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Arts, Athletics, Teaching: Partnership with Overbrook Elementary Has it All

June 14, 2016

Bryn Mawr students, faculty, and staff work with a number of schools throughout the Philadelphia region but few partnerships run as deep as the one that’s been established with Overbrook Elementary, a K-6 neighborhood public school in West Philadelphia.

Since 2002, more than 270 Bryn Mawr students have volunteered or done field placements at Overbrook. The relationship between the two schools started as a field placement for students taking Praxis courses but has evolved to include a long-running BMC Art Club-sponsored volunteer program that provides weekly visual arts instruction, an annual performance by the Bryn Mawr Dance Outreach Project, trips to campus by the Overbrook children for sports and field activities, an annual book and school supplies drive and, over the past year, regular visits by Bryn Mawr coaches and athletes to help with physical education.

“Through many years of regular communication and contact, we have developed a mutually supportive and friendly relationship” says Director of Praxis and Community Partnership Programs Nell Anderson, who has been involved with the partnership since its inception.

"Our students and faculty are valued and feel welcome at Overbrook Elementary and their students and faculty are valued and welcomed by the BMC community,” adds Anderson. “Overbrook Elementary stands out because of its highly skilled, collaborative, and dedicated group of teachers. They play an important role in the education of the Bryn Mawr students who are engaged in their classrooms. The school also has some very salient needs and, as long-term partners, we feel a responsibility to assist in addressing those needs, and are glad to do so."

In 2010, Overbrook’s principal Michelle Hayes-Flores worked with Anderson and the founding members of Bryn Mawr’s student Art Club to address the lack of art instruction at the school. Together they developed a weekly art session that’s held each Friday afternoon. Every week 15-25 student volunteers from the Art Club come to the school and teach art to several grades. The year culminates with an art show/installation for families.

Angela Wang ’11 was among the Bryn Mawr students to take part in the inaugural Art Club partnership.

“It was such a wonderful time in my life,” recalls Wang. “I was able to see art in action. I could very palpably feel its effect on the Bryn Mawr College community and Overbrook Elementary.”

Now in medical school, Wang has continued to do some private art tutoring since leaving Bryn Mawr and says the experience of teaching art even had an impact on her current career plans.

“I realized how much I valued moments with other people, learning their stories, even if they were complete strangers,” says Wang. “I'm currently pursuing a medical degree, hopefully ultimately becoming a psychiatrist. Instead of abandoning art, I'm really trying to meld art and medicine so I'm a better doctor. What is art but another form of human communication?”

Inspired by the Art Club initiative, representatives of Bryn Mawr and Overbrook created a similar program in the spring of 2016 to address the need for organized play and physical education.

The Bryn Mawr Athletics Partnership officially started in October 2015 under the leadership of Bryn Mawr Soccer Coach Erin DeMarco.

DeMarco, other head coaches, and student athletes work collaboratively with classroom teachers to provide weekly, developmentally appropriate, physical education activities for Overbrook students in grades 1-6. During the fall 2015 session, 60 students in grades 1-3 participated in the program; another 60 students from grades 4-6 participated during the spring semester. The athletic sessions occur on Friday afternoons in the play yard or in the classrooms if there is inclement weather.

“Every Friday morning we are greeted with ‘Do we have the Athletics program today?’” says Hayes-Flores.

"It has been a wonderful experience to work with Erin DeMarco and all of the other Bryn Mawr coaches and athletes," adds Angel Royal, who serves as the Bryn Mawr Athletic Partnership Liaison along with Erika Guyer. "The Overbrook Elementary students and teachers have loved every minute of this Athletic Partnership. The smiles and laughter that come from the students are priceless."

Veronica Roux ’16, who played both soccer and basketball at Bryn Mawr, was among the athletes to take part in the program. An anthropology major, Roux was also writing a thesis on the importance of recess and play while taking part in the program.

“It was great to see the effects play had on children and to see my research in action,” says Roux.

In the spring of 2016, the partnership between Bryn Mawr and Overbrook Elementary was recognized by the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development with a Lindy Award for Excellence. This award provides $1000 that will be used to purchase athletic equipment for the activities organized by the BMC athletes and coaches.

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