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- Creators: Gonzales, Vanna
Description
As the poverty level increases in Arizona, so does the opportunity gap between high- income and low-income students. We believe that all youth regardless of their zip code, the color of their skin, or their family background should see themselves as leaders and scholars in the community. Access to higher education, quite simply should be attainable for all students. The New American University charter that ASU has adopted is inspiring and groundbreaking. We believe this charter underscores the significance of equal access to education. The REACH program embraces the urgency of educational inequity, by enhancing the potential success of high school teenagers, who attend the Boys & Girls Club \u2014 Ladmo Branch in Tempe, Arizona. REACH empowers youth to develop stronger leadership skills, while becoming more involved in their community. We provide an opportunity for these teens to engage in leadership discussions, receive college mentoring/tutoring, and connect with the community and resources that Arizona State University (ASU) has to offer. It is our hope that every REACH teen is inspired to apply for college. REACH strives to provide any support the teens require to be successful throughout the college testing and admission process. REACH works with multiple communities at Arizona State University including the Pat Tillman Scholars, Devils' Advocates, Honors Devils, Changemaker Central, Barrett, The Honors College and W. P. Carey School of Business to organize and lead a group of teens through a remarkable curriculum that will shape the way they view cultural diversity, educational achievement, and leadership. The weekly meetings consist of discussions, creative team-building, critical thinking exercises, and cultural awareness experiences. Demonstrating to the teens, administrators, volunteers, mentors, and tutors the rich culture that Tempe has to offer and the skills and experience that they have to offer their community as well. In this thesis will we present our work developing and implementing the REACH program at the Ladmo Branch of the Tempe Boys and Girls Club from the Spring of 2013 through the Spring of 2015. We will describe the structure of REACH, our weekly leadership curriculum, our assessment and evaluation method, and the supplemental programs that we instituted (i.e., tutoring and mentoring). We will reflect on our successes and the challenges that we faced over the span of three years. We will conclude our thesis with a critical analysis of the program as a whole in order to provide advice for others who want to create and engage in a sustainable, student lead, community action organization.
ContributorsBurba, Monica (Co-author) / Smith, Jenna (Co-author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This project explores the function of art pedagogy as a tool for social justice, especially for youth. As a student pursuing the study of both education and social justice, the experience I've had in my life with art is hugely connected with these themes. In this exploratory project, I examined different creative youth development programs through the perspectives of art educators, exploring how, pedagogically, they contribute to the formation of social justice in the communities and students they serve through the teaching and creation of art. I began with the research question, how do different creative youth development contribute to social justice in the communities and students they serve using art as a pedagogical approach? My goal in asking this question was to develop a picture of the art pedagogies employed in these programs, and their relation to the broader topic of social justice. Then, after reviewing the literature related to this topic, which is outlined in the next section, I identified three components of social justice related to art education: self expression, cultural identity exploration, and critical engagement. All of these concepts emerged time and time again when reviewing literature about art education and youth, and also art and social justice. Focusing on these concepts, I explored the question of how these components of social justice are explored in particular creative youth development programs. My goal in asking these questions is to develop a picture of the art pedagogies employed in these programs, and their relation to the broader topic of social justice. In order to ask these questions, it was important I access the art educators behind art programs whose impact is connected to art and social justice. Through their perspectives, I was able to gain incite about the design, implementation, and outcomes of art pedagogy. I found that these programs, in employing art pedagogies, were powerful tools in helping youth connect to themselves and their communities, aiding in the production of social justice.
ContributorsFarrier, Merry Elise (Author) / Swadener, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / Gonzales, Vanna (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor)
Created2015-05