Kids Creative at PS 102: The I AM Project

Peace Education in Action

The I AM Project at PS 102

by Kellen Atkinson,

Kids Creative Site Director at PS 102

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others,”

Author unknown

We all remember it--that time during our adolescence when the self-doubt began, when suddenly, almost out of thin air, the opinions of our peers began to shape how we saw ourselves. At PS 102 I have seen the very early stages of exclusionary behavior among groups of friends and how these behaviors deeply affect a student’s sense of value and self-worth. Kids Creative is dedicated to building safe spaces in which the difficult realities of adolescence can be softened by a collective culture of peace. At PS 102 we are working towards building that space and we envision an after school experience defined by acceptance, kindness and peace.

The I AM Project encourages students to know themselves, to appreciate their own unique qualities and contributions to our program. The first phase of the project involves a life size drawing, a design component and a poetry workshop that encourages self- exploration. Students are challenged to think about their hopes, dreams, fears and proudest moments and then put those thoughts down on paper in the written word. The second phase of the project will involve the sharing of the work produced and counselors will facilitate dialogue around similarities and shared ideas. The goal is to build a space in which the ideas and characteristics of each individual child are appreciated and valued, not only by the counselors and teachers, but by each student as well. It is through a better understanding of ourselves that we can begin to find commonalties in people and places where we never expected. Dialogue around commonalities can diffuse conflict among peer groups and build bridges to a more peaceful program environment!

These works will be on display at an upcoming Kids Creative fundraising event for the PS 102 program, wherein students can stand tall and proud next to their work and feel confident in their own unique “I am…”

-Kellen Atkinson

Dear Kids Creative: Ellen Sachs

This letter was sent by Kids Creative alum Ellen Sachs when we asked her to reflect on her time working with us. Ellie participated in Create-A-Play as a child, became a counselor and an assistant teacher with Kids Creative Summer Camp and now attends the University of Michigan in their highly competitive Theatre Directing program. Here's what she has to say:

Dear Kids Creative,

As you know, I worked at Kids Creative during my last two summers of High School, first as an intern then as an assistant teacher. The gratitude and sense of accomplishment I feel when reflecting on my last two summers in nearly inexpressible, as I feel I’ve grown a lot. I came to Kids Creative as a 17 year old interested in theater, child development, and fostering a great environment for a city summer arts camp. But I came unsure of myself—Would I fit in well with a team of other counselors, assistant teachers, and a head teacher? Would I be able to lead and inspire a group of incredibly diverse and amazingly creative kids? What about conflict resolution with the kids? Upon the completion of my second summer with kids creative, I can honestly say I left a different person. Instead of being nervous when I saw a huge challenge (like organizing 15 kids for a subway ride, or helping a child with stage fright overcome their fear, or a spat between two friends) I would get excited and find a creative way to figure it out. I left Kids Creative feeling a huge sense of accomplishment in the fact that I had helped a group of kids realize their artistic vision and implement it. I felt confident in myself as a leader. I felt confident in myself as a person because I knew that by the end of my two summers at Kids Creative my peers and campers respected me.

While Kids Creative gave me a huge foundation for where I am now, and a sense of personal pride, Kids Creative also helped me tremendously with college. For one, over my two summers I spoke Spanish so much that when I arrived on University of Michigan’s campus for orientation and was told to take a language placement test, I placed out of the theatre school’s requirement and the over all university’s requirement. Thanks to Kids Creative, I have an extra 8 credits on my transcript just from speaking with students and parents in Spanish. I’m a directing for theatre major at University of Michigan, and at the beginning of the year in a forum I had to share with my class my last directing experience. Jaws dropped as a I told a story about 20 kids from all over Manhattan writing their own play that featured mermaids, police men, and super heroes that united on a quest for truth and goodness. I explained how the campers often seemed as diverse as their characters, and how beautiful it was to me that the campers were able to find the subtext in the play, and perhaps their own lives, in that there is always power in truth and good always trumps evil. Also, when applying to college one of my essays was about kids creative and when asked about it in interviews, colleges always seemed very impressed by the company and my accomplishments. Due to Kids Creative- I’m more organized, focused, a better director, more compassionate, and more invested in the arts. I’m not exactly sure what the future holds, but I know I will definitely continue to study theater. I’m also planning on double majoring in Sociology and I feel much of my interest in the subject came from my summers at Kids Creative and my interactions with diverse families, staff and campers. And glowing at the top of my resume, under Work Experience reads this:

“-Kids Creative,2009, 2010 Initially worked as an Intern and was ultimately promoted to Assistant Teacher at an NYC arts camp for children. Gained leadership skills through maintaining a peaceful culture in a diverse classroom while teaching, art, theatre, and creative writing classes. Matured artistically by directing student’s final performance in ’10. Improved interpersonal skills by navigating socio-economic and cultural differences with families and refined Spanish-speaking skills to a conversational level. Learned to problem solve creatively and quickly. (NYC)”

To really understand that little blurb on my resume, or some of the points I’ve mentioned in this letter, I’d have to talk for hours. I’d go on, and on, and on, about all of the amazing experiences I’ve had with Kids Creative, because they have truly shaped me into the person I am today – and for that, I’m eternally grateful.

