The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations’ report on South Philly High’s tensions recommended several actions to create communities of respect in schools.
This suggestion is based on their finding that building bridges between educators and community groups helps form supportive school environments.

Fortunately, examples of community-school arts collaborations are in place and improving the school climate, chipping away at barriers that hinder tolerance and nurturing an appreciation of diversity.

The Building Bridges and Allies @ S. Philly High program gives students whose first language isn’t English and native-born students the opportunity to interact, learn, create, address and celebrate cultural diversity through artistic expression. Spiral Q Theater and the students collaborate to foster a supportive climate through after-school art sessions, dialogues with 9th- and 10th-graders, professional development and schoolwide art projects.

As part of PCCY’s Picasso Project, groups of students are coming together to imagine how South Philly can welcome and support a unified student body in an intensive after-school residency where their conversations will be transformed into art conveying their ideas to their fellow students. Larger dialogue sessions and a culminating event will include all ninth-graders, teachers and the surrounding community.

The arts have helped students blossom, according to counselor and project head Pam Turner-Bunyon, building self-confidence and problem-solving, compromise, collaboration and social skills. Teachers were positively affected too, as they began to see their more problematic students in a different light.

We should support efforts that help build both.

Christina Jackson, Interim Arts Education & Picasso Project coordinator
Public Citizens for Children & Youth (PCCY)

Philly.com – April 15, 2011 – Read article online