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June 2009 News
In mid-May Chameleon did not have the funding to run its annual summer arts and academic camp for homeless youth. By early June we had raised over $3000.00 and were starting our second week of programming for 35 homeless kids. The turn around was due to a wonderful article about Chameleon’s successful community arts and youth development work and our funding crisis by Kansas City Star reporter Lee Kavanaugh. Her article led people from across the metro area to send in contributions that helped our summer programming. The theme of this year’s camp was “People On The Move.” Mr. Nick, Ms. Tamra, Ms. Amirah, all certified teachers, used stories from the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl and the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural south to the industrial north, to teach reading, writing, and core academic skills. In the afternoon, Chameleon artist/educators built on the academic theme and used dance, theatre and visual arts to investigate the themes.
Successful Fundraiser at the Filling Station Coffee Garage
On Thursday evening the sun was shining and the air was cool at the Filling Station Coffee Garage at 30th and Gillham Road for the fundraiser to support our summer programming with Homeless Youth. Over 50 people from across the metro area showed up and donated $1000 for the program. The fundraiser was the culmination of a hectic effort to raise money to insure our summer camp for Homeless Children from Kansas City Kansas Public Schools. We want to especially thank Chameleon Board member Jeremy Stalter for his role in initiating and facilitating this wonderful event; Robin Krause of the Filling Station for providing use of her establishment; the Hip Hop Academy, a Chameleon consortium member, for stepping up to the plate and providing fantastic hip hop sounds and dance performances for the event; as well as Gates Bar B.Q. and Boulevard Beer for their kind donations.
21st Century Federal After-School Programming Grant, KCMO School District
Chameleon was a major partner in facilitating and conceptualizing the 21st Century after-school programming for King, Richardson, Whittier and Pinkerton Elementary Schools this past spring. Chameleon, in partnership with the Hip Hop Academy and StoneLion Theatre, provided over 30 creative arts and academic sessions for elementary school students from these inner city schools. Our programming was so successful that the kids did not want to go home when their parents came to pick them up after school! The parents were great and waited and watched as their kids completed large drawings of the rainforest, danced, wrote poems, watched puppet performances and painted murals. Chameleon was then invited to be on the program steering committee for the 21st Century program and participate in the symposia to further develop 21st Century programming for 2009-2012. Chameleon has developed a long-term partnership with the district and we look forward to years of successful arts and academic programming for these and other schools.
Wow, It’s a Tree!
Theo Bunch, a junior in sculpture at the Kansas City Art Institute and a Chameleon intern this past spring, created the first sculpture for the Rose Brooks Domestic Shelter’s Sculpture Park. Chameleon and a group of Hugh Merrill’s Community Art and Service Learning students from KCAI, (ArtPlay) worked with resident families and their children for 12 weeks, providing twice a week art classes and adding value to Rose Brooks special events. The programming was so successful that KCAI, Chameleon, Sarah Dietmer and Theo Bunch all received partnership awards from Rose Brooks. Chameleon is presently writing grants to continue fall programming with Rose Books and further develop the sculpture garden. Theo Bunch’s sculpture sets the standard of producing art in collaboration with the Rose Brooks community. We are looking forward to a long-term relationship with Rose Brooks and the creation of many more beautiful collaborative sculptures.
Chameleon in Abilene
Chameleon presented a full day workshop for teachers, administrators, homeless liaisons, and counselors for educational region 14, which is made up of 30 counties surrounding Abilene Texas. Chameleon workshop demonstrated core concepts for teaching creative thinking to children, journaling, and the use of Forum and Chameleon’s Directorial Theater for conflict resolution. On post evaluation forms, Chameleon received only the highest marks and has been asked to return to conduct more workshops and community art projects with children from west/central Texas.
Chameleon Receives Neighborhood Tourist Development Grant
Chameleon received a NTDF Grant for $5000.00 to support “A Picnic for Our Planet.” What happens when the planet throws a picnic? Join StoneLion, Nelson Atkins Museum, Parks and Recreation and Chameleon for the answer. The ants are invited--GIANT ant puppets. An enormous picnic full of surprises in StoneLion’s latest giant puppet pageant. Bring your own picnic to watch the event of our 2009 Green Day Festival Series. Free and open to the public.
July 19, 2009
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Sculpture Garden
1-4pm
Showtime at 3pm
Puppet-making and art activities 1-3pm
Youth Volunteer Corps
Students from Sumner Academy, KCKS and the Kansas City Youth Volunteer Corps worked with Chameleon’s Artist/Educators in our Summer Camp for Homeless Children, “People On the Move.” They participated in dance, visual arts, and theatre activities and also worked with the children in class helping to teach reading and literacy skills. We thank all of these great kids for helping to make a difference in Kansas City!