Brooklyn Philharmonic At-Risk Youth Project

The Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra will implement the 'At Risk Youth Project' in an effort to improve the academic performance of 164 at-risk youth in Brooklyn, New York. The project is a partnership between the Beginning with Children Charter School in Williamsburg, P.S. 276 in Canarsie, and the Police Athletic League in East New York. The At Risk Youth Project will offer music residencies for youth in the classroom, after school and during out of school time. The project will provide a twelve-week music residency in four classrooms for youth in grades 4 through 5. The program model includes 1) a series of 12 classroom and performance-based workshops that integrate the arts into the core elementary school curriculum and focus on students' active listening, performance, improvisational and compositional skills and 2) in-depth curriculum guides connecting residency activities with New York state and city standards. The 12 week residency will provide creative outlets for the youth in a non-threatening environment that nurtures constructive peer relationships. Progress will be measured by the number of participants attending the classes and the number of students completing the 12-week course. The project will also track the GPA of the students who attended the classes for the academic year. NCA/NCF