Sixth graders from Broward County Catholic Schools receive free museum exhibition tours and experiential art activities based on principles of STEAM and 21^st Century learning skills

 

(Fort Lauderdale, FL) – Sixth graders attending Catholic Schools in Broward County are taking part in Museum on the Move, an innovative new education program presented by NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale. The program enhances learning and increases engagement with the arts by engaging students in stimulating tours of the museum’s exhibitions and collections, and hands-on art activities based on principles of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) and 21st Century learning skills.

Launched in 2016 with programming for Broward County Public Schools, the Museum on the Move program has now expanded to serve 750 sixth graders from Catholic schools in Broward County thanks to the generous support of The Joseph & Winifred Amaturo Education Foundation, Inc. An additional 3,000 of students from Broward County Public Schools are also participating during the program’s first year, with funds provided by additional donors.

“Thanks to the generous support of The Joseph & Winifred Amaturo Education Foundation, Inc., Catholic school students from Broward County now have exceptional opportunities to enhance their learning with the Museum on the Move program,” said Bonnie Clearwater, Museum Director and Chief Curator. “Studies have shown that arts education plays a vital role in the future of our young people. Exposure to the arts has been proven to improve academic performance as well as necessary skills like critical thinking and communication.”

Amaturo Education Foundation Effort
The Joseph & Winifred Amaturo Education Foundation, Inc. has supported the Art Museum and Catholic Schools for many years. In 2010, the Foundation made a donation to the Museum for its Vatican exhibition. All students attending Catholic Schools in Broward County were able to visit the exhibition free of charge. Additionally, The Joseph & Winifred Amaturo Education Foundation, Inc. provided financial support that allowed underprivileged students attending Catholic schools to attend art classes at the Museum, and also supported a reading program for students attending Catholic schools for the past 10 years.

Museum on the Move will create the Amaturo Art Ambassadors where students will participate in several field trips to the NSU Art Museum, that provide opportunities to participate in visually stimulating educational experiences that for many students are often a first introduction to an art museum. Students take part in interactive tours that develop skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, observation, interpretation, communication and teamwork. In-depth discussions explore historical and contemporary subjects and cultures, and concepts such as color, composition, light and space. Through the viewing of artworks, students learn to recognize and distinguish between mediums and materials and formulate their own critical analyses as they learn about the artistic process and how different elements function together to express ideas and emotions, and solve visual dilemmas and realize artists’ intentions.

During stimulating exhibition tours, educators introduce students to visual thinking strategies that encourage them to express their reactions to what they see, and provide a new vocabulary through which they can assess artworks through their own and the artists’ perspectives. Museum-produced educator guides connecting exhibitions to Education Standards are provided to teachers in advance of their students’ visit. The Amaturo Art Ambassador Program was kicked off during a Principal meeting at the NSU Art Museum in February.

Museum on the Move is currently the only program of its kind in Broward County. The program is expected to expand in 2017.

For more information or to schedule a tour contact [email protected] or 954-262-0204.

Major funding for Museum on the Move is provided by The Joseph & Winifred Amaturo Education Foundation, Inc., Lillian S. Wells Foundation Inc., Jerry Taylor & Nancy Bryant Foundation, The Related Group, Beaux Arts, Community Foundation of Broward, Charles F. and Esther M. Frye Foundation, PNC Foundation, and Friends of NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.

Exhibitions and programs at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale are made possible in part by a challenge grant from the David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation. Funding is also provided by Nova Southeastern University, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.