Investing in Arts & Education
SEPTEMBER 2022 | EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS.COM See how the global popstar is bringing the arts to underserved kids How BetterHelp is making mental healthcare more accessible and affordable 09 LA Film School is honoring its alumni this Emmys season 04 An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today A Mediaplanet Guide to The Humanities in Schools Katy Perry
Springboard is a tremendous resource for artists. I attended my first artist career development workshop over 15 years ago. Over time, with their assistance, I was able to take on several creative community development projects and more recently established a collaborative business. They have supported some of the most signifi cant milestones in my artistic career. Now I get to support other artists as an Artist Career Consultant.
MEDIAPLANETREAD MORE AT EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS.COM2 @MEDIAPLANETUSA @EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS INQUIRIES: US.EDITORIAL@MEDIAPLANET.COM AND US.ADVERTISE@MEDIAPLANET.COM PLEASE RECYCLE
World-class studio training at aliberaldistinguishedartscollege Allentown, PA 484.664.3335 muhlenberg.edu/theatre&dance
Who or what inspired you to become an artist? What currently inspires you?
FoundationFireworkWithForward”“PayingPerryKatyIsItHer
Publisher Audrey Durbin, Claire Hines, and Victoria Melland Business Developer Joelle Hernandez, Joanna Tronina, and Adrienne Macaluso Managing Director Jordan Hernandez Lead Designer Kayla Mendez Designer Daniel Vega Lead Editor Dustin Brennan Copy Editor Kathleen Walsh Director of Content and Production Joelle Hernandez Cover Photo Rony Alwin All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.
Inside One Artist’s Journey Exploring and Expressing Their Culture
“ Music helped open my narrow perspective on life and turned my world into 3D color,” global pop superstar Katy Perry said. “It changed my life in a major way, and it is important for me to pay that forward.” She’s doing that with her Firework Foundation.Whenasked about the most challenging part of becoming a professional musician, Perry said, “Hearing ‘no’ when I thought I was ready, time and time“Myagain.biggest advice has always been that you can’t skip the
steps,” she shared. “Building a foundation — whether that be writing hundreds of songs or playing hundreds of shows hones your craft — and being true to yourself and not just the trends is the cornerstone of a successful career. Learning to play an instrument is also an advantage.”
My first artistic influences were from watching my own family sing, draw, make, and play. I love learning and exploring medi ums and ideas that are new to me. HMong people exist all over the world even though you will not see a country named after us. We have continued to integrate our cul tural ways with the places and people we live among. This resilience is what keeps me inspired; we can bring forward traditions and reimagine them new as time changes.
PerryClubs.”sees her work with the foundation as an investment in children’s futures, not exclu sively to foster a love of the arts for children, but also to nurture their emotional well-being.
Perry said. “The research that we’ve done also shows that the arts support the positive growth of their mental health, which is the biggest thing on the line for this generation.” n
It’s a different way of learning for people that may be more EQ than IQ — music is, after all, math!”
Melinda Carter
Ka Oskar Ly is a multi-disciplinary artist who creates textile art, murals, installations, and events through the power of culture and identity.
How
Inspiring the next generation Through Firework, Perry aims to inspire and empower youths from underserved communi ties to find their voices through the arts through this work. She founded the organization in 2019
“I believe the arts open chil dren’s minds and provide a new perspective on looking at the everyday things in their lives.
Twice per year, the foundation hosts Camp Firework, which is a weekend sleepaway camp that “combines nature and the arts for middle school children who may never have been exposed to either,” Perry said. “Through the relationships we’ve built with arts organizations that have been at camp, we are now able to offer year-round programming for our partners at local Boys & Girls
and her older sister Angela Ler che is at the helm as president.
Tell us more about your experience with Springboard for the Arts.
Photo: Karen Arango ’13 Creativity and technology collide in Ringling College’s 13 unique undergraduate programs. www.ringling.edu # 1 in the world; 3D Animation The Rookies # 3 in the IllustrationUS; CareerAnimationReview Top 25 Film School TheReporterHollywood Turning passion into profession.
The Los Angeles Film School is proud to support the creative endeavors of its students and alumni as they journey into the entertainment industry. Since 1999, the school is rooted in Hollywood and has expanded its degree offerings online to serve students around the world. Visit lafilm.edu for more info. n
LA Film School
Honoring the Largest Class of Alumni from The L.A. Film School for Their Contributions to the 74th Primetime Emmy® Awards
Ben Gamble (Film 2002) Camera operator for “Survivor,” nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program. Ben has been on “Survivor” for 10 seasons. This is Ben’s fourth Emmy nomination.
various degree programs worked on 26 different Emmynominated productions. A special congratulations to the four alumni who were personally nominated for their work.
This article has been paid for by The Los Angeles Film School
READ MORE AT EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS.COM
Joshua Gitersonke (Film 2007) Director of photography for “The Amazing Race,” sand nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program. Josh has been on the show’s camera crew for 13 years and has received 9 Emmy® nominations during his career. He won an Emmy® award in 2019 for his work on “The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special.”
