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CUNY • Creative Arts Team
2013-2014 Annual Report
2
3
Inside this report…
Introductory Letter ................................................................................. 5
About CUNY-CAT ................................................................................... 7
CUNY-CAT in FY2014—by the numbers .............................................. 8
Early Learning ........................................................................................ 10
Middle Grades Literacy ...................................................................... 12
Bullying Prevention ............................................................................... 14
High School Programs ......................................................................... 16
After School Programs ......................................................................... 18
HIV Prevention ...................................................................................... 20
College Readiness & Success ............................................................ 22
Youth Theatre ........................................................................................ 24
Shakespeare ......................................................................................... 26
Professional Development .................................................................. 28
CUNY SPS Masters in Applied Theatre .............................................. 30
Acknowledgments—FY2014 Work Site List by borough ................ 32
Acknowledgments—Support ............................................................. 34
“CAT has given me a new
confidence in teaching
skills that seem to work for
all ages. I will now seek to
engage my students more
and help facilitate their
participation.”
6th grade Teacher
4
5
Dear Friends,
Thanks to our public and private sector funding and program partners, in the last year
CAT was able to bring transformative programming to over 14,000 individuals: New York
City students, homeless families, teachers, staff at some of the most effective CBOs in
the City, parents, Corrections Officers, CUNY students and more. This number represents
a remarkable mix of people that embody the diversity of this City in all ways, including
the range of needs and ambitions we hold—to improve our lives through education or a
better job; to learn how to manage the challenges life throws at us; to improve our
health; to stay the course and finish what we start, whether it’s a degree program or a
commitment to be a better parent.
These are the people behind the numbers. All of CAT’s work is participant-centered,
geared towards helping people define the challenges they face and tapping the
resources they hold to improve their lives.
For young people, by far the largest group CAT served last year – from pre-K through
college at over 200 schools and campuses across the City – CAT’s creative and
interactive educational activities address key issues from literacy to bullying, from HIV/
AIDS prevention to workplace and college readiness. Less tangible but no less important
are the core social-emotional skills participants develop in CAT programs: the ability to
relate to others, deal with conflicts, make good decisions and become stakeholders in
their communities, whether the communities are their classrooms, their neighborhoods or
larger circles. These skills and competencies are critical for their success in school and
beyond, now and in their future.
We are pleased to share this report which details the exciting and varied approaches
CAT takes to use drama to change lives. On behalf of the thousands of lives we were
able to positively impact in the past year, we would like to thank our program and
funding partners for their generosity and their commitment to support the success of
young people in so many settings throughout New York City and beyond.
Stephen R. Aiello Lynda Zimmerman
Chair, Advisory Council Executive Director
6
7
About CAT
WHO WE ARE: CAT uses the power of drama to inspire youth to learn. Since its founding in 1974, CAT
has served more than a million young people, specifically marginalized, at-risk and ELL youth in all five
boroughs of NYC, and has a proven track record of success in strengthening three important and inter-
related life skills: literacy, critical thinking, and social-emotional competency. CAT is an educational
outreach program at The City University of New York (CUNY), and in partnership with CUNY’s School of
Professional Studies, offers the nation’s first M.A. in Applied Theatre – using theatre to facilitate, educate
and activate.
WHAT WE DO: Theatre cultivates a unique skill set that is indispensable for the 21st Century – primarily
communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. CAT enriches the lives of our participants
through a pedagogy which combines educational drama strategies with research-based theories and
practices to create participant-centered, interactive drama experiences. The needs, strengths and
learning styles of participants inform the actual content of workshops. CAT offers a wide range of
programs for students (pre-K through college), educators, parents, schools, and communities that serve
diverse needs, such as College Success and Workplace Readiness, Bullying Prevention, Literacy and
Healthy Choices, as well as arts enrichment.
With four decades of dedicated school and community partnerships, professional development
workshops, and our award-winning Youth Theatre, CAT has reached over a million students, educators,
parents, community members and teaching artists in New York City, across the nation and around the
world.
