What is STAR?
The mission of STAR (Storytelling, Teaching Artists, Arts Integration, and Resilience) is to provide creative education through culturally responsive frameworks, with access to the arts and technology for 3rd through 5th graders at Holmes and Garfield elementary schools. STAR creates a safe, consistent learning space with Lead Teachers and volunteers who cultivate trust, get to know participants' passions and interests, foster collaborative friendships, set the culture, and provide social-emotional learning tools that strengthen wellbeing beyond the classroom. STAR features professional Teaching Artists, designers, and innovators who guide students through projects that strengthen artistic skills, foster problem-solving, and introduce new mediums for creative expression.
STAR students love their volunteer mentors. If you enjoy spending time with 3rd-5th graders, they want to meet you! Mentors receive training from Spark Central to help encourage and develop STAR students’ creativity and build positive, playful relationships with them. Expertise in visual arts, performing arts, entrepreneurship, and other subjects explored in the program are not required - all you need is a desire to share yourself with these cool kids!
A year of STAR is organized into three units that engage students in investigative performance arts, technology and entrepreneurship, and large-scale visual art projects. In each project, Lead Teachers, Teaching Artists, and volunteer mentors guide and support students in identifying playful, impassioned ideas and developing them into powerful, tangible expressions of student voice.
Fall project: Atmosphere. Atmosphere gives artists the ability to tell stories with their breath. During this module, artists will create art with their breath and bodies as they dance, act, sing, and play.
Winter project: Satellite. It takes a lot of creatives, scientists, and innovators to create a satellite. For Satellite, artists will use technology to create art through animation, photography, film, science and entrepreneurship.
Spring project: Constellation. All the connections that make artists stronger. During Constellation, artists will gravitate toward tactile art that builds bridges between the previous units. The understanding of motion makes our paintings stronger. Thinking in 3D makes us better sculptors. Artists can expect to make art bigger and better than ever, on and off the canvas.
Time commitment:
Mentors are expected at one school (either Garfield or Holmes) from 3-5 PM for at least one day each week. This program runs Tue-Fri from October to June. We are hoping to find volunteers who are available for the entire school year, but if you are only available for one unit, that is alright, too.
