Program News 2010
Residential Youth Create “Art of the City”
Youth from throughout Good Shepherd Services' residential programs gathered together in the gym of our 17th Street Residence on Saturday, May 8th, at an event to celebrate "The Art of the City", in collaboration with Free Arts NYC and sponsored by Neuberger Berman LLC. Nearly 50 teens were paired with volunteers to craft unique art projects inspired by New York City. The young people had a chance to create a self-portrait that encouraged them to reflect their sense of self; a fashion t-shirt, which introduced them to the art of silk-screening; a NYC sculpture, for which the youth and their partners used foam, cardboard, wood, and other materials to create a bridge sculpture inspired by one of the many bridges in the city; and a collage memory box decorated with patterned paper and magazine cut-outs, based on the work of Bronx-born artist Romare Bearden. Volunteers and youth spent several hours working on their art, as well as learning about the inspiration and background for each project. Their creations were all well-received, with one attendee claiming "The self-portrait was my favorite. It was fun to get to draw myself, and now I have something pretty to hang in my room!"
After the projects were completed, GSS youth and volunteers shared a family-style meal of pizza, salad, and cookies, and an opportunity to sit and talk about the day with other attendees. Then the teens were treated to a performance by the talented break dancing group Breaks Kru. Four members of the group showed off their impressive dancing skills, while explaining the history and elements of hip-hop culture. The group members also generously shared their own upbringings in neighborhoods similar to those our youth are from, stressing that they too could channel their energy into a positive and healthy activity. After the presentation, Breaks Kru quizzed the audience on what they had learned, and the teens showed their enthusiasm by correctly answering all the questions. The performance culminated in a group dance, with several of our young people learning and performing the basic moves of break dancing with the Breaks Kru.
Once the performance was over and everyone had pitched in to clean up, teens and the volunteers discussed their favorite parts of the day before parting ways. Sarah Sabourin, coordinator of the Free Arts Day, was impressed with how well the event turned out. She was especially touched with how the youth immersed themselves in the projects and escaped from their everyday lives, saying the projects were something "they probably never get to do, but the release is something that they need. Today, the kids were able to just act their ages, and actually got a chance to be teens."
The day began as a celebration of "The Art of the City," but it turned out to be a celebration of our young people as well.
May 13, 2010
