AMPLIFYING YOUTH THROUGH ARTMy biggest passion project this year was Amplifying Youth Through Art. I was fortunate to have this project financially supported by the University of Denver Advancing Community-Engaged (ACE) Student Scholars Grant. I worked with students in the Yearbook class at Rangeview High School on a photovoice project while simultaneously collaborating with the students in the DSST: Byers Drama Club to devise a show. Both groups of youth explored issues and experiences that are important to them, then they shared them with their communities.
The Rangeview students utilized photography to consider topics that they care about. They also focused a lot on their senses and how to evoke emotion in their audience by highlighting those elements through photography. They created a website to share their final projects. Some youth chose to do a brochure, others chose slideshows, one group did a trifold, and a couple of students created collages. You can view their website here. The students from DSST: Byers Middle & High School focused on telling stories of their personal lives. Initially, they were going to explore social issues like the Rangeview youth did; however, through our initial discussions, it felt like they would benefit most through telling stories they can connect with. Therefore, youth shared about things they are grateful for, moments they felt connection, and anything else that was weighing on their head. They reflected on these experiences through writing and then we integrated some movement games. In the end, everything came together to create Not Just a Kid, a devised piece written by students for adults and people who care. You can watch a recording of the performance here. Below you will find my grant application for AYTA and a gallery of pictures collected throughout the process. There's a lot more, but I was unable to add them to this website given some file type restrictions. I'm happy to connect and show you everything! Lastly, I gave a short presentation on my creative research. You can view it here and the slides below.
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