Somerville Students To Benefit From Cultural Council Residency Program

SOMERVILLE, MA — Somerville Public Schools has announced that it has received $30,000 in grants from the Mass Cultural Council (MCC) through its STARS Residencies Program.

The STARS Residencies program funds visits from artists, scientists and humanists to local public schools.

The funding includes $18,000 for a puppetry workshops series for kindergarten classes at Capuano, Healy, and Kennedy Schools. The workshops will feature puppeteer Faye Dupras presenting "Imagination Station" at each of the schools.

Over the course of 12 visits from Dupras, students will be introduced to puppetry, music and art that, according to the district, "deepens their understanding and application of several social emotional skills needed to recognize and celebrate diversity."

Students also will work together to develop and build their own puppet characters that reflect the personal qualities they discussed throughout the residency. Ultimately, students will put on a show with their puppets for their families and fellow students.

Students at East Somerville Community School also will benefit from MCC funding. Heloiza Barbosa, an audio documentarian, will use a $6,100 MCC grant to produce an audio documentary with students from the school's debate club. The documentary will focus on the students' learning journey.

The MCC also is funding a STARS residency that benefits string musicians at Somerville High School. According to the district, a $6,100 grant to the Boston Chamber Music Society's BCMS Teaching Artists Program will allow musicians to provide weekly coaching sessions for SHS students in the string orchestra.

SHS students and their families also will be able to attend BCMS concerts for free.