Adopt-a-School Program

The Adopt-a-School program provides substantial and sustained arts programs for children in New Jersey’s public schools that have little or no arts education programming.  Through the generous support of corporations, foundations, local businesses and individuals, this program launched in the fall of 2006 and has expanded since then to reach more students every year.

Parker Elementary School Adopt a School | Young Audiences New Jersey

Program:

  • Infuses sustained arts programming into elementary and middle schools to achieve a broad understanding of the arts and their potential to stimulate growth, learning and change.
  • Provides Professional Development workshops for teachers and administrators to promote understanding of the arts as an important tool for learning and encourage inclusion of the arts in daily classroom activities.
  • Students gain increased knowledge and skills within individual art forms
  • Students develop an appreciation for the arts and the critical importance in developing and nurturing their own imagination and creative abilities for success in life; and,
  • Students increase awareness and appreciation of different cultures, backgrounds and points of view.

An Adopted School receives:

  • Joint planning sessions by Young Audiences staff, teachers, and administrators to meet each school’s unique needs, goals, and curriculum.
  • Professional development sessions involving artists, teachers, and administrators that facilitate cross-content curriculum connections
  • Series of performances for the whole school
  • One chosen grade level participates in an in-depth, multi-day, hands-on art-making workshop that complements the school-wide performances and further supports core-curriculum activities

Donor Recognition

Businesses and foundations have agreed to find programs in schools with the understanding that visibility for the school/business relationship will be promoted through the district, school, and community. As part of fostering this relationship, the following events are typically suggested for each school to build recognition for their sponsor. Schools may choose to:

  • Hang a banner recognizing their sponsor in their gym or auditorium
  • Invite their sponsors to attend programs occurring in the school
  • Send thank-you letters to their sponsors