40 Years of CAT... by the Numbers
1 Founder and Executive Director
12 countries, including South Africa, UAE, Japan, among others, have invited CAT
to provide educational theatre work for young people and educators
200 average number of schools and community sites that receive
CAT direct services every year
750 teaching artists and administrators employed by CAT since 1974
1,000 average number of educators, parents and CBO staff who receive
CAT professional development every year
80,000 workshops and performances provided by CAT since 1974
1,250,000 the number of young people, parents and educators
whose lives have been impacted by CAT since 1974
8
High School and College Students received
HIV/STI testing due to CAT’s HIV prevention program 229
Pre-K—12th Graders throughout
NYC participated in CAT’s literacy programs 2,833
of participating teachers reported that CAT’s
Professional Development workshops addressed diverse
learning needs in their classrooms 99%
High School and Non-Traditional Students
participated in CAT’s College Readiness programs 2,962
FY2014—By The Numbers...
96% of participating parents felt that CAT’s Parent Workshops
helped prepare them to recognize bullying situations their
child may be involved in and to support their child in finding
better ways to resolve conflicts
cost to a student to participate in any CAT program $0
9
Young People, Parents and Educators
participated in CAT programs in FY2014 14,155
CAT participants
were in shelters or detention facilities 433
NYC Teachers participated
in CAT’s Professional
Development workshops 730
1,228 Students benefitted from City Council discretionary allocations
and CASA grants awarded to CAT
213 Schools & Community
Sites received CAT
services in FY2014
CUNY students
participated in
CAT workshops 3,163
10
97%
11
97% of participating teachers reported that ELP workshops
support them in creating a culture of learning that supports high-level thinking and questioning, and inspires increased student participation, enthusiasm, and problem-solving.
Early Learning
“ My “aha” was to
actively invite children
to become part of the
process. They gain so
much more as they
own the story. This has
truly changed the
manner in with I teach.
Thank you.”
Early Childhood
Educator
“THIS is exactly how
they need to learn
early literacy skills AND
be engaged!”
K–5th Grade
Literacy Coach
CAT’s Early Learning Program (ELP) offers high-quality, direct
services to early childhood students through interactive drama. ELP
strengthens English language acquisition, literacy, and essential
social-emotional skills among pre-k through 2nd grade students.
Additionally, CAT’s participant-centered pedagogy helps teachers
meet Common Core Standards. The program offers a menu of
professional development workshops that train educators to
integrate drama into their daily practice to support emergent
literacy skills, such as recall, sequencing, projection, inference, oral
language and vocabulary acquisition.
In FY2014, ELP continued its successful teacher training-mentoring
residencies in several NYC public schools and Head Start programs.
Of particular excitement was the collaboration with Birch Family
Services, an organization that provides high quality education and
residential services to people with autism and other developmental
disabilities. Birch staff participated in an all-day professional
development on interactive storytelling, ELPs “signature” drama
strategy, and then hosted CAT actor/teachers for residencies during
which the teachers observed and then led their own interactive
storytelling. The success of the collaboration led to Birch including
CAT’s professional development as part of their application for the
Edith Glick Shoolman Grant. Upon receiving the grant, Birch was
able to quadruple the number of educators and sites served by
CAT’s ELP staff.
1,639 Early Learners from Head Start & Pre-K through 2nd Grade
389 Early Childhood Educators
232 Parents
95 Schools & Community Sites, including 4 Transitional Housing Sites
28 Emergent Literacy & Mentoring Residencies
16 Professional Development Workshops & 3 Conference Presentations
25 Parent Workshops
12
13
94% of participating in-school teachers reported an
increase in students’ vocabulary, writing and speaking skills, as
well as empathy, self-expression, collaboration and creative
problem-solving.
CAT’s Middle Grades Literacy initiative includes three distinct programs:
year-long, intensive, in-school residencies in nine schools, after-school
programs in two schools, and Technical Assistance provision for eight
other DYCD-funded Adolescent Literacy Programs across the City.
The in-school, project-based curriculum, developed in close
coordination with classroom teachers, directly addressed academic
learning objectives in accordance with the Common Core Standards in
English Language Arts (ELA) with the goal of improving academic skills
and motivation. FY2014 featured a new focus on social studies –
understanding culture, conflict and setting within a historical context.
Placed in context-based roles during interactive activities, students re-
imagined experiences of everyday life in early civilizations; facing
conflicts, engaging in debate, and discussing critical decisions.
Immersion in text and open-ended, facilitated discussions helped
sharpen critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
In FY2014, CAT’s after-school Adolescent Literacy Program implemented
“the Reach Project,” which paired or “twinned” after-school students in
the Bronx and Brooklyn, giving them the chance get to know each
other throughout the year. Through various prompts and activities, the
students learned about their twin and their community. With literacy at
its core, The Reach Project was able to engage students in a fun and
interactive manner while building essential skills for the English Language
Arts (ELA) exams. The program encouraged students to write, read and
communicate in stronger ways, resulting in an overall improvement of
students’ literacy and interpersonal skills. Students consistently looked
forward to project activities, which positively affected retention and
provided an added bump to recruitment as participants themselves
helped promote the program to their peers.
