Arts Education Partnership between DCPS and London Honored During International Education Week
Six DC & London Schools Display Artwork in U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC (15 November) – As a part of International Education Week, eighth and ninth grade artworks inspired by the Anacostia River will be on display in the lobby of the Department of Education alongside student artwork illustrating London’s Thames River.
The art is part of the Rivers of the World project - the flagship art and education project of The Mayor’s Thames Festival. Produced in partnership with British Council Connecting Classrooms, and supported by HSBC Education Trust, the project links schools and over 2,000 13-14 year olds around the world through a common theme: their city's river.
The exhibition, part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Art Exhibit Program, will be launched at an Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, November 16 at 11 a.m. Assistant Secretary Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana will welcome Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council, and Aimee Daniels, Executive Vice President, Regional President, Mid-Atlantic Region, HSBC.
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, in reflecting on his Department’s Student Art Exhibit Program, said: “The arts are a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students. We at the Department know the arts are integral to a world-class education. We are so proud of hosting this cross-discipline and cross-cultural learning experience as a partnership between our students from D.C. on the Anacostia River and their peers in London schools on the River Thames.”
Last spring, local artist Abi Byrd facilitated a series of workshops, at Lincoln Multicultural Middle and Bell Multicultural High Schools (Columbia Heights Educational Campus), Sousa Middle School, Winston Education Campus, Hardy Middle School, and Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
This academic year the schools will study their partner city’s river and collaborate on a joint curriculum project ranging from environmental science to river bridges and history of the Anacostia. The resulting artworks will be on display at the Mayor’s Thames Festival in September 2011.
“Rivers of the World enables young people from around the world to share, explore and celebrate their local environment, learn about other cultures and engage with global issues. These striking artworks are a reminder of how young people can provide a unique cultural insight”, said Sharon Memis, Director, British Council, North America.
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CONTACT: For more information, please contact Samantha Yale at (202) 588 – 7838 or samantha.yale@britishcouncil.org.
About the British Council: The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international non-profit organization for cultural relations and education opportunities. Working in over 100 countries, we build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide. In the US, we cultivate long-term links between the UK and US, re-energizing the strategic transatlantic relationship through the arts, education and young leadership networks.
Rivers of the World is a Thames Festival project delivered in partnership with British Council Connecting Classrooms with support from HSBC Global Education Trust
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland)
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