B-Smart

ArtsQuest's B-Smart after-school enrichment program, a partnership between ArtsQuest and the Bethlehem Area School District, provides young people from Bethlehem middle schools with a fun, creative learning environment that enhances the educational curriculum. The program mirrors the school district’s calendar year, with 10-week sessions in fall and winter/spring and a six-week summer camp.

The B-Smart program, which features instruction in glass blowing, painting, photography, graphic design and other visual arts, is geared toward at-risk youth who may not be traditional learners. The visual and tactile senses involved in the arts transform academically challenged students and offer an environment in which to succeed; small class sizes ensure quality instruction and personalized attention.

All B-Smart classes stress teamwork and the creation of projects from start to finish. The skills that students learn offer them a new and constructive way to problem solve and open up a world of possibilities in their personal lives. Whether it’s the filming of a video, or a group working together to create a mosaic mural, participants discover skills that prove integral to career development, academic achievement and personal growth.

B-Smart’s Impact

Blind sampling of B-Smart students has consistently shown that the program has a positive impact on the learning environment. The most recent B-Smart assessment revealed:

• 41% - Made honor roll
• 73% - Attained higher grades or maintained above average grades
• 16% - Had fewer absences
• 35% - Showed a decrease in tardiness

Support of B-Smart

B-Smart is supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The program, which is a qualified program under the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, is also made possible through donations from corporations and private donors.

Although ArtsQuest receives funding for this educational initiative, the program is always in need of additional support. Any individual or business interested in supporting B-Smart and making a difference in young people’s lives is invited to contact:

Kassie Hilgert
ArtsQuest Vice President of Advancement
khilgert@artsquest.org
610-332-1348

Brenda Pisani
Director of Corporate Relations
bpisani@fest.org
610-332-1339

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