Turnaround Arts: “Five Golden Tickets” for DMPS
Forest Whitaker and Rachel Goslins, executive director of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, pose with the Findley Drama Club after their performance of Willie Wonka.
Thursday night’s premiere performance of Willy Wonka at the North High School Auditorium by the Findley Elementary Drama Club served to underline the point that the last couple of years at the resurgent school are going to be a tough act to follow.
But the spectacular show at Findley will go on, and expand to Cattell Elementary, Oak Park Elementary, Madison Elementary, and Harding Middle school thanks to Turnaround Arts, a national effort to bolster arts education and incorporate the arts throughout the curriculum of “turnaround” schools across the country. It’s the first federal program to specifically support arts education as an improvement tool in high-poverty schools, and is run by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), in coordination with the White House, the U.S. Department of Education and several foundations.
Borrowing from the WW story line, the DMPS turnaround cohort of now five schools can be seen as the holders of the Golden Tickets to the chocolate factory.
Findley was selected for the original cohort two years ago and the results so far have been promising to say the least:
- Out-of-school suspensions decreased 50% more than the district average and student behavior referrals decreased 19% more than the district average.
- Math proficiency increased from 66.36% in 2011 to 74.29% in 2013.
- Reading proficiency increased from 72.9% to 80%.
- Reading proficiency rate grew 7.74% higher than other SIG schools
- Mobility (the rate of students moving in and out of the school) has improved from 26.13% to 17.5%, a substantial and significant positive change.
These trends all align with abundant research which demonstrates that arts-engaged students perform better than their peers, are more self-confident and better able to express their ideas, have higher attendance and high school graduation rates, and are more likely to achieve college degrees and go on to meaningful careers.
“Yes, this is what we’re seeing with the schools in this program,” said Rachel Goslins, Executive Director of the PCAH. “Too often the poorest schools, the ones that need the arts most, don’t have them at all.”
So that’s what all the oompa-loompa is about.
Academy award-winning actor Forest Whitaker lent himself to the renaissance at Findley as one of the designated Turnaround Artists and visited the school in the early stages of the grant’s implementation to give the kids some pointers and help boost community morale. And this week he kept his promise to return for a firsthand update. What has he learned? Well, read what the students have to say…
Sammi Jo: “I wish I could stay at Findley so I could stay with the Turnaround Arts but I am going to Harding and Harding just got the Turnaround Arts, so yay!”
Enya: “The arts have impacted me in many ways because the school has changed. We now have a successful drama club and a nice choir. The school has more activities that everyone can enjoy.”
Jerilyn: “Well, how it (the arts) has impacted me is that I can express myself and tell people how I feel, give my ideas and talk to people I never talked to.”
Brianna: “I enjoyed Forest Whitaker’s visit last year and could not wait to see him again. I am excited that he was here for our musical, Willy Wonka.”
Speaking again of which, the troupe really rose to the occasion Thursday night; hitting their marks, timing their cues and taking their bows. You could feel confidence rising as they stood in the spotlight, heard their voices boom and absorbed the applause.
For his part, Whitaker carries himself like a man who followed his passion in life and achieved fame and fortune as an unintended consequence. If celebrity is his lot, he seems to have reasoned, might as well put it to good uses. And he has as the Founder and CEO of The Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative besides his role with the PCAH. If he sometimes tires of the trappings of being a globally recognizable name and face, he delights in being surrounded by children like the adoring, grateful ones who flocked to him after the show Thursday night.
“There’s an inherent enthusiasm and joy in children,” he said, that this program is tapping. “But the light can go out in their eyes,” if darkness is allowed to overwhelm it.
Whitaker, Goslins and Kathy Fletcher, the Program Director for Turnaround Arts, are making sure the lights stay on. And last night after the show each of them was thanked with the presentation of framed artwork handmade by the kids at Findley.
“Oh, this is so perfect,” Goslins said in accepting her gift. “Our office moved last week just before we traveled to Des Moines so now I know what the first thing is that I can hang on the wall when we get back to Washington.”
A small but heartfelt token of appreciation for five Golden Tickets.
