Main Street School of Performing Arts students create artistic expressions of peace
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rob Thompson | 952-224-1345| rthompson@msspahs.org
Hopkins, MN: (October 20, 2016) – In an age of domestic discord and global strife, Main Street School of Performing Arts (MSSPA) freshmen were charged with a poignant and timely task when asked to answer the question: “What does peace mean to you?”
Through discussion, introspection, and collaboration, Stages Theater Company’s (STC) Perspectives on Peace project gave all MSSPA freshmen the chance to engage in an interdisciplinary study of citizenship and humanities, and explore their personal reflections on peace. The innovative project provided a path for students to become more informed, engaged citizens while examining the meaning of “peace” in their personal sphere and in the larger global community. Students showcased their realized concepts through self-expressive writing, movement, music composition, media or performance art.
Some comments from our students:
“The Perspectives on Peace project was really fun and taught me a lot. I learned to be confident that everything will turn out well. I had to step out of my shell, since I am super shy. I learned that peace in not an unreachable dream, but it can be achieved.” -Anna
“Thank you for the opportunity to perform on stage in front of the school. It was very fun to collaborate with everyone!” – Jackson
“I learned that performing on stage is really easy. I enjoyed the time to get over our fears.”- JaNaela
“This was a great opportunity to se what my peer’s majors were and how they express their emotions through dance, song, art and more.” – Max
Students started the project by participating in a convocation featuring five STC music, movement, literary, and multimedia artists performing their Perspectives on Peace. They then worked with STC artists over the course of five class sessions to fully explore the topic of peace. Teaching artists and homeroom teachers guided students as they created written material to be used in movement theatre that culminated in a performance of student and STC artists’ collaborative work. Showcasing their newfound perspectives, each performance reflected an exploration of artistic mediums while avoiding traditional beginning-middle-end format. Movement, music, media, creative space-making, body rhythm, etc. were all encouraged.
“We are committed to providing our students meaningful learning opportunities that resonate with real-world application,” said Sarah Omernik, Language Arts teacher. “As part of our English 9 curriculum, the Perspectives on Peace project helped our students develop greater civic competence and find their own voice, in writing and well as performance. We live in a culturally diverse, democratic society, and a highly complex world. The Perspectives on Peace project had a profound impact on our students. It was a powerful, thoughtful exercise, and put our freshmen on course to becoming more confident, engaged, and enlightened citizens.”
About MSSPA
Founded in 2003, MSSPA offers a tuition-free, exceptional academic and arts-focused curriculum for high school for students from across the Twin Cities metro area. With consistently high enrollment, above average testing results, guest artist instructors, small class sizes, and offering the most student performances of any Twin Cities performing arts school, MSSPA has gained a strong following and achieved a reputation as a leader in arts and education. The University of St. Thomas is MSSPA’s charter school authorizer. Enrollment is underway for the 2017-2018 school year. More information about MSSPA and relocation plans can be found at msspahs.org
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