1,052 In-School Students, Grades 6-9
53 After-School Students, Grades 6-8
1,930 Direct Service Hours of Literacy Programming
11 Schools in Year-Long Programs
8 Community Based Organizations received 860 hours of technical
assistance and professional development
Middle Grades Literacy
“I believe that this
program should be an
integral part of the ELA
curriculum. It helps to
bring concepts that
may be abstract in
nature to a more
tangible concept that
students can relate to. I
believe it impacts their
social-emotional as
well as academic
growth.”
Classroom Teacher
14
15
90% of responding students said that they had learned
how violent behavior and cyberbullying can harm others and
different ways to solve conflicts and stay safe in violent situations.
Today’s students navigate a social world that includes a 24/7
digital feed, increasing pressure to fit in, and a media culture
saturated with violence, name-calling, and negative images and
messages. CAT’s Bullying Prevention program includes residencies
for students, teachers and parents that enhance critical thinking,
decision-making, and pro-social attitudes. Drama scenarios and
role play help participants understand the nature of bullying and
aggressive behavior. Participants have opportunities to explore
ways to prevent behaviors and attitudes that can lead to more
detrimental acts of bullying. More importantly, participants
identify the consequences of remaining silent in those situations.
In FY2014, our anti-bullying curriculum, #CRUNCHTIME, focused on
cyberbullying, competition and gender issues. The dramatic
storyline centered on two middle school students, a star athlete
on the basketball team who constantly bullies his teammate to
gain validation and respect from his peers. The aggressive
behavior leads to cyberbullying and forces his target to make
critical decisions about revenge or remaining silent. Participants
gained insight into factors that trigger bullying and violent
behavior in young people and were introduced to Restorative
Justice Models of dealing with conflict, empowering them as
problem-solvers and peacemakers.
1,794 Middle School Students
289 Workshops with Students
107 Teachers
38 Parents
27 Residencies
25 Professional Developments
12 Sites, including 2 Transitional Housing Sites
10 Parent Workshops
Bullying Prevention
“I learned that
sometimes when you
think that you’re
bothering someone
just for fun it could
really be hurting their
feelings and the
conflict could turn
into something it
didn’t have to turn
into.”
8th grade student
16
17
85% of participating students said they were comfortable
working with people from different backgrounds, learning about other cultures and listening to the opinions of others (a 17% increase from pre-survey results).
In addition to ongoing College Readiness work with high
school populations, CAT launched two new high school
projects which used drama to focus on literacy, leadership
and cultural awareness.
The leadership project, at Bedford Academy in Brooklyn,
worked separately with male and female students to
support and strengthen students’ literacy skills – particularly
in ELA. Students participated in a series of thematic mini-
dramas, using interactive theatre, journal/poetry writing and
music to support literacy and youth development goals.
At Bronx High School of Visual Arts, a year-long project, titled
Bronx History Through Theatre: Resistance and Renaissance,
used a variety of theatre conventions and educational
strategies to explore history, culture and community in New
York City. The residency integrated local culture and history
as elements to deepen and amplify the learning objectives
included in the curriculum and the Common Core
Standards. The sessions enaged students in scene work, role
play, theatre tableaux, and facilitated dialogue to explore
three main themes: Family, Power and Truth vs. Deception.
These were infused strategically within a historical narrative
that followed a Bronx family's journey from the decades
surrounding the civil rights era through the present day.
381 High School Students
5 Long-Term Residencies in 3 schools
465 Direct Service Hours
High School Programs
“I realized that
some students
who never speak
in class really
shine when they
are given the
opportunity to
perform.”
High School
Teacher
18
19
92% of responding students said the after-school Theatre
Arts Program helped them develop and strengthen their
performing/presentation skills
CAT provides tailored after-school programs supporting literacy,
critical thinking and social-emotional learning in New York’s
elementary, middle and high school students. In age-appropriate,
structured, interactive drama scenarios, students meet and advise
fictional characters who need their help to solve problems – and then
witness the outcomes and analyze the consequences. Residencies
often include culminating sharings and professional developments.
