Forever Home Newsletter #6
KidsArts Forever Home Newsletter
An At-Most Monthly Publication
KidsArts Boston Spirit Magazine Feature
Teaching Artists Carly and Scott show-off the print-out of the article on KA’s bulletin board.
In June, Boston Spirit magazine [https://bostonspiritmagazine.com/] profiled KidsArts, Executive Director Ray-Ray Farrales, and our transformational Forever Home project in a lovely article that also recognized two of the local families who became major donors. We were delighted to have the opportunity to communicate the essence of the KidsArts community, our values, and how we seek every day to create an environment where kids explore their identities and find power in self-expression. And, of course, to spread the word about our capital campaign! Thank you, Fiona Brodie and Boston Spirit magazine!
Where are we in the Renovation Process?
Second Floor Plan: Brave Room & Upstairs Classrooms
The scope of renovation has been getting more and more specific and detailed over the past few months in preparation for putting the project out to bid, hopefully in November. We are happy to have identified eight firms that we will invite to bid on the project. Preparing a bid-ready scope has required countless decisions about what to repair, what to replace, and what to completely redesign. Who knew we would learn so much about elevators, flooring materials, and fire escapes?
We also now know that our Phase I renovation, i.e. what's needed to get us in the building, will cost around $1.5M. While much of that cost is for renovations related to safety, ADA compliance, and basic functionality, we want to tell you about one room in particular: the Brave Room. It's special because bravery is one of our core values at KidsArts, along with empathy, kindness, creativity, and collaboration. These values underpin everything we do.
Our Brave space room, formerly known as the Cozy Corner, is a flexible space where regulation and reset can happen with a smaller group of students. It is stocked with books, fidgets, weighted stuffies, bean bags, water and snacks and other dedicated materials that help kids settle into their bodies and minds. We want to support them back into their workshop time and play with friends. Our dedicated Flex support staff are always scaffolding the lifelong learning that taking the time and space you need to regulate supports us in our expression, friendships and community.
Just as our workshops and community time invite kids to create and share bravely, the Brave Room supports them to learn what you need, ask for it and come back refreshed. It is one of the many ways we are creating an environment in our Forever Home where kids can feel safe, explore their identities, and find power in self-expression.
Please support our vision for serving kids well.
Ray-ray, KA’s Executive Director, showing blueprints of our Forever Home
Simon Chernow, KidsArts Alum, 24, on How KA Influenced Him
Simon (2013) second to the right, with friends and a teacher from KA.
Simon Chernow remembers the day KidsArts got one of our now trademark tumbling mats, so that he and his friends could finally do headspins safely back in the early 2010s. “I was addicted to getting better at it. Wave, headspin, tut. I was in 3rd grade, soaking it all up - not knowing how important it would be, drawn to all the expression.”
Simon attended KA from Kindergarten to 5th grade, and it was with us that he fell in love with dance. He especially credits teachers Eli, Bryan, and Darnell. “[They] opened up a world that I didn’t know existed, specifically street dance.” Later, as a student at Boston Latin Academy, Simon came back to KA to teach a dance class, creating what he calls a "full circle moment." The now 24-year-old graduated from UCLA, where he studied dance and audio engineering. These days Simon works in education in Los Angeles, but he still performs and does audio projects on the side. "I'm grateful that KidsArts helped me make art a daily practice in my life. [It was] a space to be creative and explore, that I wasn’t getting anywhere else”
Of course, Simon was excited to learn of our plans to expand once we are in our Forever Home. “I hope it becomes a safe environment that brings in kids from all over the city, a community space that hosts events, and a space for people to grow and create memories in.” Thank you, Simon! We hope so too!
We love hearing from KA alum - listening to their stories helps us remember how much impact our programming can have!
Why am I receiving this email?
Your child attended KidsArts at some point, or you came to one of our events, or you live in Sumner Hill, or you donated to KidsArts in the past, or we met you while doing outreach in the community – however you’re connected to us, we thought you might be interested in keeping up with what’s happening with our effort to acquire, renovate, and move our program into the old Hollow Reed property on Sedgwick Street.