GETTING TO KNOW YOU! EMPLOYEES OF THEARC

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! Nolvert & Students

How Nolvert Keeps The Theater Running!

An equipment break down during a performance can be disastrous! Luckily Nolvert Garcia, the technical director, is a multi talented young man who not only performs his duties with a smile, but is also great at repairing and keeping equipment running. His flexibility stretches every dollar the theater receives. As a teacher and mentor Nolvert also enjoys interacting with THEARC kids.

Here is how Dee, one of our interns, describes Nolvert’s teaching style. While pointing to what seems like one of hundreds of knobs on the sound board Nolvert asks “What’s this?” If the student doesn’t know, it’s okay because Nolvert 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 all around.

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 @ 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”

i Can @ thearc newletter-Producer of Your Own Show

Today you have a special treat in store. The youths in the i Can Workshop @ THEARC Theater created their own newsletter. So each day I will publish an article from it to give you the full flavor of their creativity.

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 pictured above. On the first day of class Douglas split up her class into two groups and asked them to think of a production that they wyould 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.

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”

MOVIE TUESDAY @ THEARC THEATER

Kids streaming out of the THEARC Theater Tuesday afternoons to bright colored balloons covering the floor of the lobby and squealing with delight as each of them are allowed to choose one. This is the scene each Tuesday and the brain child of THEARC Theater manager, Robin Harris. Yes, Movie Time Tuesday has become a big hit! With DVD’s donated by the staff the kids so far have enjoyed Kung Fu Panda, Once Upon A Forest and Spirit: Stallion of The Cimarron.


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

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”

MUSIC, MENTORING & MAGIC @ THEARC THEATRE

Demetrius is a part-time sound technician at THEARC and is about to turn 18. He lives with his mother, stepfather, five sisters and one brother in southeast DC. “Dee” loves music – particularly gospel and R&B --and dreams of a career as a professional theater technical director. His story is emblematic of so many who visit and participate in the programs and services of THEARC.

During a school field trip to THEARC two years ago, Dee participated in a multi-medium educational seminar taught at THEARC Theater, the only theater of any kind located in southeast DC. At the seminar Dee was the only person to take up the offer of THEARC Theater’s technical director-- to be mentored in theater technical management.

The first thing Dee and his mentor focused on was his failing grades. With his mentor, Dee pulled up his grades and was able to graduate in 2007 from HD Woodson High School in southeast DC.

As an intern at THEARC Theater, Dee learned how to set up sound systems and mix the set-up with different instruments for various bands. At live concerts he learned how to use different microphones for different instruments, mix sounds together, adjust sound equalizers during concerts and record music to CDs. “It’s hard to record to a CD, as you must capture each instrument” says Dee when asked about the challenges of his role.

After his graduation, Dee was offered employment at THEARC Theater as a production assistant by Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR), the nonprofit organization that built THEARC and now leads the collaborative of nonprofit agencies based at THEARC, as well as manages THEARC Theater

This success encouraged Dee to apply to The Art Institute of Washington and work toward an audio production degree. Sadly, after one semester he had to drop out due to financial problems. However, Dee still dreams of pursuing a career as a sound technician and is saving his earnings from his new paid position at THEARC so he can resume his studies.

Dee is a good news story—and THEARC has more good news to share. Simply put, by offering opportunity and exposure to programs and services not previously available, THEARC offers hope and opportunity to the young people of southeast DC and is rebuilding this long-challenged area one young person at a time.

THEARC is a state-of-the-art campus, managed by nonprofit organization BBAR, which, along with its nine nonprofit partners—including The Washington Ballet, The Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Levine School of Music, to name a few—provides cultural and social services for at-risk children and youth.

THEARC 365-seat theater is the only theater of any kind east of the Anacostia River, where families can come together for recitals, graduations, town hall meetings and dance, music and stage performances. THEARC campus is a stunning example of what works to help children and families break the cycle of poverty.

You can help change the lives of local young people in need right now. Please support Building Bridges Across the River at THEARC by clicking on the donate button.

You can also contribute by calling 202-4-THEARC (202-484-3272). Building Bridges Across the River at THEARC is a member of the United Way #8884 and the Combined Federal Campaign #97182 of the National Capital Area.

Building Bridges Across the River at THEARC has also been selected to the 2008-2009 Catalogue of Philanthropy as one of Washington DC’s best small charities. In these challenging economic times, it’s nice to know that your donation will be put to good use, as BBAR has been selected for the Catalogue of Philanthropy based on its merit, impact, financial transparency and cost effectiveness.