Last year, CAT developed the Theatre Arts Program (TAP) as an after-
school theatre-making program for the High School for Construction
Trades, Engineering and Architecture, which had no previous theatre
programming. In FY2014, CAT received 7 CASA (Cultural After School
Adventures) grants, providing similar theatre-making models in
elementary and middle schools across the city. CAT also conducted
after-school drama programs for elementary populations in two
transitional housing sites.
In the new middle school program, CAT Youth Theatre staff supported
young people in identifying and sharing their opinions about the world
around them. These ideas were then turned into original theatre. The
process of creating theatre included time for youth to reflect on what
they created, and what they felt they achieved. Students developed
performance and public speaking skills, negotiated with others in their
group to communicate their ideas, and then shared their ideas in an
original piece of theater called “Our Journey Together” for family,
friends, and school staff. For the students in shelters, actor-teachers
used theatre games and strategies to support social-emotional
learning and explore issues they may be facing – bullying, disrespect,
collaboration, anger management and violence. Role-play and other
interactive activities were used to help participants reflect on actions,
consider the consequences and identify alternative responses they
might make in the future.
13 After-School Residencies held in 12 Schools & Community Sites
269 Elementary, Middle and High School Students
350+ Audience Members attended Sharings
720 Direct Service Hours
After-School Programs
"We cooperated fine-
really good. We did
scenes based on each
other's ideas and lives.
We didn't say this is my
role, this is your role,
we came together
and trusted each other
as one."
“My favorite parts
were putting on the
show, doing dress
rehearsal, and
creating friendships.
Creating an original
production made us
feel confident when
the audience enjoyed
our skits.”
After-School
Participants
20
21
92% of responding participants reported that they had a
better understanding of the risk factors associated with HIV/AIDS.
CAT’s primary HIV/AIDS and STI awareness and prevention program,
Project CHANGE, is a unique peer-education project supported by
the NYS Department of Health-AIDS Institute. CAT provides students
from CUNY’s Medgar Evers and York Colleges with awareness and
prevention training, as well as drama facilitation and mediation skills.
The students, as “CHANGE Agents,” work together with CAT in their
respective high-risk communities to advocate for optimal adolescent
sexual and reproductive health through CDC-approved evidence-
based curricula, interactive drama, community development, and
social media. Our goal is to provide the education and
encouragement needed to galvanize these high risk communities to
think critically about the best ways to safeguard their sexual and
reproductive health, and to identify and remove the barriers that
stand in their way.
In FY2014, CAT received additional HIV prevention funding from AIDS
United, through Alicia Keys’ Empowered Community Grants program.
This new project, CHERISH (Changing Habits, Environments,
Relationships in Sexual Health), builds on Project CHANGE by
specifically reaching young women of color. CHERISH empowers
young women to take charge of and pride in their own sexual health,
through female peer navigators (“Cherishers”), who infuse their
interactive drama presentations and community outreach methods
with a focus on the spiritual and cultural representation of the female
image, drawing upon African and Afro-Caribbean cultural expressions.
18 CHANGE Agents & Cherishers received 220 hours of training
1,591 High School & College Students
388 Parents & Community Members
262 Workshops
229 Participants received HIV/STI testing after
Project CHANGE & CHERISH workshops
Health & Wellness:
HIV Prevention
“Amongst the African-
American community,
there are very few
forums for young
women to come
together to be uplifted,
encouraged and
empowered. I think
back to my high
school days and how
important it would
have been for me to
have a support group,
I take pride in the work
of project CHERISH.”
Cherisher
22
23
95% of Black Male Initiative participants reported that they
were more aware of the resources available to help them
achieve their academic goals.
Through interactive strategies and drama, CAT’s College and Adult
Program (CAP) focuses on specific issues, circumstances and
behaviors that create obstacles in our everyday lives, particularly as
they affect academic and career opportunities. CAP workshops
encourage participants to carefully examine the choices, decisions
and consequences of everyday challenges to discover solutions and
hone problem-solving, decision-making, self-advocacy,
communication and critical thinking skills.
CAP works with diverse traditional and nontraditional populations
from high school students to incarcerated youth to immigrants to
returning CUNY students. Success is scaffolded - preparing students
for college, providing the skills to keep them there through
graduation, and providing the skills to make them workforce ready.
Partner programs include: CUNY At Home In College, Black Male
Initiative, COPE/GSI, and Fatherhood Academy; as well as Homes for
the Homeless, STAR ESI, CUNY Prep, College Focus, and Rikers Island
Detention Facilities.
