Friday, June 5, 2009

The Spring Performance Season is HERE!!!!


The youth of Kids Creative have been working incredibly hard and starting June 8, 2009 they will be showing their amazing performances as part of our Spring Performance Season.  All of the shows are original works of drama, music, dance, video created and performed by the kids and all tons of fun.

Upcoming shows (See below for show summaries):

Monday, June 8, 4:00 PM
PS 11, "Video Game Madness"
West 21st Street between 8th and 9th Ave

Tuesday, June 9 10:00 AM
PS 102, "How the Rabonkbibug came to be." and "Teen Idol"
East 113th Street at 2nd Ave.

Thursday, June 11, 5:30 PM
PS 191, "The Big End of Year Show"
West 61st Street at Amsterdam Ave.

Friday, June 12, 2:00 PM
The Heschel School, "The Best Show Ever. EVER!" and "Dude, Where's the Ring?"
West 89th Street between Broadway and West End

Friday, June 12, 4:30 PM
PS 145, "Create-A-Play, So We Can Sing and Dance" and Create-A-Science Fair
West 105th between Amsterdam and Columbus Ave

Tuesday, June 16, 4:30 PM
Manhattan School for Children/ PS 333, TBA
West 93rd Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Ave

Tuesday, June 16, 4:00 PM
PS 11, TBA
West 21st Street between 8th and 9th Ave

Wednesday, June 17, 4:00 PM
The Heschel School, "The Hole to Monster World"
West 89th Street between Broadway and West End

Wednesday, June 24, 4:00 PM
PS 87, TBA
West 78th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus

Thursday, June 25, 4:00 PM
PS 87, TBA
West 78th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus

Create-A-Play/RR Theater Story Summaries (By school)

PS 102 Group 1:
"How the Rabonkbibug came to be."
A hungry young monkey is trying to reach a bananna when some helpful birds take it down for him.  When the monkey offers to share his bannana with them the birds use their magic to give the monkey wings so he can reach all the bananas he wants.  The monkey is still hungry and looking for bugs to eat when he bumps into some bored rabbits.  When the monkey cheers them up the rabbits use thier magic to give him big ears so he can find the bugs to eat.  When the monkey finds the bugs he overhears them telling jokes, he shares his favorite joke but realizes he is lost.  The bugs give him antennas so he can find his way home.  But will his family recognize him now he has wings, long ears and antennae?

PS 102 Group 2:
"Teen Idol"
Linda's Sweet 16th party is going to be amazing - she has the winners of Teen Idol performing!  Unfortunately she has planned it for the same day as Sabrina's Sweet 16th.  Sabrina plots her revenge and hides Marazhane in the closet.  Will that ruin the party?  Will Marazhane escape?? Will the girls reconcile??? Will Teen Idol perform????

PS 145 Group A:
"The President vs the Haunted House"
When the President tries to show he is not a scaredy cat by going into a haunted house and doesn't return the USA must hold a President Idol competition to find a new President.  But what will happen to the old President and the others trapped in the haunted house?

PS 145 Group C
"The Holiday Recession"
Due to the financial crisis there can only be one holiday a year.  Which holiday will it be? Christmas, Halloween and Easter battle it out and end up in court.  What will the jury's verdict be?

PS 145 Group E:
"DJ Kabear Lots of Animals goes to New York City."
When DJ's family home is ruined by pollution he sets off on an adventure to NY.  He sees the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and finally the Central Park Zoo which he decides will make a great new home for his family.  But the animals in the zoo think he is too different and don't let him in.  Just when DJ is about to give up he finds a little girl who has lost her family, he uses his own special talents to cheer her up and in doing so helps find her family.  The zoo animals apologize for their judging behaviour and decide to help DJ clean up his family home.

PS 145 Create-A-Science Fair
Create-A-Science Fair will take place in the lobby, displaying students work throughout the semester: actual experiments, tables/charts, explanations, pictures of activities/experiments, etc.  Each student will take home small terra-cotta pots for their plants from the year that have a clear plastic shell that allow for a picture to be displayed.  

