Boeing awards CAPE $40,000 for STEM+Arts in Chicago Public Schools
Hundreds of CPS Students to benefit from Boeing’s support of CAPE’s arts integration with STEM subjects
Boeing has announced that Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) will receive $40,000 to support its ongoing work to integrate the visual, digital, and performing arts into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classrooms at in Chicago Public Schools.
“We’re honored to have a corporate partner like Boeing, who recognizes and understands the value of weaving together arts and traditional STEM subjects,” said CAPE Executive Director Amy Rasmussen. “We know from experience and research that the arts provide a pathway for students to more deeply understand and richly connect with academic content, and we look forward to bringing those opportunities to new students in 2018-2019, thanks to Boeing’s support.”
CAPE’s Boeing-funded STEAM projects will be part of CAPE’s after-school program and CAPE’s Artist/Researcher Partnerships (A/RP) program, which supports long-term partnerships between teachers and teaching artists who work together year and year to create and refine high-quality arts integration units in their classrooms, while also contributing to CAPE’s ongoing research and best practices in the fields of Arts and Education.
One school that will benefit from Boeing’s support is Durkin Park Elementary, where teacher Deborah Birmingham and teaching artist Niema Qureshi are using visual arts, comics, and soft circuits to help their 4th grade students explore and understand energy and electricity.
“My favorite part of the project so far was when I used our art materials to figure out how to make an electrical circuit,” said Ashley, a student in the class. “I did it all by myself and I really felt proud.”
Other schools supported by Boeing’s grant to CAPE include: Goudy Elementary, where students are exploring engineering through sculpture and installation art; Telpochcalli Elementary, where students are using the arts to investigate sustainable energy; Williams Preparatory School of Medicine, where students will employ technology, engineering, and sculpture to design and install public artwork in the former Overton Elementary building; North-Grand High School, where students will learn geometry through mixed media, painting, and ceramics; and New Sullivan Elementary, where students will learn coding through digital photography and video.
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