Ten Penny Players
When Island Academy opened in 1985, we planned for our Arts
program to be a major component of the curriculum. The original
staff included no less than two visual arts teachers and one music
instructor. These classes, however, soon disappeared as all three
arts teachers were gone from our school by second school year.
The visual arts and music classes were enjoyed by the students
and some interesting visual creations were produced. One very
talented youngster (Pablo V.) won a citywide contest with a poster
he designed promoting New York City tourism.
For the next several years, there was little official Arts instruction
given at the school; however, artistic creativity often rises
up and appears among young people even when it is not actively
encouraged; thus, there have always been artists present at Island
Academy. There are always graffiti artists, cartoonists, rappers,
and singers. Poetry also constantly appears. Since 1987, visits
by the Waterways Project helped us tap
this outflow of writing talent and provided a means of publishing
the students' writings.
The first official re-introduction of a visual arts program at
Island Academy began with the installation of our print shop under
the direction of J. Ashton Brathwaite.
In his print shop, materials are available for the students to
design and print chapbooks, postcards, stationery, writing pads,
posters, and Academy News. Brathwaite observed, "Art affects
their entire experience at the school. Because of their love for
hands-on activity, they do better in their academic classes too.
The students feel good when they are leaving the print shop because
they have just finished something that was satisfying to them.
Throughout the day they look forward to doing art. It is the strong
inclination towards a hands-on program so many of our students
have rather than towards an academic program." According
to Brathwaite, the students often use an opportunity to produce
art as a means of strengthening ties with their loved ones back
home. They work diligently on an art project in order to create
gifts. Art also seems to inspire a healthy competition in his
class, as students strive to outdo one another in producing the
best art.
In the last several years, we have continued to re-instate the
Arts as accredited classes at the school. We now have a music
program where students learn to play saxophones, clarinets, drums,
symbols and trumpets. The students are instructed regarding music
notation, harmony and other elements of music theory. The music
instruction culminates with a band performance presented at a
school assembly program. According to music teacher, Ed Williams,
"The students look forward to these performances. It makes
them feel special, and they enjoy the admiration of the other
students. You have to see their faces when they do something well.
They feel pride and a sense of accomplishment." Music
instructor William Bennett reports, "The band has had an
enriching effect of the students' lives. One student told me,
'I always wanted to play the trombone, but I never thought I would
get the chance to.' Learning an instrument has built up their
confidence and taught them a lot about the need for discipline.
Several students have told me that now they aspire to become professional
musicians." When a student expresses a desire to continue
studying music after discharge, he is referred to an outside instructor
by our music teachers. One young man, who learned to play trumpet
for our graduation assembly, is now playing trumpet in college
and is minoring in music.
One remarkably effective Arts program offered by our school lasted
for only one year, while Rod Brundidge was assigned to Island
Academy. His course was entitled, "Performing and Visual
Arts". Students were taught the basic audio-visual techniques
used in broadcasting, such as the use of the video camera and
editing videos. The end product was a twenty minute film called,
"The Streets of New York." The students wrote the script,
made a story board, and performed and filmed the movie. The theme
of the production was that street life can get a youngster in
trouble and might even lead to death. While all the students were
excited about the assignment, one student, Sharon C., actually
established an acting career as a result of this course. After
his discharge, he pursued an acting career and was featured in
the movie, "The Substitute," as well as several television
series. When interviewed by a New York newspaper, Sharon attributed
his interest in acting to the class he attended while in jail.
Since 1995, I have been involved with the Manhattan Theatre Club
in a writing project called, "Write On The Edge." In
this program, directors and actors from the Manhattan Theatre
Club visit our school and instruct the students about writing
short plays. After eight sessions, when the students' scripts
are honed into their final forms, the work is professionally produced
and performed before a school-wide audience. The joy and pride
experienced by the student writers after they see their work come
to life on the stage is one of the high points of my school year.
Several students who participated in "Write On The Edge"
expressed an interest in continuing to write and even to one day
become professionals. The quality of their work is sometimes surprisingly
good. This year a script written by young Kiron P. was one of
eight runner-up winners in a citywide contest sponsored by Young
Playwrights. One young man, Dean D., cited his experience with
"Write On The Edge" as a major factor in his decision
to turn his life around. Dean attended Bronx Community College
and was part of its student government.
Another student, Fred F., found new respect for himself via a
writing project involving the creation of the Rikers Review magazine
(sponsored by Fresh Start). Fred discovered in class that he was
a talented writer. Since discharge, he has been a featured poet
in several Greenwich Village poetry cafes and has even had two
poems translated and published in a Swedish poetry journal. Fred
is now president of the student government at LaGuardia Community
College and is the chief editor of the school's literary magazine
(which often features his own pieces).
Waterways has been a key component
in our school's poetry writing program. Throughout the school
year, students are invited to submit a minimum of ten poems which
are published as poetry chapbooks. These chapbooks are distributed
throughout the school, and the student poets receive several copies
to give to family members and friends on the outside. The themes
of these books are often of a surprisingly philosophical bent:
meditations on the purpose of life and the nature of good and
evil; other recurring themes are love for mothers, girlfriends,
and God. Much of their writing also expresses their fear of and
fascination with street life: crime, drugs and revenge.
While Island Academy's Arts programs have often proven to be deeply
satisfying and successful to all involved, too often they are
offered only to students who already have the self-confidence
to volunteer to participate. Because of the special nature of
most of these projects, only a minority of students have benefited
from them. One wonders what artistic expressions might come forth
should the creativity of all of our students be more regularly
encouraged and tapped. Hopefully, Island Academy will come to
offer these "special" Arts projects to a larger number
in our student population. (1998)
Ten Penny Players