All the best,

Ellie

Dear Kids Creative: Ebban Maeda

We received this letter from Kids Creative alum Ebban Maeda when we asked him to reflect on his time in camp. He speaks about his time as a camper when he first met Stephen Jacobs, all the way through working with us for the past two summers. Ebban now attends LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts in Theater. Here's what Ebban has to say:

January 26, 2011

Dear Kids Creative,

I have been involved in Kids Creative since I was in Kindergarten. Being the shy student that I was, I was not open to new experiences nor after school clubs until I met Stephen Jacobs, who slowly became my first idol. I recall the first day of the after school program was close to Easter, and I had an Easter egg. It broke, and upset and crying, I asked Stephen if I could have another one, and dropping everything he made sure I got it. As Kids Creative evolved, I did too. When they started the Summer Camp, I remember being extremely excited to attend.

I would not have called myself an actor, but dressing up and pretending to be someone else is exactly what a child wants, at least what I wanted. A large element from the camp that continues to be an important part of my life is music. The music that is written either by Stephen and Adam, or even the children to some extent, is fun and enjoyable. Besides the fact that the camp is based around the idea of peace, love and art, it was still a very fun camp. We went to the park, the sprinklers (or urban swimming), a few museums and every now and then the Dirty Socks Funtime Band’s Show, which I recall being quite “awesome”. The acting aspect didn’t truly dawn on me until Mr. Clown and the Day the Sun got Wet. It was my first experience singing solo on a stage, and my first experience having a lead role. What is truly amazing is that everyone in the production was happy. Unlike actual acting groups, everyone got a role they were happy with. If one didn’t want to be a lead and have many lines, they didn’t have to be, while if one did, they would have all the lines they wanted. Now of course, we were just children, but the fact that there was either little to no argument at all made the camp a very safe place, at least for me. I also recall liking camp more than school at some points, and wished that Stephen and Adam were involved in my actual academic classes, that would have been awesome. So because of this I was always looking forward to come back and creating a new character. What is amazing to me is one of the great skills I have taken from the camp was projection. Everyone had to be loud to be heard, and everything was projected from my voice, even though that still wasn’t that loud. The games that were played in camp are some that I still play. Fun, little and educational games that have led to be known as improv games. Finally my camper life was coming to an end, but little did I know I’d be back!

In middle school, I learned that I was not a huge fan of little kids. Being the 12 year old I was, I guess I was hypocritical, and I never got along with little children, unlike the rest of my friends. In 7^th grade my school, Clinton School for Writers and Artists was putting on a production of Into the Woods. This was the first musical that I was in where I did not write the character myself. I wasn’t going to audition, but remembering how much fun Kids Creative was, I did and got the smallest role. In all of middle school, this was where Kids Creative truly helped me. No one had ever been really upset by a role in camp, so why should I be? Instead I went with it and had more fun than the leading role. The next year I auditioned for Little Shop of Horrors and got the role of Audrey II, putting the official stamp on my acting life. I was auditioning for high schools, and my first choice was LaGuardia High school for Music, Arts, and Performing Arts. It was a dream to get in for Drama, which I had decided would lead my high school search. After much practice I auditioned, and got into the LaGuardia for Drama. It was the best day of my middle school life, as well as a feeling I will never forget. One day I heard from my parents that Adam and Stephen were honoring me on my acceptance into LaGuardia, and the event was such an amazing night of laughter and fun. After my first year in drama I received word from my mother that Kids Creative was wondering if I would want to be a counselor in training. I felt as if I had to repay them for everything they had given me when I was younger, and seeing Adam and Stephen again seemed like a miracle, so I took up the opportunity and found myself in a room with a few other people listening to Adam and Stephen talk about the camp. I was suddenly back in Kindergarten, I knew almost no one around, but again in a matter of a mere five minutes I felt at home. All the other counselors were very nice and seemed like great people. It was amazing to see what was talked about that I never realized, as I was younger. However, I was still worried that my unfit relations with small children would lead me to be fired. On the first day of the job, I met all of my campers and worked with Tejon Witter, and Alexis Schuster, who I would soon become very close with. Surprisingly to me, I absolutely loved the children as they were all charming. As camp progressed, I found myself opening up the little kid inside of me, something I had not done in years. There was a freedom with the children, and I thought that I had finally seen what Adam and Stephen had seen so many years ago. It was beautiful and ended my strange dislike towards children. Other than that, being behind the scenes with Adam and Stephen was amazing, learning what they have throughout the years. Finally I had seen Adam and Stephen not as the superior camp leaders they are, but as the friend that I could talk to on the same level and understand completely. Last summer I came back to the camp and was paid as a C.I.T., this would mark my first real job. The experience was just as amazing as the year before, if not better. In 8^th grade I became interested in playing the guitar, and Stephen being the amazing guitarist he is taught me his songs and tricks and I truly grew as a guitarist and student.

People always ask me if I remember being a camper, and how being a counselor is different. Well, Kids Creative has given me more knowledge, passion, love and encouragement than all of my years in school combined. It has changed my life, and I hope that many and many more years of this camp will bring happiness and joy to children. I always have thought, Adam and Stephen have spent over 10 years of their life making children happy and spreading joy and art and love throughout their camp. I can only hope to be as inspirational, good hearted and as wonderful as they are to children. I have spoken to many children at the camp about it, and even they will tell you the greatest slogan, catch phrase, moral and simply truth that Kids Creative uses, “All ideas are good.”

Sincerely,

Ebban Maeda