Middle Eastern drum beats echoed down the hallways; dancers moved tithe steps of traditional African dances; and students listened to the flowing melodies of professional jazz musicians just another day at Motivation High School. 

Through a program called the Picasso Project, Motivation High School, 2555 S. 78th St., received a $4,500 grant to promote arts education in their school curriculum. The project at Motivation included four parts: Arabic drumming, Jazz Journey, African art and African dance. 

Melika Komrokian, who teaches Arabic language and culture Motivation, implemented the Arabic drumming portion of the grant into her classroom. The grant allowed her to bring professional Arabic drumming instructor to the school on a weekly basis. The drumming training was delightful and popular accompaniment to Komrokain’s Arabic language classes.

According to Komrokian, the students mastered the basic skills quickly. “They soon started coming up with their own beats,” she related, noting that adding the rhythm and music of near eastern lands to their study of Arabic language and alphabet added much to the students’ appreciation of this different culture.

Starting with the coming fall term, Komrokian will begin utilizing former drumming students as the instructors.“They are becoming real professionals,” she said.

تيhe Picasso Project is sponsored by Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) which chose 10 Philadelphia schools to receive varying amounts of grant money for their arts programs. In order to win the grant, a school must have fewer than two fulltime art teachers, advised Christina Jackson who coordinates the program.

A key factor in selecting Motivation was the expectation the cross cultural experience stimulated by the Picasso components would find its way into many aspects of school life, advised Jackson. 

“They were also successful in collaboration with the community, and building the school culture,” she said, noting the close relationship with AlBustanSeeds of Culture, a local organization dedicated to promoting Arabic language, arts and culture which provided the drumming teacher and helped fund the program. 

“The more we can expose our youth to different cultural experiences and people – it can only make each and every one of us a better human being,” said Hazemi Sayed, executive director of AlBustan. 

In addition to infusing schools with the resources to promote arts education, the Picasso Project also seeks to empower students and teachers to become advocates for arts programs in schools, Jackson said. The organization seeks to arrange meetings between students and city and state representatives so the schools can earn a voice in the budget planning process. “We’re trying to build leaders and make their voice be heard,” she said. 

For more information about AlBustan Seeds of Culture, visit their website www.albustanseeds.org. PCCY is a Philadelphia organization that seeks greater funding and support for health insurance, education, transportation, and public benefits for children and families in the Philadelphia. It can be reached at 2155635848, by email at info@childrenfirstpa.orgor by visiting its website www.childrenfirstpa.org.

Southwest Globe Times – June 30, 2011 – Read article online (page 9)