"Learning the Rhythm of the Journey" High School of Media and Communications

PUBLIC ART YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM SUMMER 2015

THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

PUBLIC ART YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM SUMMER 2015 “LEARNING THE RHYTHM OF JOURNEY” by the “Trillest Acrylics” mural-painting team Unveiling Celebration Monday, August 10th, 11:00 AM The High School of Media and Communications 549 Audubon Avenue, First Floor New York, NY 10040

ABOUTH THE MURAL This summer, Youth Apprentices from Creative Art Works’ Public Art Youth Employment Program have been painting a series of three murals for the High School of Media and Communications on the first floor of the George Washington Educational Campus.

The murals celebrate the long tradition of baseball and the performing arts at the nearly 100-year-old school, as well as the central role family plays in the local community.

FROM BRIAN RICKLIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO

Once a work of public art is completed, it very quickly becomes a part of its environment. It becomes hard to remember a time when the art didn’t exist.

But before there can be the finished work of art, there has to be a process of art-making. Usually, it’s a long process that involves lot of people.

If you look at any Creative Art Works mural, you will see the signature of the Teaching Artists, Teaching Artist Assistants and, crucially, the names of every Youth Apprentice that took part in the creation of that work. Likewise, you will see the names of all the participants in our multimedia projects when the credits roll. It’s very easy to overlook those names. And there's the irony, because, as far as I'm concerned, those names are there to remind us what the art is really about -- it’s about the participants who created it.

Notice that the word "youth" is in the middle of the phrase, Public Art Youth Employment Program. That is no accident. The art always serves the kids and never the other way around. After the paintbrushes are washed, the drop cloths rolled up and the AV equipment is locked away in the tech cabinet, the public art ceases to evolve; however, the young artists will continue to grow. And every one of them will take away something from the process that will serve them throughout the rest of their life. Maybe it’s the ability to be punctual, or look people in the eye. Maybe it’s a trait such as self confidence, tenacity, or maturity. But all of our Youth Apprentices will have grown, and they will all have stories to tell.

Jocelyn Goode-Morgan, Teaching Artist Liza Freed, Teaching Artist Assistant

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THE TRILLEST ACRYLICS Back row: Charles Vwaza, Johanna Luciano, Nicole Henrique, Jakari Greene, Front Row from left: Jocelyn Goode-Morgan, Ellington Montas, Ahmel Stewart,

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Kiara Guzman, Camila Almanzar, Anabel Batista, Kadeja Alexander, Liza Freed.

Samantha Mateo, Nouria Kabore, Genesis Polanco Gil.

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“Dreams aren’t pointless, push yourself and they do come true.”

Ahmel Stewart was born in Manhattan and raised in Queens.

She is a rising junior at the Young Women Leadership School of East Harlem. She loves to run track and plans to be a track star.

“Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth. Put God first in your life and you can do anything. Hold fast to your dreams.”

Charles Vwaza was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He just graduated from Murry Bertram High School of Business and Careers and plans to go to college. Charles likes to play basketball, video games, and listen to music, but most of all he likes to go to church. He believes that when God is at the center of your life, you will succeed. Charles plans to major in computer engineering and play basketball when he gets to college. His dream career is to be an NBA player but if that doesn’t work out, he wants to be a computer engineer.

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“You can do anything with the right opportunities.”

Anabel Batista was born in the Dominican Republic. She is a rising junior at Manhattan Village Academy. Her hobbies include dance, music, and acting. Anabel works with the Air Force and has flown several planes. She plans on going to college and figuring out what she wants to do, although she is considering graphic design.

“I’m not the best artist and I’m not the worst. You don’t need to know how to draw to be an artist, your imagination and creativity makes you one.”

Genesis Polanco Gil was born in Puerto Rico and lived there for a year and a half until she moved to New York where she grew up. She enjoys reading and binging on TV shows. Genesis will attend the University of Bridgeport in the fall to study International Business. Art has always been very prominent in her life because he family and friends were always drawing. Art has been a place where she can lose herself for hours, so she has made it a part of herself.

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“Don’t mess up.”

Ellington Montas was born in Manhattan. His interests are track & field, fashion, and urban art. At the age of 14, he decided that he wanted to go into the US Navy and plans to join a few years after he finishes college. Ellington’s plans to join the FBI after the Navy. An interesting fact about Ellington is that he wants to go sky diving.

“Art is my stress reliever. When words don’t work, paint does.”

Camila Almanzar lives in Washington Heights and is a rising senior in a high school in the South Bronx.

Camila aspires to do something in the law or medical field. She is passionate about reading and getting good grades in school. Her favorite way to express herself is through art.

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“Never give up.”

Keonne Samuel is returning for his second summer with Creative Art Works. He enjoyed studying with Creative Art Works in an afterschool program while a student at the Manhattan Middle School for Scientific Inquiry. He likes to play video games and plans to start his YouTube career later this year. He is inspired by John Cena.

“I am not spicy.”

Nicole Henriquez was born in the city of San Francisco de Macoris in the Dominican Republic. After moving back and forth between the D.R. and New York a couple of times, her mother decided they were going to stay in New York around the time Nicole started middle school.

