LEAF IN SCHOOLS & STREETS Educators
If you are an educator wishing to book an LSS artist,
click here to download the EDUCATOR APPLICATION (PDF)
Click here to find out more about the responsibilites of the host (PDF)
Click here for a list of available LSS artists (PDF)
A few months before each festival, LEAF sends out a list of available LEAF in Schools & Streets (LSS) artists to local schools. Our role is to match these artists with teachers and classrooms. Artists go into the schools a week before our spring or fall festival, and then this learning in the classroom culminates for the students and artists through an on-stage LEAF performance. Students have an opportunity to be on stage in front of hundreds or even thousands of viewers. Parents are often in the audience and students report a variety of responses including increased self- esteem, exposure to ethnicity and cultural awareness, confidence on stage and a sense of global community. Students gain an experience of a lifetime by performing on stage and may possibly receive more exposure to arts and ethnicity than many American adults. This experience on stage at LEAF may transfer to the classroom in many ways including links between music & art to history, math, geography and social studies, an increased connection and understanding of music and art and may even increase public speaking skills and a confidence in class presentations.
Over the last year a Community Foundation grant has also supported our LSS artists and allowed for us to have long-term programs in the three Asheville housing communities: Pisgah View, Deaverview & Woodridge. Finally we also celebrate the "Rhythms of the World" collaboration where by high school youth is exposed to a variety of dance styles from all over the world.