PS 191 Justice League:
"Aliens vs Monsters - the battle for planet Earth!"
When the aliens destroy their own planet, Octavia, with garbage they disguise themselves as humans and move to Earth.  But their strange behavior leads the humans to figure out who they are.  The humans show the aliens how to recycle and decide to go with the aliens to clean up Octavia.

PS 191 Sunshiny Faces:
"The Animal with no Name and the Butterfly"
An animal with no name is lost in the rainforest when he sees a beautiful butterfly.  He tries to catch her so he won't be lonely anymore.  He tries to scare her with his roar, catch her with his tail and with his claws but the butterfly escapes.  Finally the animals with no name begins to cry.  The butterfly asks him what is wrong and when he explains he just wanted her company she tells him she would have kept him company if he had treated her like a friend.  The animal with no name apologized and they went on thier first adventure together to find the animal with no name's name.


The Heschel School, 4-5th Graders
The Best Show Ever, EVER!
The Overweighted Squirrels deliver their swansong performance in this epic tale of love, loss and empowering choices set in the fast paced backstage life of a television variety show. Tishonka and Witko are the most successful producing team in the history of anything you can name. Name something. OK, yes, even that thing you just named. Get the picture? Anyway, one day on the set of their most ambitious creation, the hit variety show "TISHONKA & WITKO PRESENTS," Witko shows up missing, or rather, doesn't show up at all. Like a vampire in a mirror. The rest of the crew panic, cut to a commercial, and scramble to find their missing leader, who as it turns out, has gotten married to a girl he may never love, only to escape the lonely existence of being the guy who pays for everything but is never recognized for all the good work he's done. After a thrilling chase to exotic Africa and a journey into the heart of reality television, Witko must choose between his brand new wife and his former life.

The Heschel School, K-1st Graders
Two kids fall through a construction hole and end up in Monster World where the monsters make them evil and they do mean things to the mermaids and the fairies.  The fairies and mermaids have to help convince the monsters to be nice.  

Thursday, April 23, 2009

A rock n roll story

Check out this fantastic story about overcoming stage fright written by Richard Wolff, a PS 191 student and Kids Creative camper. Rockin guitars, great performances, confidence building and the Dirty Sock Funtime Band. Click on the images to read the story.




Saturday, April 4, 2009

Kids Creative Happenings at PS 102 and PS 145?

UPDATES FROM PS 102 and PS 145

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT KIDS CREATIVE at PS 102 in EAST HARLEM?
by Rege Lewis, Site Director
As we reach Spring Break, the Kids Creative after school program at PS 102 is amazing! We are welcoming new students and after spring break, the Kids Creative high school apprentices will join the program. In Create-A-Play on Fridays, we are working on our scenes for the end of the year final performance. Group 1 will be telling the story of the Monkey and his helpful friends and Group 2 is creating scenes for American Teen Idol and an all American Girls only Sweet 16 Bash!In Create-A-Groove, we are working on the soundtrack and score for the Create-A-Play pieces and learning to play all sorts of coollllll instruments. In Create-An-Art Exhibit, we are working on African Dance and creating backdrops for the end of year final performance. Here are some of the artistic creations:



In other words, "EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING AT PS 102...BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE CREATIVE AND WE CREATE TRUTH"


THINGS ARE ROCKIN AT OASIS/KIDS CREATIVE at PS 145
by Aaren McKen, Site Director

On Tuesday April 7th & Wednesday April 8th, we will be having our first “Spring Reviews”. On Tuesday, the students will be performing their Create-A-Move dance pieces (Groups A, B, C, and E) and on Wednesday they will be performing their Create-A-Groove songs (Groups D and E). Our second set of previews will be Thursday May 7th. At this preview, the students will be performing their Create-A-Play drama pieces (Groups A, B, C, and E) and displaying their art work (Groups A, C, and E).

On Friday, the 12th of June, which will be our last day of after school, we will be having our “End of Year Show”. Stay tuned, we will have more details about the show when we get closer to the date!