In FY2014, the CAP team noted and addressed a shift in the pre-
college mentality of participating high school students. Many
admitted that they felt they lacked the maturity for the
responsibilities and self-motivation involved in college life. Still, quite a
few regard college as their only way of accessing a better way of
life. CAP workshops helped them define those barriers and improve
their goal-setting, attitude, and chances for success.
2,191 High School students
1,706 CUNY students
290 Incarcerated Young Adults
53 Sites, including 14 CUNY campuses,
33 High Schools, 4 Rikers Island Detention Facilities,
and 2 Transitional Housing Sites
College Readiness & Success
“I wish this particular
workshop could
become a required
experience for every
CUNY faculty, staff,
student, administrator,
so we in CUNY could
become the catalyst
for such discussion
citywide, and nation-
wide.”
Professor,
College of
Staten Island
24
25
86% of FY2014 Youth Theatre (high school) graduates are
currently in college.
CAT Youth Theatre is a free, award-winning, after-school program
for NYC middle and high school students to create original
theatre. The playbuilding process gives young people the
opportunity to make new meanings from the material of their lives.
Members meet weekly to explore their ideas and creatively build
their skills through theatre games and exercises, improvisations and
scene work, rehearsal, critical reflection, and group discussion.
There is no audition or tuition with members invited on a first-come,
first-served basis. The criterion is only a commitment to be an active
and collaborative participant. This unique approach stimulates
creativity, self-esteem and resiliency, broadens horizons, builds a
strong sense of community, and encourages young people to
reflect on what it means to be both an artist and an actively
engaged citizen.
The Youth Theatre’s 2014 original show, IN TRUTH, asked audiences
to consider their own relationships with truth. Within our families or
within our society, what are the stories we are told and those we
choose to tell? Why are certain things harder for us to talk honestly
about? Members worked with five professional directors to examine
various issues ranging from sex to drugs, from our current
relationships to our national history. The Junior Youth Theatre cohort
presented three original performances throughout the year,
including “The World of Snow White,” which used the story to
examine such issues as bullying, beauty, health, and media. Youth
Theatre alumni closed out FY14 with a performance by The
Ensemble, a select group of skilled devisers and performers, and a
“Play-in-a-Day”, created by 17 alumni ranging from 2014 graduates
to founding members.
45 High School Students Youth Theatre Members
29 Middle School Students Jr. Youth Theatre Members
1,086 Audience Members attended the Youth Theatre
production at Baruch & Tribeca Performing Arts Centers
281 Audience Members attended three Jr. Youth Theatre shows
Youth Theatre
“I toggled back and
forth-beyond being
amazed-between
‘these kids are so lucky
to be working with such
adults’ and ‘these
adults are so lucky to
be working with such
kids.’ Then, I thought,
how can we expect
kids to learn the
common core, when
there is a real,
underlying "common
core" they have to
struggle with first?
Congratulations! What
a profound difference
your work makes and
how important it is.”
YT Audience Member
26
27
100% of participating teachers reported an increase
in their students’ self-expression, empathy, ability to collaborate and solve problems creatively, as well as improved literacy skills and an increased interest in Shakespeare.
Founded in 1993 on the belief that Shakespeare is best learned in the act
of performing his words, CAT's NYC Student Shakespeare Festival
(NYCSSF) has provided more than 10,000 young people and 400 teachers
with a chance to create their own work of original theatre using
Shakespeare's text and to perform their work on an off-Broadway stage.
Participating teachers attend an interactive Professional Development
series, followed by in-class workshops with our Shakespeare Festival
teaching artists. Teachers and their students create an 8-minute scene,
exploring an issue important to the students using only the words of
Shakespeare. Students and teachers then come together to perform
their scenes and participate in peer-to-peer feedback sessions at the
culminating, multi-day Festival.
NYCSSF efforts in FY2014 included giving more structure and support to
our participating teachers. Making the first professional development
workshop mandatory for ALL first- and second-year teachers ensured
they had all of the tools necessary for the project, and it allowed our new
and veteran teachers alike to move on to more advanced work in the
second and third workshops. Also, the program moved toward more
issue-based work, encouraging students to choose topics important to
them, such as bullying, gossip, family, war and love. For example, seven
different classes used scenes from Macbeth to illustrate the self-
destructive nature of violence. CAT has found that addressing these
issues through the lens of Shakespeare often gives students (and
teachers) more accessible ways to understand and love Shakespeare.