With many schools placing newfound emphasis on student wellness, music edu cators can help students understand their own feelings and interactions with others through music. Similarly, music educators have the capacity to create belonging and connection in ways that are unique to music learning.
MEDIAPLANET4
Editor of “The White Lotus,” nominated for Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series.
The future of music education is bright but not without challenge. The pandemic highlighted inequities in resources and funding among schools, especially in historically marginalized communities. Although these issues can seem over whelming, communities are increasingly calling for equitable opportunities for stu dents, and access to music education must be a key component of this equation.
he Los Angeles Film School is proud to recognize its alum ni’s contributions to this year’s Emmy-nominated productions. This is the larg est group of alumni to work on TV productions across major networks, including last year’s breakout hit “The White Lotus” and this year’s thrilling fourth season of “Stranger Things.”
Scott R. Sheehan, President, National Association for Music Education
More than 50 alumni from
Equitable opportunities in music edu cation begin with teachers. Now more than ever, there is a great need to recruit new music teachers into the profession. It is critical that the music education pro fession builds a diverse workforce that is representative of students throughout the United States and the world.
Music Education Finds a Way
It is imperative that all children have the opportunity to unlock their musical pathways to self-discovery and understanding through a robust music education learned in school.
T
John Valerio (Film 2002)
Sean Brennan (Film 2006) Supervising art director of “Stranger Things,” nominated for Outstanding Production Design for a Period or Fantasy Program (one hour or more).
Nine in every ten Americans agree that “the arts are important for a well-rounded education,” according to a public opinion survey conducted by Americans for the Arts. As the only institutions with the capacity to reach nearly every American student, schools are vital for ensuring equitable access to the arts. By better understanding the deep connections between students, communities, and the arts, we can be better advocates for policies and programs that support artists and arts education programming nationwide. n
Elizabeth Strickland, Copywriter, Blick Art Materials
Art has been called the first language of childhood. Even before they can speak, children communicate and learn through visual expression. Grasping paintbrushes and crayons helps children develop the fine motor skills they need to write and tie their shoes.
FAMILY-OWNED AND SERVING ARTISTS SINCE 1911 Proud to support hundreds of arts organizations.SHOP ONLINE OR FIND A STORE AT DICKBLICK.COM 100,000 products available and over 60 stores nationwide.
A growing body of research shows how the benefits of an arts education extend far beyond the
READ MORE AT EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS.COM6
Research Agrees: Art Class Matters
published by Americans for the Arts, the demands of academic accountability measures and other factors have marginalized art classes in school curriculums. A 2011 research study published by the National Endowment for the Arts showed that rates of arts education declined from 1982 to 2008 and that those declines were concentrated among low-income students and students of color.
to data published by Americans for the Arts, recent studies have found positive correlations between student success and arts learning. Key findings show that an education rich in the arts can help close achievement gaps, motivate students to continue learning, improve academic skills, boost standardized test scores, and lower dropout rates. There is also growing evidence that integrating the arts into other subjects may enhance learning. A four-year study conducted through the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education’s Partnership in Arts Integration Research paired professional teaching artists with elementary school classrooms to measure the impact of arts-integration in subjects like math and language arts. Researchers found that students in arts-integrated classrooms were more engaged and had higher test scores than students who received only conventional instruction.Despite these benefits, too few American students receive a quality arts education. According to data
not end in early childhood. According
Unstructured play with art materials fosters spatial reasoning skills and reinforces concepts like cause and effect. In sharing their artwork, children build confidence, strengthen important relationships, and expand theirThevocabularies.benefitsof arts education do
classroom.
Jeff Somers
There’s little doubt that both Emily and Kimberly would be alive today if they had been vac cinated against meningitis B. Stillman and Wukovits founded the Meningitis B Action Project in order to educate parents and students about the disease and the need for two types of men ingitis vaccines to help protect against the most common
ingitis and not against menin gitisThisB. omission can have deadly consequences. Stillman and Wukovits both lost their teenage daughters to the dis ease, which can manifest with flu-like symptoms that worsen with shocking speed.
require the MenB vaccine, despite the fact college students are five times as likely to con tract this deadly disease and 100% of meningitis outbreaks on college campuses since 2011 are because of Meningitis B. On Jan. 31, 2013, Emily complained about a headache. Just 36 hours later, she was dead.
very least make sure students and parents know about the two types of meningitis vac cines.
Kimberly came home one day complaining of aches and a 101-degree fever. Less than a
Kimberly Coffey was a 17-year-old high school senior who dreamed of becoming a pediatric nurse. “She loved to sing, dance, and perform in school musicals,” Wukovits said. “Her greatest joy was a sunny day at the beach.”
day later, she was in the emer gency room, suffering from intense pain and a purple rash all over her body. She was laid to rest just three days before she was supposed to graduate high school.
