Health Education Through Art (HEArt)
HEArt is an arts-based youth development program that utilizes both visual and performing arts to teach elementary and middle school students about healthy living. High school student instructors work alongside professional artists 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 HEArt program piloted in 2007 at Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto, and has expanded to serve Costano Elementary, Starr King Elementary and International Studies Academy. In 2009-2010, the program served nearly 150 students in 4th – 8th grades using an original "Healthy Lifestyles for Youth" curriculum to promote health in the following critical areas of youth development: Nutrition, Prevention & Awareness, Coping (Emotional & Behavioral Health), Reproductive Health, Holistic Living and Advocacy.
Students participated in didactic academic and art workshops exploring sculpture, collage, watercolor and Chinese ink painting, costume and T-shirt design, hip-hop music production, pointillist art, poster and commercial advertisement, graffiti lettering, charcoal and perspective drawing. Across the four school sites, HEArt students produced four acrylic murals and one graffiti mural. At Chavez, the program culminated with an invigorating mural unveiling celebration, where HEArt students were able to showcase their success to their teachers and families and MMAP’s History through Hip Hop students performed original songs related to peace. HEART will return for the 2010-2011 school year with a new set of exciting health lessons and art activities.
Locations & times:
East Palo Alto
Cesar Chavez Academy: Wednesday, 2pm – 5pm
Costano Elementary: Tuesday/Thursday, 4pm – 6pm
San Francisco
International Studies Academy: Tuesday/Thursday, 4:30pm - 6pm
Starr King Elementary: Friday, 3:30-5:30pm
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.