Every other Friday is club day at Oasis/Kids Creative! We have 5 clubs: football, dance, chess, basketball, and adventure. The clubs are run by group leaders and instructors and the kids look forward to it every other Friday. On the Fridays when we don't have clubs each group works on their long term group projects. Group A is producing a puppet show that they will film and show at the end of year show. Group B is make a documentary "real world" style of the going ons in their group. Group C is building and filling a time capsule. Group D is making a slide show/ documentary. Finally, the kids of Group E are writing and illustrating a book about their lives.

Can't wait to see all of these creations!

In the meantime, check out these pictures for Catalog for Giving's Holiday Card contest:






Thursday, March 12, 2009

Kids Creative Students Help Ring the NASDAQ Closing Bell

Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 3:50 PM. Kids Creative students, Kaydee and Manley, joined KC Executive Director Adam Jacobs and the Catalog for Giving at the closing bell of the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in Times Square. Both Kaydee and Manley have been in Kids Creative at PS 191 for 4 years and are now in the Kids Creative/Oasis after school program. Yesterday, they made their debut on National TV. Stay tuned to read Kaydee and Manley's perspective on the experience. Here are some pictures that we took. You can also see images and watch the video on the NASDAQ website by clicking here.

Outside NASDAQ with Kaydee, Manley, Catalog ED Sue Wyant and Adam

Manley and Kaydee outside NASDAQ. We were 40 feet tall on that amazing LCD screen!

The students from Kids Creative and the other Catalog for Giving groups
(visit www.cfgnyc.org to read about the other amazing groups the Catalog is supporting)

Manley, Kaydee and Adam in the TV studio.

Arriving at NASDAQ.

Before the event with PS 191 Parent Coordinator Damaris Carrion.

Before the event with Ms. Revron.

A little help with the tie.

Waiting to go into the studio.

Thank you letters from the students to James Nelson from the Catalog for Giving:



Thursday, March 5, 2009

The KC Apprenticeship Program

Calling all Juniors and Seniors in High School

Apply for an apprenticeship with Kids Creative by March 16Link!!!!

Download an info packet and application here



This Spring, Kids Creative will be joining The After School Corporation (TASC) to facilitate the After-School Apprenticeship Program (ASAP). Kids Creative is looking for high school Juniors and Seniors with a passion for the arts, an aspiration to promote peace, interest in youth development and a desire to learn to take part in our Apprentice Program. Apprentices will receive training and first hand experience in using Kids Creative’s methods of community building through collaborative creation. They will receive a stipend of $280 as well as highly valuable job skills. Qualified Apprentices will be eligible for an opportunity to work as a paid intern at our summer camp. Our deadline for all applications is March 16th. For more information, or an application, please contact Sarah, the Apprenticeship Intern Coordinator, at sarah.pidgeon@kidscreative.org



OUR 8-WEEK TRAINING PROCESS
Saturday Trainings
Every Saturday, you will receive training led by our Director of Education and Apprentice/Intern Coordinator in topics covering:
• The basics of creating safe and peaceful environments for children
• Working with children in a summer camp setting
• Community building, problem solving, and conflict resolution
• Kids Creative’s Summer Safety Plan
• The basics of working in a Kids Creative classroom
• Using Kid’s Creative’s Rock ‘n Roll Curriculum to create a musical play and promote community

Hands-On, On-Site Learning
Each of our apprentices will also be assigned to work with a Teaching Mentor, one of our veteran teachers, during an after-school class once a week. They will get first hand experience working in our program, get a chance to utilize the skills they are learning in their trainings and receive mentoring by one of our master teachers.

Training Timetable
Monday-Friday, March 30th- April 3rd (one day this week) from 3:00-6:00PM
School Tours and Observation Week
• Apprentices take a tour of the school & observe their Teaching Mentor’s class one day this week.

Saturday, April 4th
Program Orientation
• All apprentices will engage in a program orientation

Monday-Friday, (one day each week) April 20th- June 5th from 3:00-6:00PM
Hands-On, On-Site Learning
• Apprentices engage in hands-on learning in their Mentor Teacher’s classroom once a week.