650 Student participants, grades 2-12
26 Teacher participants
20 citywide participating Schools
93 Shakespeare in the Classroom Workshops
3 all-day Professional Development Workshops
4 Culminating Festival Days at the Lucille Lortel Theatre
NYC Student Shakespeare Festival
“I am positive that this
program has helped each
and every one of my
students become better
readers, better writers,
better speakers, better
communicators, and more
well-rounded individuals.
The one comment that
sticks in my mind is one that
I heard on the train ride
back to East Elmhurst. When
I asked one of my students
her thoughts about the day,
she responded: ‘I will
remember it until I die.’ I
told her that I would too.”
Participating Teacher
28
29
100% of participating educators said that the workshop
was very useful to their work and/or education and that they were likely to use what they learned in their own classrooms.
A vital part of CAT’s mission is to share the interactive, student-centered
teaching methods that make such an impact with young people,
ensuring that our work doesn’t end when our actor-teachers leave the
classroom. To that end, CAT has been providing professional
development opportunities for educators and other youth development
professionals for decades. CAT’s robust, practical workshops are
enjoyable, hands-on, and tailored to address pertinent topics within the
greater NYC community.
In FY2014, CAT’s professional development outreach included workshops
in Early Childhood Education, School Violence Prevention and DASA
(NYSED’s Dignity for All Students Act), HIV Prevention, Shakespeare, as
well as workshops for Homes for the Homeless and Expanded Success
Initiative (ESI) educators. FY2014 also included presentations at several
conferences, including: the Institute for Children, Poverty &
Homelessness—Beyond Housing Conference; National Association of
After School; Supporting Excellence Conference; Annual Pedagogy and
Theatre of the Oppressed; National Association for Education of Young
Children; NYC Arts-in-Education Roundtable; and the American Alliance
for Theatre Education.
FY2014 was also CAT’s culminating year as Technical Assistance Provider
for 8 other Adolescent Literacy Providers across the city. After 4 years,
more than 100 on-site observations, 13 cross-site networking meetings,
and more than 50 professional development and on-site staff or curricular
development workshops, CAT’s effect on our partner CBOs was evident.
As the Director of Youth Services for HANAC, Inc., wrote: “CAT has helped
HANAC open the doors to more creative and theatrical activities for our
literacy program. This has helped our curriculum progress from strictly
literacy enhancement to a more arts based program. The best part of this
assistance from CAT is that not only did our curriculum change and
transform but the participants loved CAT’s ideas and this helped us with
program attendance and retention.” DYCD has selected CAT to once
again provide Technical Assistance, beginning in FY2015, for 16 Young
Adult Literacy Programs throughout the city.
1,820 Hours of Professional Development
638 Educators and Youth Development Professionals
145 Conference Participants
Professional Development
“I received so much
clarity in how
important it is to be
as SPECIFIC as
possible in my
presentation and the
ways I engage. I was
also strongly
reminded of how to
manage/or create
solutions when road
blocks occur.”
Professional
Development
Participant
30
31
“...a standard-bearer for socially
conscious artists in training.” (American Theatre Magazine)
The M.A. in Applied Theatre (MAAT) degree program, the first of its
kind in the nation, uses theatre as a medium for education and
social development. Students use theatre and drama in a wide
variety of non-traditional contexts and venues – including the
justice system, healthcare, the political arena, community
development, classrooms, museums, and social service agencies.
The M.A. in Applied Theatre was founded in 2008, in partnership with
the Creative Arts Team and collaborates closely with its youth
theatre and other programs. The goal of the program is to educate
scholar-practitioners to become future leaders in the field of
applied theatre. Students explore key theories in theatre,
education, development, and community building, and acquire
the skills and strategies necessary for creating and implementing
the work. Students gain real-world experience by building and
delivering community-based applied theatre projects to earn their
degree.
In addition, a semi-annual visiting artists program brings MAAT
students and facutly to teach educational theatre techniques
to drama teachers at the Kigali Institute of Education in
Rwanda.
45 Current Students
99 Alumni
37 Collaborative Thesis Projects
76 Community Partners
50 Students or Alumni who work, or have worked, with CAT
4 Years of Project Rwanda
CUNY SPS Masters in
Applied Theatre
“When I look at what
we’ve done in one
year, I am convinced
that our applied
theatre techniques are
needed by our
communities. People
are hungry for a way to
connect. Having the
tools to facilitate that
connection means I
am able to create the
life I want, doing work
that is meaningful to
me.”
