In its sixth year, the Community Arts Center's Educational Series continues to bring classic tales and performances to the stage for area students.
The series will present five different performances to county schools starting Friday - "The Velveteen Rabbit," "ArcAttack," "Romeo and Juliet," "Eric Carle - Treasured Stories" and "How I Became a Pirate."
The series will run until February.
Article Photos
PHOTOS PROVIDED
The Community Arts Center Educational Series will present five different performances to county schools starting Friday — “The Velveteen Rabbit,” “ArcAttack,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Eric Carle — Treasured Stories” and “How I Became a Pirate.” The series will run until February.
Students from Lycoming and Sullivan counties are invited to see the performances, which use performing arts with educational topics.
Jeri S. Sims, assistant executive director and director of development for the CAC, said that as schools begin to feel the squeeze from shrinking budgets, it's the community's responsibility to help.
"With changes in the public school budgets, now more than ever, initiatives, like the educational series, are important," Sims said.
And it is through community businesses and agencies that such performances are possible, she added.
"The series is made possible through support from the Woodcock Foundation for the Appreciation of the Arts, Hudock Moyer Wealth Resources and the Treehouse Fund from the First Community Foundation Partnership," Sims said. "Creating partnerships with foundations, area businesses and individual donors is key to supporting initiatives that serve the students."
The series has grown each year, Sims said, starting with fewer performances than it now offers. And this was the best response from schools to date, Sims said.
"The Educational Series, this year, will serve nearly 10,000 students," she said.
Sims also said as arts are on the "chopping block," it's another opportunity to expose the community's youth to it.
"We felt there was a great opportunity to support our local schools by providing the opportunity to experience performing arts," she said.
Sims added that although the CAC is the "vehicle for presenting the programs," local superintendents and curriculum directors meet and choose the "top quality" performances.
But Sims added that the series isn't meant to take the place of a classroom experience, but compliments it.
Local administrators also put together study guides so teachers can create a unit on the performances and connect them back to the classroom.
"The educational series links the arts and education together and reinforces the classroom experience with another dimension of learning," she said. "One of the goals of the program is to enrich students' lives through live performing arts."
In order to give families an opportunity to experience the programs together, the CAC also is offering evening showings with $5 tickets.
"Everyone is welcome," Sims said.
