2018-2019 Student Advisory Council:  Meg, Red, Kat, Ava, Myla, Gabe, Iain, Abby, Ren

 

Student Advisory Council

What would happen if we provided youth supports and opportunities to take a greater  leadership role in the creation and curation of their own arts activitie within community  arts organizations?  How might arts education and engagement be more effective if youth partnered with the adults as co-creators in the process?  What other youth skills  could we foster through a different approach to youth engagement in the arts?[1]

In the fall of 2016, 8 youth were selected to take part in a new CultureWorks Student Advisory Council, sponsored by the Neutral Zone, in Ann Arbor, MI and funded by the MCACA New Leaders Council.  The aim of this group is to increase engagement and leadership by teens by encouraging their participation in program planning, student recruitment, organizational decision making, event promotion, and fundraising.  starting in 2018, student advisors will have the opportunity to serve as assistants in our middle school studio classes, under the leadership of our instructors.

 

Membership on the Student Advisory Council is by selection and invitation, and requires a one year commitment, which can be renewed yearly.  Activities so far have included:

 

  • October 2018: Two-day leadership retreat at Camp Beechpoint, led by Emily Christensen, Pastor Ken Thomas, and Arborist Josh Watkin. We welcomed new student leaders, created art together, and explored the great outdoors with cameras, kayaks, and clay. Josh Watkin taught us about tree roots and growth, and we explored our own growth and roots, as individuals and as an organization.

  • April 2018: Workshop on leadership, with Elissa Lappenga, who led us through activities based on Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and the Lion King.

  • April 2018: Field Trip to see the Broadway production of the Lion King in Kalamazoo, MI!

  • November 2016: Two-day leadership retreat at YMCA Camp Storer, led by the Neutral Zone. Activities and workshops focused on training and equipping youth to be active leaders in their organizations.

  • March 2017: Full day of leadership training on site at the Neutral Zone in Ann Arbor, MI

  • November 2016: Two-day leadership retreat at YMCA Camp Storer, led by the Neutral Zone. Activities and workshops focused on training and equipping youth to be active leaders in their organizations.

  • April 2018: Spring Break leadership training and field trip to see Disney’s Lion King on Broadway, in Kalamazoo

 

Council meetings are held 2 times per month, during the school year, during which we:

  • Learn and practice strategies for fundraising and recruitment

  • Participate in team building activities and learn from one another through art-based projects

  • Brainstorm, plan, and promote special events for CultureWorks

  • Make decisions regarding marketing, branding, and upcoming classes

  • Work on updates to our website and social media

  • Explore relevant topics and current events through the arts

[1] Neutral Zone