MAAT Alumna
32
Bronx Astor Collegiate Academy
Belmont Community Day Care Center
Brightside Academy- St. Ann's
Bronx Collegiate Academy
Bronx Community College
Bronx Community College Early Childhood Center
Bronx Early College Academy for Teaching & Learning
Bronx Early Learning Center
Bronx Haven High School
Bronx High School for the Visual Arts
Bronx Leadership Academy II High School
Bronx River Day Care Center
Bronx School for Law Government and Justice
Bronxdale High School
Celiz Cruz Bronx High School of Music
Easter Seals New York Bronx Child Development Center
Eximius College Preparatory Academy
Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School
Fordham Bedford Community Services
Fordham High School for the Arts
H.E.R.O. High
Hostos Community College
Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science
I.S. 117 Joseph H. Wade
In-Tech Academy (M.S./High School 368)
JHS 127- The Castle Hill School
Lehman College
Morris Academy for Collaborative Studies
Mott Haven Village Preparatory High School
Prospect Family Inn
PS 005 Port Morris
PS 028X Mount Hope
PS 146 Edward "Pop" Collins School
PS 211
PS 226
PS 51X The Bronx New School
Riverdale Presbyterian Church Nursery School
The Amalgamated Nursery School
The Forward School
University Heights Secondary School
Urban Assembly Bronx Studio School for Writing and Arts
Urban Assembly School for Careers in Sports
Volunteers of America
Williamsbridge Family Inn
Brooklyn Bedford Academy High School
Bedford Stuyvesant Early Childhood Development Center
Beulah Church of the Nazarene
Brightside Academy
Brooklyn College Early Childhood Center
Brooklyn Community Arts and Media High School
Brooklyn Democracy Academy
Brooklyn Gardens Elementary School
Brooklyn Generation High School
Brooklyn Lab School
Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School
Carribean House Health Center
Casa Montessori
Center Against Domestic Violence
Child Study Center of NY- Brooklyn
Clara Barton High School
Cobble Hill School of American Studies
Cypress Hills Collegiate Preparatory
Elijah Stroud Middle School
Franklin D. Roosevelt High School
Girafas Play & Learn
Hanover Place Child Care
High School for Youth and Community Development at Erasmus
Imagine Early Learning Center- DUMBO
IS 347 School of Humanities
JHS 218 James P. Sinnott
JHS 259 William McKinley School
Kingsborough Community College
Kingsborough Early College School
Medgar Evers College
Montessori Day School of Brooklyn
Mott Hall IV
New York City College of Technology
Our Children's Center
PAL La Puerta Abierta Early Learn Center
PS 105 Blythebourne School
PS 114 Ryder Elementary
PS 119 The Amersfort School
PS 123 Suydam
PS 128 Bensonhurst School
PS 18 - Edward Bush
PS 217 Colonel David Marcus School
PS 250 - George H. Lindsay School
PS 397K Foster-Laurie
PS 94
Region 8 Operations Center
Ronald Edmonds Learning Center II, MS 484
Science, Technology and Research (STAR)
Early College School at Erasmus
Sheepshead Bay High School
St. Francis College
Sumner Children's Center
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Teens Helping Each Other (THEO) at
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
The Co-Op School- Preschool
The High School for Global Citizenship
United Cerebral Palsy at The Millicent V. Hearst Children's Center
Urban Assembly School for the Urban Environment
William E. Grady Career and Technical Education High School
Williamsburg Preparatory High School
Yeshiva Head Start
Where we were in FY2014...
