ARTScool

As Southwest Florida’s home for the arts, it’s only fitting that the Naples Art Association (NAA) hosts the area’s most popular summer arts programming for kids and teens ages five to 17– ARTScool. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, ARTScool is so much more than the average arts-themed camp. It features a curriculum that offers project-based learning, incorporating math, science, language, history, technology and design into creative courses such as Bake Sale Bonanza, Wearable Art, Wire and Bead Sculpture, Creative Carvings and Gadgets, Gizmos and a Robot!

The NAA knows that early childhood arts education is closely linked to academic success, social and emotional development, community engagement, and opportunity for all. Arts education is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence and teamwork. But, while many children in our area come from families that can afford ARTScool and even additional arts education opportunities such as museum visits and acting lessons, there is an even larger number of families that simply can’t fit this expense in their already tight budget, especially with recent funding cuts to arts education in schools. The NAA recognizes this and, is here to pick up the slack – for all children.

“At the Naples Art Association, we have seen first-hand that arts education enables children from financially challenged backgrounds to have a more level playing field with children who have had those enrichment experiences. And, it’s only with the support of our donors that we are able to provide this vital service for the children of our community,” said Aimee Schlehr, executive director and CEO of the Naples Art Association. ARTScool 2018 will include eight different sessions in a variety of subjects weekly from June 4 through August 3,
with two class times daily. Each session will include a supervised outdoor break.

Parents are to provide a bagged lunch from home for their child if they are taking a full day of classes. ARTScool’s weekly sessions are $125 per child. We have issued a challenge to all NAA supporters, donors, and volunteers: Let’s raise funds to provide tuition for 200 economically-disadvantaged students to attend ARTScool this summer. While that is a lofty goal, we know that through the generosity of our donors, we will meet it. We invite you to visit https://shop.naplesart.org/donate and pledge to sponsor one child for a half day of ARTScool classes for a week for $125 or one child for a full day of ARTScool classes for a week for $250.

You may also contact Elle Young, development manager, at Elle.Young@NaplesArt.org or 239.262.6517, ext. 107 to pledge your support. Registration for ARTScool and more  information is available by visiting www.NaplesArt.org/Classes/ARTScool/.