28 Oct United Inner City Services Receives $5,000 Grant from U.S. Bank, Community Play Pillar
United Inner City Services (UICS) recently received a grant for $5,000 from U.S. Bank, Community Play Pillar to support the Arts@St.Mark initiative which infuses the arts into the St. Mark Center’s learning environment and offers community experiences in the arts. The initiative aligns with the U.S. Bank guidelines of providing access to artistic and cultural activities and visual and performing arts for individuals and families living in underserved communities.
The Arts@St.Mark program introduced artistic expression to a total of 2,473 individuals who participated in Arts@St.Mark programming in 2018. This includes 150 students and their families who attended enriching family events; the Stay, Play, and Learn program; field trips; and weekly classroom art experiences. Examples of specific events included performances of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, the Stone Lion Puppets, and more. Parents and children experience hands-on art activities together in the art and play studio through the Stay, Play, and Learn program. Finally, field trips included visits to the Folly Theater, Science City, Deanna Rose Farmstead, and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.
Young children experiencing difficulties at home will often display aggressive or withdrawn behaviors at school. Over time, these behaviors interfere with learning and future school success. The Arts@St.Mark program reinforces classroom interventions that help children identify feelings and learn appropriate self-expression.
A growing body of research finds that arts integration supports academic achievement and social behavior. Arts-integrated preschool experiences result in increased school readiness for low income students and may serve to equalize educational opportunity, (Brown & Sax, 2013). The arts can engender creativity, build confidence, develop problem solving abilities, and encourage collaboration. These benefits are magnified for low-income students who often enter kindergarten behind their advantaged peers. Arts@St.Mark offers invaluable educational experiences to prepare students for their future education.
United Inner City Services (UICS) is a multi-service community based agency that has served Kansas City, Missouri’s 12th Street corridor since 1967. Over the years, UICS has addressed the issues of the urban core including employment, emergency assistance, housing, violence intervention, early childhood education and youth services. UICS serves as a neighborhood anchor, providing a safe, warm, and inviting site for a variety of social services, early education programs, community arts programs, and neighborhood outreach.