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Manhattan Bank Street College of Education Head Start
Baruch College
Birch Family Services-Main Location
Borough of Manhattan Community College
CAT Training Center
Chung Pak Day Care Center
City College of New York
Clinton Family Inn
District 79 Office of Student Support Services
East Harlem Head Start
Frederick Douglass Academy
Frederick Douglass Academy II Secondary School
Harlem Hospital
High School for Health Professionals and Human Services
Hunter College
Institute for Children, Poverty, & Homelessness
Ivy League Early Learning Academy Manhattan
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Judson Memorial Church
Lucille Lortell Theatre
Macaulay Honors College
Martin Luther King, Jr. High School for Arts and Technology
New Testament Baptist Church
New York City Civic Corps
New York City Department of Education
New York Hilton Hotel Midtown
Northern Manhattan Perinatal Head Start
PS 038 Roberto Clemente
PS 048 PO Michael J. Buczek
PS 123 - The Mahalia Jackson School
PS 314 - Muscota
PS 375 Mosaic Preparatory Academy
PS/IS 187 Hudson Cliffs
Quest to Learn
St. Luke's School
Stella Adler Studio- Outreach
The Chapin School
The Dalton School- First Program
The School at Columbia University
Tompkins Square Middle School
University Settlement Early Childhood Center
Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts
Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction
West End Day School
Queens August Martin High School
CCS Montessori Center
College Initiative
Energy Tech High School
High School for Construction Trades, Engineering
and Architecture
Hillcrest High School
Horizons Academy- GRVC Rikers
Horizons Academy-GMDC Rikers
Information Technology High School
IS 230 Magnet School for Civics in the Community
IS 5 Walter Crowley Intermediate School
Island Academy - Eric M. Taylor Center
Island Academy - Rose M. Singer High School
Jackson Developmental Center
JHS 226 Virgil I. Grissom
LaGuardia Community College
NYL Forest Hills West School
Pee Wee Folks Preschool
PS 022 Thomas Jefferson
PS 040 The Samuel Huntington School
PS 052Q
PS 054 Hillside
PS 084Q
PS 111
PS 117 Keld/Briarwood School
PS 127 Aerospace and Science Academy
PS 134 Hollis-The Langston Hughes School
PS 163
PS 182 - Samantha Smith
PS 206 - The Horace Harding School
PS 212
PS 220
PS 224
PS 234
PS 244Q- The Active Learning Elementary School
PS 51
Queens College
Queens Collegiate: A College Board School
Queens Engagement Strategies for Teens
Queens School of Inquiry
Queensborough Community College
Saratoga Family Inn
Small Wonder Pre-School
St. Stanislaus School
Waterside Children's Studio School
YAI NYL Clearview Annex
YAI NYL Clearview School
York College
York Early College Academy
Young Women's Leadership School of Queens
Staten Island College of Staten Island
Port Richmond High School
Tottenville High School
Other Board of Education- Elizabeth Public Schools (NJ)
Franklin High School (NJ)
Ithaca City School District (NYS)
King Low Heywood Thomas Private School (CT)
Minneapolis Convention Center (MN)
Newark Preschool Council (NJ)
Omaha Community Playhouse (NE)
University of Nebraska at Omaha (NE)
34
35
Additional Support for
CAT FY14 Programs Provided By:
Alicia Keys Empowered Community Grants – AIDS United
Birch Family Services
Berkowitz Family Foundation
City University of New York
Community Service Society of New York
Fund for Public Schools
Homes for the Homeless
Jewish Communal Fund
The Lucille Lortel Foundation
Marion E. Kenworthy – Sarah H. Swift Foundation
New York Community Trust: Astor Fund for NYC Education
Penguin Books
NYC Department of Correction
NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
NYC Department of Education
NYC Department of Youth & Community Development
New York City Council Citywide Initiative: Speaker Christine Quinn
and 51 Council Members Discretionary & CASA grants: Gale Brewer, Fernando Cabrera,
Leroy Comrie, Inez Dickens, Mathieu Eugene, Helen Foster, Daniel Garodnick, James Gennaro, Robert Jackson, Andy King, Karen Koslowitz, Donovan Richards, Joel Rivera, Paul Vallone,
Jumaane Williams, Ruben Wills
NYS Assembly Assembly Members Michael DenDekker, Aravella Simotas,
Catherine Nolan
NYS Council on the Arts
NYS Department of Health: AIDS Institute
NYS Education Department
Participating Schools
and many generous individuals
14,155 young New Yorkers, teachers and
Parents benefitted from CAT programs in every New York City
Council District in FY2014.
The partnerships CAT has developed with the
public and private sector have enabled CAT to
reach young people and their families in all five
boroughs. You are an essential partner in CAT’s
innovative, critically important educational
outreach, helping us provide interactive, issue-
based programs that:
Strengthen academic achievement;
Support youth development and
social-emotional growth; and
Increase resiliency in NYC’s young
people.
On behalf of the students, teachers, parents
and Creative Arts Team members involved in
our programs, we offer our sincere appreciation
for your ongoing support. We are pleased with
this successful year of service and look forward
to expanding our efforts in FY2015.
Thank you for your collective commitment to
supporting the needs of young New Yorkers.
Thanks To You…
CREATIVE ARTS TEAM THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
101 W. 31ST STREET, 6TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10001
P: 212.652.2800 F: 212.652.2809
WWW.CREATIVEARTSTEAM.ORG