a 365-seat theatre (the only theatre east of the Anacostia River) a regulation size gymnasium, computer lab, art gallery, state-of-the-art music and dance studios.

Will you contribute to help each charity fulfill their missions? Just click on the donate button! For more information about THEARC please go to our website http://www.thearcdc.org or you may call 1-202-4-THEARC (1-202-484-3272).

Selected for the 2008-2009 Catalogue for Philanthropy
“One of the best small charities in the greater Washington region”

"I Can” Summer Youth Employment Program @ THEARC

The Summer Youth Program has been in full swing for two weeks
now and I promised you an update on the activities. Since pictures
are worth a thousand words, here is a sampling of the activities.





Mr. Emery, building engineer, shows a young man how to roll up a carpet.
From picking up the grounds, painting and learning about theater production, youths in the Summer Employment Program learn various skills at THEARC.











Nolvert, the theater's technical director working with summer youths.

WHY IS THEARC NEEDED?
Shockingly, the U.S. Census Bureau 2005 American Community Survey shows that our nation’s capital has the highest rate of childhood poverty of any jurisdiction in the United States. Three out of ten children in Washington, DC live at or below the poverty line—.

WHAT IS THEARC?

Ten non profit partners at THEARC have come together under one roof to help children.
Since its opening in 2005, Town Hall Education, Arts and Recreation Campus-THEARC- has become a national prototype combining social, cultural and health services. It is a $27 million 110,000 square foot center on 16.5 acres of land in Southeast Washington, DC. THEARC provides a daily safe haven for the children it serves, with a wide range of arts, educational, recreational, health programs and services. In addition there is a 365-seat theatre (the only theatre east of the Anacostia River) a regulation size gymnasium, computer lab, art gallery, state-of-the-art music and dance studios.

Will you contribute to help each charity fulfill their missions? Just click on the donate button! For more information about THEARC please go to our website http://www.thearcdc.org/ or you may call 1-202-4-THEARC (1-202-484-3272).

Selected for the 2008-2009 Catalogue for Philanthropy
“One of the best small charities in the greater Washington region”

“I Can” Summer Youth Employment Program @ THEARC

This week was the kick off for the Summer Youth Program @ THEARC and this year’s youths will have the privilege of participating in workshops on Communications, Finance and Personal Development. This is a new nine week program for kids ages 14-18 to give them the opportunity to obtain meaningful work experience in the communities where they live. Young people will also attend the following four workshops on:

1. Good Communications
2. Personal Development
3. Financial Responsibility
4. THEARC at THEARC – A unique program that introduces youth to the wonderful world of theater.


As the summer continues I will interview several of our participants and get their input on the employment and workshop programs to make sure we are realizing our goals of:
· Being an employee
· Importance of community pride and social awareness
· Develop levels of self-esteem and integrity
· Learn money management skills
· Enhance their social skills and discover good leadership qualities within themselves

Stay tuned to see if the kids will respond "I Can"!

WHY IS THEARC NEEDED?
Shockingly, the U.S. Census Bureau 2005 American Community Survey shows that our nation’s capital has the highest rate of childhood poverty of any jurisdiction in the United States. Three out of ten children in Washington, DC live at or below the poverty line—.

WHAT IS THEARC?

Ten non profit partners at THEARC have come together under one roof to help children.
Since its opening in 2005, Town Hall Education, Arts and Recreation Campus-THEARC- has become a national prototype combining social, cultural and health services. It is a $27 million 110,000 square foot center on 16.5 acres of land in Southeast Washington, DC. THEARC provides a daily safe haven for the children it serves, with a wide range of arts, educational, recreational, health programs and services. In addition there is a 365-seat theatre (the only theatre east of the Anacostia River) a regulation size gymnasium, computer lab, art gallery, state-of-the-art music and dance studios.

Will you contribute to help each charity fulfill their missions? Just click on the donate button! For more information about THEARC please go to our website http://www.thearcdc.org/ or you may call 1-202-4-THEARC (1-202-484-3272).

Selected for the 2008-2009 Catalogue for Philanthropy
“One of the best small charities in the greater Washington region”