With funding from Time Warner Cable, United Arts is currently working with two area high school science departments to use teaching artists in week-long residencies to enrich their science curriculum. The grant is part of Time Warner Cable's new philanthropic program Connect a Million Minds, a five-year initiative designed to engage and encourage young people to pursue education and career paths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Fuquay-Varina High School marine ecology students will be working with a visual artist who specializes in using recyclables to create three-dimensional art, and Apex High School science students will work with a theatre artist to create a performance piece on a timeline of scientific discoveries that will be videotaped as a teaching tool for continuing use with future classes. The Fuquay-Varina students will present their completed art piece at their annual science fair. The Apex High science department is working with multiple teachers on their cross-curriculum project that will extend the "shelf-life" of the finished project.
United Arts is in discussions with several other Wake County high schools about additional artist residencies.
For more information about Connect A Million Minds, visit http://connectamillionminds.com.