At this same time, she developed an interest in design and architecture, later moving on to a high school focused on architecture. In her spare time, she likes to sketch and bake.

Now in her final year of high school, she plans to major in architecture in college.

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“Art helps you figure out who you are because it helps you express yourself.”

Kiara Guzman has lived her entire life in Manhattan, New York. She is currently a rising senior in Park East High School. She plans to go to college and get her bachelor’s degree even though she is still undecided. She is passionate about doing well in school and spending time with her family.

“We could buy our way out of jail but we can’t buy freedom.”

-Kanye West

Nicholas Torres was born in Brooklyn and recently moved to Harlem. He graduated from Acorn Community High School in 2012.

Some of his favorite hobbies are drawing, designing, and going out with friends. The things that inspire him the most are art, fashion, architecture, and music.

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“Love is that little heart that makes the difference.”

Nouria Kabore was born in West Africa. Next year she will be in the 11th grade. She is passionate about listening to music and relates to many songs. In the future, she would like to go to college and study business management. She is good at talking to people. Something that inspires her is love. One interesting fact about her is that she is in love with love!

“Never give up on yourself.”

Jakari Greene was born in Harlem.

He is going to start his freshman year of college at SUNY Canton this fall with plans to major in graphic design. He also enjoys listening to music. His favorite genre is hip-hop/ rap. Drawing is an outlet for him to let out his frustrations and also express his creative side. He looks up to both of his parents who always encourage him to do his best with any task he is faced with.

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“I create art through my cooking.”

Samantha Mateo was born in Dallas, Texas. She is a senior at West Side High School, and plans to go away for college next year. Her future career is dermatology, because she wants to make people feel beautiful and comfortable in their bodies.

Samantha also loves to cook fried chicken and white rice, which is her favorite meal. She loves to eat pizza with ketchup.

“She ain’t a “star” ‘cause that’s “rats” spelled backwards.

She’s just herself.”

Johanna Luciano was born in New York City. She’s currently a rising junior at the Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice. Johanna is very passionate about everything art, music, and adventure. She hopes to travel the world with the love of her life, leaving memories along the way. She herself, her future, and the people and things around her all inspire her daily to be la ultima coca-cola en el desierto ;). #AHappyDominicanVegan.

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“Always have hope in a hopeless situation.�

Kadeja Alexander was born on the island of Saint Lucia. At the age of 5, she learned how to swim and eventually started to swim competitively. She is a rising sophomore studying Forensic Science at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Her hobbies are drawing, reading, and doing new things. An interesting fact about her is that she likes to ask a lot of weird questions. Also, she was born on the same day as Mahatma Ghandi, whose actions have inspired her to never give up without a fight.

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Hike the Heights “Giraffe Path” participant

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CAW has enriched our children’s lives with life-changing, everlasting experiences.

JUSTIN KRAVETZ Assistant Principal, P.S. 192 in Harlem

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“Reaching inside minds to inspire positive action is the highest manifestation of my art.�

Jocelyn Goode-Morgan, Teaching Artist, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She was an artist from the moment she learned how to hold a pencil. She pursued the study of art and design at Amherst College, the San Francisco Art Institute and at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Jocelyn is married and the mother of two sons. Anyone who really knows her knows she loves to eat ice cream in bed after a day of hard work. Her life is measured by the hundreds of students she’s taught, the multitudes of paintings representing her community and the example of perseverance and positivity she strives to embody.

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“There is nothing quite like watching 17 total strangers become a team of artists and create something beautiful in six weeks.”

Liza Freed, Teaching Artist Assistant, was born in Westchester, New York. She studied studio art the University of Vermont, graduating with a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a minor in Spanish. She was lucky enough to grow up with parents who taught her the importance of celebrating art as often and as loudly as you possibly can. She plans to continue to explore the relationship between art and education in New York City while remaining an avid painter, runner, sister, daughter, and chihuahua-walker. She is best known for her exceptional work on friends’ birthday cards.

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About the Public Art Youth Employment Program

The Creative Art Works Public Art Youth Employment Program gives teens and young adults 14-24 years of age full-time summer jobs and part-time jobs after school to create large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Our Youth Apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists and executive staff from the initial concept development through client presentation, to the final brush stroke and public unveiling. Along the way, they gain tangible employment and life skills such as leadership, teamwork, responsibility and the power of taking initiative. They are empowered by the enduring accomplishment in their work of art and its positive impact on the community.

About Creative Art Works

Creative Art Works (CAW) improves the lives of thousands of NYC youth each year through in-school and out-of-school-time classes, community art-making events, and youth employment creating large-scale public art or multimedia projects.

Working in public schools, community centers, parks and libraries, CAW provides dynamic arts experiences for youth who otherwise lack access. Our programs build confidence, unlock a love of learning, and teach valuable technical and developmental skills while creating profound connections between our young constituents, their art and their communities. www.creativeartworks.org

This program was made possible, in part, with funding from the Summer Youth Employment Program of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development and these generous supporters:

“When words don’t work, paint does.”

-- Camila Almanzar

520 Eighth Avenue, Suite 201A New York, NY 10018 646.424.0392 www.creativeartworks.org Creative Art Works is a 501(c)(3), EIN #13-3638436 Copyright © 2015 Creative Art Works. All rights reserved.