(PHILADELPHIA) June 17th, 2013 – As the school year comes to a close, teachers at Middle Years Alternative School are getting ready to pack up for the summer, but with an uncertain budget picture, one of their beloved staff members may not be back next year. Music teacher Dr. Cynthia Cozette Lee is among the 3,782 teachers, aides, counselors and others who may not have a job unless more funding is approved for the district.
Today, students held their “Roses from Concrete” assembly. The project, inspired by the lyrics Tupac Shakur, was made possible through a $4,700 grant from the Picasso Project of Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY). The Picasso Project was created by PCCY in 2002 to increase arts education opportunities for students in The School District of Philadelphia and improve the capacity of schools to provide arts education experiences. The Picasso Project also engages in advocacy towards long-term changes in access to and funding for arts learning in Philadelphia schools.
The program started with a show from the MYA Steppers who got the place warmed up with their performance. Then student singer Jwoanteera Jones sang “Hero” to members of PCCY to thank the organization for the grant. Throughout the assembly students heard poems, raps, and songs, all written by the students including “Save my soul” by Faith Weah, a student who Principal Kathleen Fitzpatrick said “was extremely shy and found her voice through Dr. Lee’s music program.” The budding music superstars learned to write and perform with the help of local poet Ms. Pheralyn Dove and recording artist and engineer Samori Coles.
The MYA Glee Club also performed a song and dance routine to Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song”. They closed the day singing and signing through American sign-language another Jackson hit: “We are the World”. They were joined by the school’s graduating class of 2013.
“These students have so much talent and potential” said PCCY Director of Arts Education Gretchen Elise Walker. “Their paintings, songs, raps and poems are nothing short of amazing” she said.
The assembly also featured a screening of an iMovie slideshow featuring students’ visual artwork, completed under the guidance of art teacher Mr. Charles Watson. . As part of the “Roses for Concrete” project, students completed artwork inspired by music, painted portraits of established music artists or designed CD cover art of their own.
Walker urged students to tell their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts to “Tell them how important your arts experience was so that they can call their council member and their state reps and urge them to support art, music and education in general. You deserve this opportunity as much as any student in the world.”
Today’s assembly may be the last for Dr. Lee. The school district is faced with a $304 million dollar deficit. District leaders have reached out to the City of Philadelphia for $60 million and to the State of Pennsylvania for $120 million. The district also hopes to save $100 million in give backs from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. The district recently passed a budget that would cut art, music, and athletic programs from most schools as well as the layoffs of 676 teachers, 1,202 noon time aides among others. City Council approved a bill to implement a $2-per pack tax on cigarettes- a plan that still needs to be approved by the state.
Walker said “we need to save our arts programs so children like the ones at MYA can continue to express themselves and have wonderful teachers like Dr. Lee directing them.”
For additional comment or to set up an interview, please contact Anthony Hopkins, Communications Director, at 215- 563-5848 ext. 23.
# # #