Saturdays, April 25th- June 6th from 10:00 AM - 4: 00 PM
Saturday Trainings
• All apprentices will engage in Kids Creative’s Rock & Roll Theater Teacher Training which will involve working with fellow apprentices to make your own musical play using Kids Creative’s teaching approach.

Monday-Saturday, June 8th -13th
Wrap Up Week
• Apprentices make up any time that they were missed
• Qualified apprentices will be invited to interview for paid summer internships

REQUIREMENTS
Personal Qualities
Apprentices must have the following personal qualities:
Be at least 16 years of age by July 2008
Have experience with supervising children & enjoy working with them
Have interest and experience in one or more forms of art and a love for the creative arts overall
Be responsible and self motivated
Display all of the qualities that we seek to instill within our students, such as confidence, creativity, an ability to resolve conflicts peacefully and a love for art.
Be able to improvise creative solutions in reaction to new developments or new information on the spot
Be confident expressing themselves creatively in front of children and can inspire children with their constant creativity
Be excellent team players
Know how to be silly, have fun with children, & not take themselves too seriously

Commitment
Apprentices must be able to commit to fulfilling the following requirements
• Must work with a Kids Creative Mentor Teacher during one of their after-school classes once a week for 8 weeks
• Must complete eight 6 hour Saturday training sessions
• Must be open-minded and respectful of their peers, mentors and instructors
• Must be a role model for the students at their site

HOW TO APPLY
Download an info packet and application here
To Apply
Fill out our application form
Have a teacher, counselor, supervisor or former employer fill out our Recommendation Form

Submitting Applications and Recommendation Forms
e-mail to: Sarah Pidgeon at sarah.pidgeon@kidscreative.org
OR
mail to: Kids Creative
25 Washington Street, Suite #411
Brooklyn NY 11201
OR
fax to: Sarah Pidgeon at (347) 487-3914

Application Time Table
Applications Due: March 16th
Acceptance Notification: March 20th
Program Enrollment Paperwork Due: March 30th

For more information please visit our website at kidscreative.org
Questions? Please contact our Apprentice and Intern Coordinator, Sarah Pidgeon at sarah.pidgeon@kidscreative.org




ABOUT KIDS CREATIVE
Kids Creative’s mission is to provide arts education programs in which children collaborate to create original works of art based on their own ideas. Our programs are designed to foster our 6 C’s of peacemaking in youth: Confidence, Creativity, Conflict Resolution, Community, Collaboration and Cookies (our “C” word to represent a fun experience). Our child centered, collaborative approach to arts education helps children realize their own individual creative potential and the power of a peaceful community working together to achieve common goals.

Kids Creative promotes peacemaking skills and values in a uniquely fun and engaging way. We offer unique programming that empowers youth to use their own ideas to create original artistic productions. This encourages creativity, bolsters confidence and allows them to take ownership over the process, providing intrinsic motivation for engagement in the collaborative process.

Working with our highly qualified teaching artists, our students find or create common threads that bind all of their ideas together, and turn their shared vision into a group project. Their experience working together to reach a common goal serves as the basis for community building.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Wow, these were some fun plays

Kids Creative's Fall/Winter Performance Season is coming to a close. Congrats to all of the participants and their amazing plays that took place over the last few weeks. Ohh, the intriguing stories, the absolute cuteness, the profound (sometimes hidden) messages that came out of the groups when they combined ideas. It was all there.
Thanks to the kids, families, and staff of PS 11, PS 87, PS 102, PS 145, PS 191/Hudson Honors Middle School, MSC and The Heschel School.
To read summaries of their plays, click here:
Below are pictures and a couple of videos. If you have any pictures you'd like to send us, please mail them to info@kidscreative.org.









video video

Thursday, January 22, 2009

CREATE-A-PLAY EXPRESS, A BRAND NEW SUMMER EXPERIENCE!!!

You asked for it, so here it is:
Create-A-Play Express (1st-5th Grades)--C-A-P Express is a 2-week C-A-P program where students work together to write and produce a short musical. We take the best parts of the Create-A-Play and condense them into a 2-week curriculum.

Session 1: July 6-17

Session 2: July 20-31

Session 3: August 3-16

For registration info, click here