Students at two Newmarket high schools were among those taking part in a special arts mentorship program in partnership with York University.
Students at eight high schools, 11 elementary schools and York University are participating in the York Region District School Board/York University experimental arts mentorship program. That includes Huron Heights Secondary School and Sir William Mulock Secondary School.
The multi-layered mentorship program trickles down as students at the secondary schools learn from the post-secondary students and together they can mentor students at elementary schools.
The program started earlier in the school year with a kickoff at York University, bringing all of the students together.
The students were then mentored throughout the year and each school developed its own 10-minute piece of work on the selected theme of Journey. These pieces, which could be theatre performance, dance, scene or another piece of performance work, were presented at the university.
Students from all the schools were also able to come together for a day of workshops on theatre, movement, voice and technical production.
“It’s a really cool opportunity for elementary school students, high school students and York University students to all co-learn together and get a sampling of movement and voice work and production, and just a whole lot of learning about all things that go into theatre and producing works together,” said Shannon Mann, subject head of dramatic arts, Richmond Hill High School, one of the participating schools.
“It’s good for younger people who are interested in the arts, especially drama, to learn from people who are more experienced,” said Melody, a Grade 11 student at Richmond Hill High.
Students from the following YRDSB schools participated in the experimental arts mentorship program:
- Aldergrove P.S.
- Alexander Mackenzie H.S.
- Barbara Reid P.S.
- Beckett Farms P.S.
- Fairwood P.S.
- Herbert H. Carnegie P.S.
- H.G. Bernard P.S.
- Huron Heights S.S.
- Keswick P.S.
- Milliken Mills H.S.
- Mulock S.S.
- Nokiidaa P.S.
- Randall P.S.
- Richmond Green S.S.
- Richmond Hill H.S.
- Stouffville D.S.S.
- Summitview P.S.
- Trillium Woods P.S.
- Wendat Village P.S.
