Uncertainty, Transitions, and The Future

Cande Rodriguez’s 2nd grade class from Pasteur Elementary School pose in front of their wall of puppets which depict themselves at various ages and stages throughout their lives.

Dear Friends,

As we wrap up the school year and look forward to summer programs, your continued support for CAPE is invaluable. The heart of our work is always the art and imagination of the students. In our gallery, you can currently see 250 brown paper bag puppets, a project where 2nd graders from Pasteur Elementary, led by teaching artist Chuck Jones and teacher Cande Rodrigues, depicted their future selves, showcasing each student’s evolving journey.

CAPE itself is also experiencing transitions. Despite a tough political and funding environment for education, our classroom collaborations remain strong. However, our once reliable funding sources are now uncertain. Federal after-school funding was left out of the initial budget draft, and state legislators have only slightly increased educational funds, grappling with federal cutbacks.

Thanks to our committed supporters like you, we are prepared to adapt and flourish. CAPE’s board, staff, and partners have crafted a new strategic plan over the last year to ensure our mission’s longevity. This plan promises enhanced communication, revitalized programs, more gallery showings, and ideally, expanded arts learning opportunities for students.

Your donation today would greatly help us reach our future aims. With a solid start to the 2025-2026 school year, we can explore new program ideas, mirroring the creativity we encourage in classrooms.

Sincerely,

Amy Rasmussen
Executive Director