April 4, 2014

‘Arts for Learning’ completes partnership with St. Roch School in Indianapolis

Arts for Learning and St. Roch School in Indianapolis successfully completed an arts integration partnership. The yearlong residency, which brought three artists in to work with sixth through eighth-grade students, featured digital game design, Japanese traditional bamboo brush painting, printmaking and papermaking.

The Digital Game Design workshop, which allows students to create their own rudimentary video game, was especially powerful for the students, according to St. Roch School principal Joe Hansen. Each class, rotating quarterly, began with the basics of design and ended the quarter with a video game of their own.

Papermaking and printmaking gave each student the chance to learn about different types of paper and how each is made. Choosing from recycled paper or paper made from plants, students created their own paper and incorporated styles, designs and colors.

Japanese brush painting brought Japanese culture into the classroom through the art form of traditional painting techniques. The program met curriculum standards in Asian culture, critical thinking, life skills, social studies, and world history and culture.

Arts for Learning, the Indiana Affiliate of Young Audiences, works with more than 61,000 students each year to provide quality arts in education programs to schools, community centers, parks and juvenile detention centers throughout the state. As the oldest and largest provider of professional arts education programs in the state, the organization offers programs ranging from African drumming to songwriting to visual art.

More information may be found on Arts for Learning’s website at www.artsforlearningindiana.org. †

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