Together we can keep the good news coming. For Dee, and for thousands of youth and children in need. Thank You & Best Wishes for a Very Happy Holiday Season!

A JOYFUL NOISE!

On September 26-28, 2008 Friday ,Saturday 7:30 p.m. and Sunday 3:00 p.m. Roll On! Productions presents a musical celebration of the life of Langston Hughes at THEARC Theatre, 1901 Mississippi Ave, SE, Washington, DC. Call (202) 368-2404 for more information visit http://www.rollonproductions.com/

Hughes, who claimed Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Carl Sandburg, and Walt Whitman as his primary influences, is particularly known for his insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties through the sixties. He wrote novels, short stories and plays, as well as poetry, and is also known for his engagement with the world of jazz and the influence it had on his writing, as in “Montage of a Dream Deferred.” His life and work were enormously important in shaping the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Unlike other notable black poets of the period—Claude McKay, Jean Toomer, and Countee Cullen – Hughes refused to differentiate between his personal experience and the common experience of black America. He wanted to tell the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture, including both their suffering and their love of music, laughter, and language itself.

Langston Hughes died of complications from prostate cancer in May 22, 1967, in New York. In his memory, his residence at East 127th Street in Harlem, New York City, has been given landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission, and East 127th Street has been renamed “Langston Hughes Place.” Bio information provided by http://www.poets.org/

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”

COVENANT HOUSE WASHINGTON PRESENTS JUMP OFF 2008

Starting Friday April 25th at 6:00 pm Youth attending Covenant House Washington @ THEARC's Prevention Services after-school program will participate in this talent showcase in THEARC Theater, featuring spoken word, modeling, music and more. Prevention Services is a free after school program put on by Covenant House for youth ages 13-17. The program is held Monday-Friday from 3:00 pm-7:00pm and offers tutoring, poetry, video photography, classes for parents and other instruction. Jump Off 2008 is free of charge and open to the public; tickets are not required.





Covenant House is one of the nine non profit partners that make up THEARC. THEARC is a "home away from home" for the many underserved children of East of the River, enabling them to participate in dance classes, music instruction, fine arts, academics and other programs-as well as tap social services such as medical, dental, psychiatric and psychological care at substantially reduced cost or no cost at all.


For more information on THEARC and the nine non profit partners; please click on the link in the upper right hand corner or you may call 1-202-4-THEARC (1-202-484-3272).





THEARC
1901 Mississippi Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20020

Contact us: info@thearcdc.org

A LEAP OF FAITH

With no tickets in hand, Hector left his home at 3:00 a.m. yesterday on a leap of faith that he would somehow get tickets to attend mass with the Pope at the Washington National's Stadium. Clinging to his faith that his efforts would be rewarded, Hector stood in the security line.

A leap of faith is what it took to create THEARC.
No where else in the country has nine non profit
organizations partnered together to bring their
variety of programs and services to a community.

THEARC also has a 365 seat community theatre, the only theatre east of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC.

To build an endowment of the size needed to serve the interests and needs of the participating organizations and the community, a campaign "raising $10 from 1 million people" was started.
Donating to the One In A Million Campaign with a gift as small as $10 will help sustain a facility and the community services within to survive and thrive from generation to generation.

Oh and Hector?-he was featured on Fox Five news proudly holding two tickets to the mass in his hand!

For more information or to donate to THEARC and its nine non profit partners; please click on the link in the upper right hand corner or you may call 1-202-4-THEARC (1-202-484-3272).

THEARC
1901 Mississippi Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20020
Contact us: info@thearcdc.org

Spring brings exciting programs & events to THEARC

PLAYWRIGHTS SHOWCASE

Arena Stage's Student Playwrights Project is a comprehensive program for students, teachers, community members and artists to explore playwriting and performance. On Monday, April 21st and Tuesday, April 22nd from 7:00pm-8:45pm, twelve of the pieces from the Playwrights Project will be performed in THEARC Theatre. Six ten-minute pieces will be performed each night by middle and high school students from the District, Maryland and Virginia. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

For more information on THEARC and the nine non profit partners; please click on the link in the upper right hand corner or you may call 1-202-4-THEARC (1-202-484-3272).

THEARC

1901 Mississippi Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20020

Contact us: info@thearcdc.org