Logo
Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on LinkedIn
Phone: 757-466-7555
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Board of Directors
      • Our Board of Directors 2025-2026
      • Our Board of Directors 2024-2025
      • Our Board of Directors 2023-2024
    • Meet the A4L Staff
      • Contact Us
    • Employment
    • Access, Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ABIDE)
    • Impact Report
      • Impact Report 2023-2024
      • Impact Report 2022-2023
    • 990 and Audit
      • 990 Form 2023-2024
      • Audit 2023-2024
    • Strategic Plan
    • YA National Network
  • Cheers to 70 Years!
  • PROGRAMS
    • Calendar of Events
    • Schedule a Program
    • Find A Program
    • Find An Artist
    • Arts + Learning Snacks
    • Coastal Virginia Wolf Trap
  • SUPPORT
    • Our Partners
    • Our Supporters
      • Our Supporters 2023 – 2024
      • Our Supporters 2022 – 2023
      • Our Supporters 2021 – 2022
    • Individual Giving
    • Give Back Through Rewards
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Become an A4L Artist
    • Become a Board Member
    • Internships
    • Program Observer
    • Volunteer
  • Our Stories
    • Our History
  • Virtual Arts

Cheers for our ACE Theater Arts Residency

June 11, 2020 By Cindy Sherwood

Mikayla and Sabrina at the ACE performance
Mikayla and her friend Sabrina enjoy some well-deserved snacks after the ACE performance of “Courage and Kindness.”

It’s been six months since the end of our After-School Creative Enrichment (ACE) theater residency at Norfolk’s Bay View Elementary School, and we look back fondly at this pilot program for third through fifth graders. Students worked together with their peers, educators, and A4L artists as they learned all aspects of theater staging. But that’s not all—the program focused on social-emotional skills, too. Parent Brittany Cottrill says the program made a real difference to her daughter Mikayla, now a rising fourth-grader.

“I could see my daughter’s confidence and understanding of emotions greatly increase during this program. She helped out behind the scenes and was very proud of herself. She showed compassion at home towards me in ways I hadn’t seen before. Mikayla also looked forward to being at practice!”

Students gave high marks to the program, with their own assessments showing:

  • 93% gains in creative expression
  • 90% gains in student-to-student connectedness
  • 88% gains in student self-worth

At the end of the residency, students presented a program called “Courage and Kindness” to parents, friends, and teachers. Mikayla, who chose to work behind-the-scenes, helped out when there was a blip on stage and a student dropped a prop.

“They felt so bad. I tried to help them with their feelings. I liked the performance because people on stage were helping each other.”

Warching the ACE performance
An appreciative audience watches the performance of “Courage and Kindness” at Bay View Elementary School in Norfolk.

“I was touched by the presentation. It brought out a lot of talent of the kids,” Brittany says. “It was awesome to see some of the children that we’ve known for years break out of their shell and use the acting talent that you wouldn’t ever know was there unless they were presented with this opportunity.”

Skits focused on how to show compassion to others. One particularly moving skit featured the real-life story of a student who had invited her whole class to her birthday party and then faced the disappointment of no one showing up. Stories like this helped teach the ACE participants how to be kinder and more empathetic toward others.

“With the specific skit, it was really just showing how friends can show friends compassion and be nice to one another in several different situations,” Brittany says. “I just really noticed Mikayla showing that at home towards me, like if it had been a long day and I was trying to get things done and on a schedule, her being more compassionate and more willing to help.”

The United Way of South Hampton Roads (UWSHR) helped fund the ACE theater residency. We thank them for making this project possible.

If you’d like to support our work in bringing arts education to children, please donate here.

Filed Under: ArtsEd Tagged With: Arts Ed, arts education, Arts for Learning, Arts for Learning Virginia, Bay View Elementary School, Norfolk Public Schools, teaching artists, theater program, United Way of South Hampton Roads, UWSHR

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on LinkedIn
Phone: 757-466-7555

Join the A4L Mailing List!

Sign up to receive the latest news on arts integration from Arts for Learning! Thank you for supporting arts-in-education.

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Arts for Learning Virginia. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

Main Office
Arts for Learning
420 North Center Drive
Suite 239
Norfolk, Virginia 23502

Phone: 757-466-7555

Main Office

Arts for Learning
420 North Center Drive
Suite 239
Norfolk, Virginia 23502
Phone:
757-466-7555

New Artists: Adding Depth, Passion, and Talent to our Roster

We’ve welcomed a number of new teaching and performing artists to our professional roster in recent months—and we wanted to share a brief introduction to each. For more information, click on the artist’s name. Amanda Wallace is a visual artist whose specialty is encaustic painting. She’s taught art throughout Hampton Roads, Washington DC, and Northern […]

Join the A4L Mailing List!

Sign up to receive the latest news on arts integration from Arts for Learning! Thank you for supporting arts-in-education.

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Arts for Learning Virginia. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
At Arts for Learning Virginia, we’re proud to be part of the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ Passport Program. While Passport holders typically receive free admission and 50% off classes at participating organizations, all our programming is always free—no discount needed. To learn more about our public events, check out our calendar of events page here.

Copyright © 2025 · Young Audiences | Arts For Learning | Virginia

Website Maintained By TechArk

×