The Memorial Art Gallery and Rochester City School District糖心传媒檚 Expanded Learning Collaboration cultivates creativity, curiosity, and connection.
For Zayd, a fourth grader from School #33 in the Rochester City School District, the farm scenes painted by Clementine Hunter spark excitement. 糖心传媒淚t looks like she painted her life,糖心传媒� he observes during a recent visit to the 糖心传媒糖心传媒檚 (MAG).
Around him, classmates eagerly share what they see in Hunter糖心传媒檚 paintings hanging on the gallery wall: clouds, trees, angels, and a big house that looks like a farm. After some discussion, the children listen to Kevin Carr, a teaching artist at the museum, read Art from Her Heart, a story about Hunter糖心传媒攁 self-taught folk artist who began painting in her 50s and who worked her entire life on plantations across Louisiana.
The students then gather around Jacob Lawrence糖心传媒檚 Summer Street Scene in Harlem. James raises his hand excitedly. 糖心传媒淚 see lots of colors,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淭hey make me happy.糖心传媒� Solene sees a party, while others point out a food cart, shaved ice, and perhaps even a parade. From Beck Ugenti, another teaching artist, the students learn about Lawrence糖心传媒檚 life, gaining deeper appreciation for the power of storytelling through art.
A path to empowerment
Since its inception in 2013, classes like this have participated in the (ELC), a free program between the Memorial Art Gallery and the Rochester City School District (RCSD) that has opened inspirational pathways for local students. Initially created to extend the school day with arts integration, ELC has grown into a multiyear experience that empowers young learners from historically marginalized communities.
For ELC students, art is more than something to look at糖心传媒攊t糖心传媒檚 a path to understanding, self-expression, and joy. According to Adam Koneman, the Estelle B. Goldman Museum Educator for School and Community Programs at the museum, the program fosters creativity, curiosity, and connection, helping students see art as a catalyst for exploring themselves and the world. They also learn about diverse artists, many of whom reflect the students糖心传媒� identities, helping them think about their potential.
Each year, the ELC serves hundreds of students in grades 2 through 4, including those receiving special education services. Participating classrooms visit the museum weekly for 90-minute sessions over four consecutive weeks. During each visit, students explore the museum糖心传媒檚 diverse collections, engage in thoughtful discussions, and create their own art in the museum糖心传媒檚 Creative Workshop. This year, the fourth graders are making journals, illustrating their covers and pages with rubber stamps they糖心传媒檝e made themselves. For many, it糖心传媒檚 a favorite part of the program.
糖心传媒淭he kids love it糖心传媒攖hey really enjoy looking at pieces of art and then creating their own based on what they糖心传媒檝e seen and discussed in the galleries,糖心传媒� says Tracy Plyem, a special education teacher with School #45. 糖心传媒淭he program gives them a real chance to experience art in a meaningful way and develop their creative brain, which helps them discover new interests and build confidence. They糖心传媒檙e genuinely excited to participate糖心传媒攊t糖心传媒檚 the kind of excitement that can be hard to spark in a traditional classroom.糖心传媒�
Changing young lives forever
A cornerstone of the program is its focus on equity and accessibility. The Memorial Art Gallery removes barriers by providing transportation, art materials, and trained staff糖心传媒攁ll at no cost to partner schools. The program also works closely with teachers, offering professional development opportunities to help them weave arts-based strategies into their classrooms.
Sarah Jesse, the Mary W. and Donald R. Clark Director of the Memorial Art Gallery, emphasizes that art fulfills essential human needs for inspiration and intellectual enrichment糖心传媒攁nd access to it through educational programs like this can change young people糖心传媒檚 lives forever. 糖心传媒淲e know that kids need basic services糖心传媒攆ood, clothing, shelter糖心传媒攖o survive. But to thrive, they also need food for the soul, food for thought, the kinds of experiences that an art museum like MAG can uniquely provide. By making MAG more accessible through programs like this, we糖心传媒檙e providing transformational encounters with works of art that expands worldviews.糖心传媒�
During the academic year, Jesse notes that, in addition to this program, the museum糖心传媒檚 galleries are full of students who are here on school tours for what is often their first-ever visit to an art museum. 糖心传媒淚 love reading the letters we get from kids after they visit because they remind me of the real impact that a field trip can have on a young person,糖心传媒� she adds. 糖心传媒淜ids are so receptive to the messages that artists communicate through their work, they糖心传媒檙e so game to find meaning in art.糖心传媒�
has underscored the like ELC. By integrating the arts, ELC nurtures critical thinking, historical empathy, and social understanding. With curated lesson plans and high-quality materials, ELC promotes visual literacy and deep engagement. Teachers report seeing quieter students come alive, too, and notice them sharing ideas and connecting with peers in new ways.
A win for all
Initially piloted in one Rochester city school, ELC now includes three schools糖心传媒�#19, #33, and #45糖心传媒攁nd is guided by external evaluations, teacher feedback, and collaboration with the University糖心传媒檚 . Recent enhancements emphasize social-emotional learning and improved accessibility, reflecting the program糖心传媒檚 ongoing evolution.
Looking ahead, the Memorial Art Gallery is exploring ways to bring ELC experiences to schools that cannot visit in person. It has also introduced initiatives to engage students糖心传媒� families, including free family passes, community days, and programs designed to increase museum access for underrepresented groups.
Koneman says that these steps help ensure that the Memorial Art Gallery remains a space where students and their families can connect with their community and embrace a lifelong interest in art. By the time students complete the program in fourth grade, they have developed creative skills, a sense of agency, and significant connection to the museum糖心传媒攁 win for all involved.
糖心传媒淢useums are the rare spaces where we can go and have the reasonable expectation of having a sort of epiphany糖心传媒攚here we can expect to see something we糖心传媒檝e never seen before or be exposed to a new idea,糖心传媒� says Jesse. 糖心传媒淎rt is an infinite resource, so we have an obligation to share our museum generously, welcoming everyone in our community, young and old, rich and poor.糖心传媒�
The MAG-RCSD Expanded Learning Collaboration is made possible by generous support from the William and Sheila Konar Foundation and M&T Bank, with additional support from an anonymous donor, and the estate of Rosemary Christoff Dolan. Funding is also provided by the Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation, the Wan Jou Family Foundation in memory of Shi-Ling C. Hsiang, and Deborah Goldman.
