S F T C NONPROFIT

The Creative Learning Program (CLP) prioritizes youth development, literacy, arts education, racial equity, and civic pride. We see the arts as the study and practice of how people process and document the human experience, understand others through languages, histories and cultures, and make moral and intellectual sense of the world. The arts are the stories that introduce us to people we have never met, places we have never visited, and ideas that may never have occurred to us. The CLP helps students address the challenges they face together with diverse communities across Michigan, using the arts as a foundation for the expression, analysis, and exchange of ideas. Our work teaches students to develop their empathy, to think critically and creatively, to consider holistic perspectives and varied sides of social issues, all the while building skills in writing and critical reading. The work developed in the CLP is a showcase of youth decisions about what is true to their heritage and history, what is important in their own lives, and what they can do to make them better, leading to increased agency and self-worth. Our aim is to develop informed and critical citizens, ultimately contributing to healthier communities.

In schools across Genesee County, our projects have been proven to increase positive self-perception, improve social tolerance, and bolster scholastic performance. During our residencies, young people learn techniques for engaging in complex dialogue and exploring credible ways to produce positive social impact in their day-to- day lives. Through theatre, music, visual art, dance, spoken word, and film, we give participants the power to create and develop their own stories, to decide how their experiences are portrayed through art, and how to process divisive issues with the community at large. The Creative Learning Program (CLP) was created by SFTC leadership and teaching artists in 2014, and has been offering students and their families culturally- relevant, place-based artistic programming in- and after-school ever since. Shop Floor Theatre Company (SFTC) was able to maintain its staffing levels and pay four staff members to support SFTC programming during June 1 through December 9, 2022. The ability to maintain our much-needed staff members has allowed Shop Floor Theatre Company to continue to add to its organizational capacity as it was able to implement a Digital Marketing Plan, develop and implement synchronous and asynchronous lesson plans for online programming and establish a new business model which includes working with new corporate partners. In 2023, the Creative Learning Program will serve over 1000 youth in Genesee County, using a combination of in-person and online sessions contingent on the progress of the eradication of COVID-19.

The Creative Learning Program (CLP) prioritizes youth development, literacy, arts education, racial equity, and civic pride. We see the arts as the study and practice of how people process and document the human experience, understand others through languages, histories and cultures, and make moral and intellectual sense of the world. The arts are the stories that introduce us to people we have never met, places we have never visited, and ideas that may never have occurred to us.

The CLP helps students address the challenges they face together with diverse communities across Michigan, using the arts as a foundation for the expression, analysis, and exchange of ideas. Our work teaches students to develop their empathy, to think critically and creatively, to consider holistic perspectives and varied sides of social issues, all the while building skills in writing and critical reading. The work developed in the CLP is a showcase of youth decisions about what is true to their heritage and history, what is important in their own lives, and what they can do to make them better, leading to increased agency and self-worth. Our aim is to develop informed and critical citizens, ultimately contributing to healthier communities.

What Have We Accomplished?

Since January of 2019, SFTC has conducted 153 individual youth development creative learning sessions at our four program sites for a combined total of over 1500 youth touches with an averag

Signal Boost 2021 - 2022 Signal Boost is an opportunity for young people to reclaim the narratives often attributed to them, vocalize what they care about and creatively express their vision for a better future. Participation in Signal Boost has had an empowering effect on young people (both directly and indirectly), inspiring more agency and driving positive change in their lives and communities.

The SFTC 2020-2021 Creative Learning Program, helping North Flint youth by introducing concepts of retention and persistence that will encourage strong participation and scholastic competence, using fun, multi-faceted arts projects designed to help them navigate barriers to learning and goal attainment. The objective is that by the end of the year, students will have improved global self-worth, scholastic competence and behavioral conduct.

The SFTC 2018-2019 Creative Learning Program, helping North Flint youth by introducing concepts of retention and persistence that will encourage strong participation and scholastic competence, using fun, multi-faceted arts projects designed to help them navigate barriers to learning and goal attainment. The objective is that by the end of the year, students will have improved global self-worth, scholastic competence and behavioral conduct.

Genesee and Shiawassee Counties Teen Summer Workshop: A 7-week summer program where of 24 Urban and Rural youth, ages 12-18, met 4 days a week, to explore (race, gender, drug abuse and suicide) they created “Making It! An original play inspired by the complexities of teenage life". Over 800 attended performances

Schooled: The Groovy: BSD students, ages 5-18, and BMS students participated in workshops addressing anti-bullying and were the production crew for their original music video, “We Are Not Our Crime Rate" which centers on self-identity and community pride. 632 students and community members attended the workshops and performance.

Civic Capacity- Self Identity Residency: A 1-year Civic Capacity- Self-Identity workshop for male and female youth adolescents, 14-19 years old, at BHS. The Residency had 73 students and centered on self-identity and building civic capacity thru the arts. 584-student contacts hours.

Boys and Girls Club of Flint (BGC)- Pilot Program: A pilot program designed to assess the programming needs at the Boys and Girls Club (BGC). SFTC and its partners ran programs devised to improve behavioral conduct and self-worth. 10-15 students attended each of the 10 sessions.

Immigrant U: Our Story Our Way: An original documentary and play, students shared their culture, traditions, and challenges. Made by students in Flint, to break down barriers and build cultural bridges. 30 students participated. 340 attended the workshops and premier.