Health Education Through Art (HEArt)
HEArt is an arts-education program that partners high school student leaders with low-performing students in grades 6, 7, and 8. HEArt employs high school students to teach after-school courses that reinforce state curriculum standards, and focus on healthy living through art projects.
- Employs high school students and allows them to take a leadership role in assisting with classroom instruction and mentoring at-risk youth
- Teaches California State Board of Education Content Standards using an interdisciplinary, arts-themed curriculum
- Reaches out to youth by using multiple learning styles and focusing on both the visual and performing arts
HEArt also achieves the following outcomes:
Program Update
The Health Education through Art (HEART) program was piloted in 2007 at East Palo Alto's Cesar Chavez Academy. The program served over 150 6th, 7th & 8th grade students using an original "Healthy Lifestyles for Youth Curriculum" to promote health in the following critical areas of youth development: Nutrition, Prevention & Awareness, Coping & Lifestyle and Holistic Living. Students participated in didactic academic and art workshops to produce a 42-foot mural and a variety of health themed art projects, ranging from community posters to Calder mobiles. The program culminated with an invigorating school-wide exhibit, where HEART students and staff set up and worked a booth to showcase their success alongside other after-school programs and community organizations. HEART has returned for the 2008-2009 school year with a new set of exciting health lessons and art activities, including collage, canvas art, and healthy T-shirt production.
HEART's curriculum explores Nutrition, Prevention/Awareness, Environmental Justice, Reproductive Health, Coping (Emotional & Behavioral Health), Holistic Living and Advocacy.
Locations & times
Costano Elementary: starting November 30, 2009
International Studies Academy: Tuesday/Thursday, 4pm - 6pm
Beginning Self Esteem Mural: December 8, 2009
Sarah Woodward
HEArt Coordinator
Sarah Woodward is a painter and will be the coordinator for the Health Education Through Art Program (HEArt). She graduated from Stanford University in March 2009 with a major in Psychology and minor in Studio Art. Born and raised in New Orleans, her passion for the arts is rooted in the spirit of her hometown. In high school, she attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts with coursework in drawing, painting, computer graphics, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics and photography. In 2007, Sarah created a large public art installation on Stanford's campus dedicated to raising awareness about Hurricane Katrina. She later worked with an art therapist in New Orleans to help kids affected by the storm cope with their struggles. At Stanford, she worked with the Student Organizing Committee for the Arts to establish gallery spaces promoting artistic expression and the role of artists in beautifying spaces. With MMAP, Sarah coordinated a mural-making event to connect Stanford students to the East Palo Alto community. Sarah is pursuing a career in art education and art therapy with MMAP and is interested in the realm of public art as a tool for social change. Sarah was the valedictorian of her academic high school and a member of the Stanford chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Her interests in art, education and psychology led to her involvement with MMAP.
