Giving Back

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SCCT’s mission is to educate and stimulate the minds and imaginations of young people and their families through participation in theatre of the highest quality, year-round education and accessible outreach. One of the biggest joys of the work we do is giving back to the children of our community. SCCT’s Theatre Outreach Partnerships (TOPs) was created in 1996 to bring the theatre arts to those who are typically underserved by the arts community. TOPs serves children who are at-risk, disadvantaged, hospitalized or have special needs.

All of the funding for TOPs comes from individuals, corporations and foundations so that these programs may be offered free of charge to the Upstate communities. During our 2008-2009 season, thanks to our generous supporters, TOPs served 14,114 youth and families from the Upstate and invested $114,512 on their behalf.

Programs

Our various TOPs programs include:

Marshall I. Pickens Hospital
We provide a year-long artistic residency to children with various psychiatric and behavioral disorders who are housed and treated at the Hospital on a long-term basis. SCCT’s instructor works with the children every week to educate them about positive, creative expression, team building, and self-esteem - concepts that many of these children have never experienced. At the end of the year, the children provide a dramatic performance for friends and family members. Last year, SCCT served 30 children through this residency.
 

Camp Courage
Each year, SCCT provides a day of theatre at Camp Courage, a camp for young people with cancer and blood disorders. Our classes give these children a chance to step outside of the difficult circumstances they are dealing with and into their imagination. In 2008-2009, we served 75 children at Camp Courage with this program.


Kindermusik at the Wonder Center
For 9-10 months each year, SCCT provides a residency at the Wonder Center. This center serves children who are considered medically fragile or with special needs that are unable to participate in most of life’s physical activities. Our Kindermusik class is a one-on-one parent and child interaction class that utilizes music and movement for instruction. Music-making and music listening activities develop self-discipline, as well as critical and creative thinking skills. Last year, SCCT served 20 children.

All of these children benefit from the self-empowering benefits of arts education. Their needs include compassion, stability, and self-esteem, creative expression, healing and mentoring.


Greenville County Title 1 Elementary Schools
We have established artistic residencies in Title 1 elementary schools (the schools with the highest percentages of students who receive free and reduced lunches). SCCT's ten week theatre residency integrates theatre education with the schools' curriculum. Many of these students would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience theatre.


Child-centered Agencies
Agencies such as the Einstein Learning Center, Aftershcool Plus and others also participate in SCCT artistic residencies.


These residencies make a positive difference in children by improving their communication and socialization skills through participation in the dramatic arts. Studies confirm exposing youth to the arts enhances their intellectual capabilities and improves their basic academic skills. When students have experience in the arts, the College Board reports their SAT scores improve by 30 percent, and as much as 51 points higher on verbal and 39 points higher on math. These programs help children to become independent thinkers, team players, better communicators and self-confident individuals. By working as an ensemble cast, children learn to adapt, learn self-control, and to respect others. For many of our outreach students, this is their only opportunity to be exposed to theatre and to learn these skills. Last year, 522 students were served through such residencies.


Scholarships
SCCT offers scholarships to our conservatory classes for at-risk and disadvantaged youth. These classes provide an outlet for creative thinking, problem solving and bolsters children’s self-esteem. Last year, 35 students were scholarship recipients.


Outreach Tickets
Whenever possible, complimentary tickets are offered to community agencies to attend our performances at The Peace Center, Greenville’s center for performing arts. Agencies served include A Child’s Haven, Greenville Rape Crisis & Child Abuse Center, Crossroads Group Home, Pendleton Place, Pleasant Valley Connection, Salvation Army Girls and Boys Club, Hope Academy and many others. Last year, 352 children and families received complimentary tickets to our productions.


Reduced Ticketing
Reduced ticketing to our productions is offered for schools and home-schooled children. Additional day-time main stage performances are added at ½ the regular ticket price to allow more children to attend. Last year, 753 children and adults attended these performances.


Timbre Tales
This is a collaboration between SCCT and the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. SCCT’s Principal Teaching Artist presents a character performance from a children’s book, while GSO chamber ensembles perform classical pieces selected for each story. All performances are held at SCCT headquarters and are provided free of charge to the community. Last year, 600 children and their families attended these performances.


Free of Charge Entertainment
SCCT’s community outreach projects have provided entertainment free of charge to various agencies and institutions throughout Greenville County. Agencies such as Greenville Family Partnership, the Center for Developmental Services and numerous others have participated in such outreach projects. When possible, SCCT also loans sets, props and costumes to child-centered agencies. Through these projects, SCCT has served 2,550 people in our community.


KNOW WAY
KNOW WAY offers a combination of education and outreach to Greenville County school children, educating them on some of life’s most critical issues. This program addresses issues such as bullying and gangs in schools. We are in our seventh year of offering KNOW WAY in Greenville County Schools. Pairing live theatre with in-class facilitation workshops with the goal of raising awareness of social issues and encouraging positive life choices, KNOW WAY is provided free to the recipients.


Bullying Prevention
Bullying is characterized by the following criteria: an aggressive behavior or causing intentional harm; it is carried out repeatedly (can be several times in one day or can occur over time); and it occurs within an interpersonal relationship characterized by an imbalance of power. The statistics show that bullying is a very serious problem in our schools and our communities:

  • About one in seven school children is either a bully or a target of bullying.
  • Approximately 30% of all children and youth in grades 6-10 have been bullied or bully other children at one time within a semester.
  • 10%-15% of all children report being bullied on a regular basis.
  • 160,000 children miss school every day for fear of being bullied.
  • With the events at Columbine and Virginia Tech bringing to light the critical need to educate children on the effects of bullying, SCCT created and introduced our Bullying Prevention program in the spring of 2005.

 

Middle School Bullying Prevention
This particular program addresses the issue of bullying at the 6th grade level. A theatrical production, THE BULLY SHOW, is performed by adult, professional actors. THE BULLY SHOW is an interactive performance that explores the problem of bullying in schools. The play is then followed by a classroom workshop lead by trained, adult facilitators who offer factual information in an engaging format. This program is offered to Greenville County middle schools on a first-serve basis. Last fall, 13 Greenville County middle schools participated in this program, serving 3,894 students.


Elementary Bullying Prevention
Middle School Bullying was so successful that in 2007 Greenville County Schools requested that we create and implement a similar program for the elementary school level targeting 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. Trained actors perform the 60 minute production of THE BOY WHO CRIED BULLY, based on Aesop’s Fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf. A question and answer session follows the performance. There is an extensive study guide available to the teachers explaining how they can incorporate Bullying Prevention into their classes. It is our goal to educate our youngest children about the effects of bullying as well as teach them how to identify bullying behavior. Our hope is to lay the foundation of Bullying Prevention so that we can begin to affect change and continue to reinforce these ideas with the middle school program. In 2008-2009, 23 elementary schools participated in this program, serving 3,703 students.


Gang Awareness
There are 102 street gangs across the state of South Carolina and up to 52 gangs in Greenville County. Gang infiltration not only into our Greenville community, but now our Greenville County schools has brought to light a whole new set of issues to contend with in educating our children.

In 2007, Safe and Drug Free Schools asked SCCT, under a directive from the Greenville County School Board, to create a Gang Awareness program. SCCT adapted a script from a New Jersey play writer called, "IF I COULD, IN MY HOOD, I WOULD..." by David L. White and the State Street Project (Passage Theatre Company, Trenton, NJ) which includes a mixed cast of adults and teens performing for 7th grade students. The play explores all aspects of the affects gangs have on society. The program includes a follow up facilitation with the students to provide a time for discussion and questions. Gang Awareness information is provided for the teachers as well. Through such program, we seek to provide these children with information that will lead them to a stronger sense of self, and thus, the knowledge and courage to make better life choices. Our first year of Gang Awareness served eight middle schools which included 1,486 students.


In 2009-2010, SCCT hopes to invest over $100,000 into our outreach programs and serve over 14,000 youth and their families in the Upstate of South Carolina. SCCT is only limited by the funding we receive, if you are interested in making a contribution towards these programs, please contact Ame Holcombe, Development Director, by e-mail ame@scchildrenstheatre.org or by phone (864)235-2885 x. 15.