Emily & Kimberly
Closing the Deadly Meningitis B Gap
Infectious diseases that thrive on the way college students behave are going to continue to be a risk. Administrators have to be proactive in working to prevent such threats to ensure that higher education environ ments remain as safe as possi ble for students and the larger community.Forexample, through our work at the Meningitis
power and importance of all age-relevant vaccines through a multi-faceted approach is most important as we think about the upcoming school year. Whether it is the seasonal flu vaccine, HPV vaccine, or vaccines to prevent menin gitis, we need to make sure parents have the information they need to make a decision for their children, and that stu dents feel empowered to take charge of their health through vaccination. n
In our opinion, promoting the
To read more about the Meningitis B Action Project visit meningitisbactionproject.org
SPONSORED
Alicia Stillman, M.P.H. Executive Director, Emily Stillman Foundation; Co-Founder, Meningitis B Action Project
types of bacterial meningitis in youngTheadults.twowomen hope they can spare other parents the pain they’ve experienced. “By educating both parents and students on meningitis B, its symptoms, and the vaccine to stop it,” Stillman said, “we have the ability to save other young people from this deadly but pre ventable disease. n
The Meningitis B Action Project
Preventing Meningitis Deaths CollegeAmongStudents
Having lost my daughter to Meningitis B — a now-vac cine-preventable disease — as a sophomore in college, I believe strongly in the power of vac cines. For many students and parents, college immunization
MEDIAPLANET 7
What, in your opinion, is the most vital thing for students, teachers, administrators, and parents to tackle during this upcoming school year?
Meningococcal meningitis (a deadly swelling of the mem branes protecting the brain and spinal cord) is mainly caused by five types of meningococcal bacteria, referred to as A, B, C, W, and Y. Two separate men ingitis vaccines are necessary to be fully immunized against the disease, but most children are only vaccinated against the ACWY forms of bacterial men
After losing their daughters to a have.familywithMeningitisPattidisease,vaccine-preventableAliciaStillmanandWukovitsstartedtheBActionProjectthehopethatnootherendurewhatthey
After losing her college sophomore daughter to Meningitis B, Alicia Stillman helped co-found the Meningitis B Action Project. Here, she tells us how future higheraboutadministratorsWhatfurtherandadministrators,collegeparents,studentscanpreventdeathsofthiskind.shoulduniversityknowfuturetrendsofeducation?
Emily Stillman was a sopho more in college in 2013. “Emily always made me and everyone else around her laugh,” Alicia Stillman recalled. “She was warm, charismatic, and loved spending time with her family andManyfriends.”colleges require the MenACWY vaccine — but few
How can administrators ensure students’ safety and health?
B Action Project, we have learned that only a handful of colleges and universities require both the MenACWY and MenB vaccines, which are both needed to protect stu dents against the most com mon types of bacterial men ingitis. Bacterial meningitis is more prevalent among college students, so a good first step in addressing this risk factor is to update immunization require ments to require both types of meningitis vaccines, or at the
requirements are understood as the only vaccines needed to protect oneself, which is not necessarily true. Comprehen sive vaccination requirements are a great way to ensure the health and safety of students and the nearby community.
As educators, we must truly provide students with the skills to be successful in life. We must help students discover their futures and ensure they gradu ate with more than a diploma and a knowledge of what they do or don’t want to do with their lives. n
Dr. David R. Superintendent,Schuler,School District 214, Arlington Heights, IL.
What advice do you have for someone recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder who is just starting their treatment?
At the same time, we must measure students’ readiness in different ways. Test scores are important, but they only tell one part of the story.
College readiness
sands of dollars in college tuition. To provide our stu dents with real-world expe riences, we engage industry and community partners in our nationally unique intern ship program. In the last eight years, our students have logged nearly 2 million hours in internships with more than 900 business partners.
we can’t even imagine. We must create opportunities that take education to a new level.
In my suburban Chicago school district, we have implemented a robust Career Pathways program that includes access to early college credit, intern ships, and career credentials. Our students can choose from more than 80 dual-credit offer ings. These are classes students take in high school that can be used as college credits. They help build confidence and can save students thou
I wanted folks to know that although I am living my dreams now, this is not the way it’s always been. There might be a mother of a child recently diagnosed with a mental illness out there who worried that her child would be an outcast. I wanted to speak to her and to the millions that know and love folks who are suffering.
s educators, we must cessstudentsprepareforsucinafuture
SchoolAfterSuccessStudents’EnsureEducatorsInnovativeHigh
David Harbour, star of “Stranger Things,” opens up in hopes of inspiring understanding and removing stigma surrounding the conversation about mental health.
There has been a great resurgence in the idea that psychotherapy, along with responsible medication, is key to remission. I have not had a manic flare-up since I started psychoanalysis with a good therapist. Medication alone is only half the battle. There is not a cure-all formula, there is only hard individual work. If you can’t afford therapy, find groups that don’t charge or don’t charge much. You will improve.
READ MORE AT EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS.COM8
Preparing for college
thrive in college, career, and life. Students’ post-secondary potential is assessed by indi cators like community service, a “C” or higher in early college credit courses, good atten dance, and workplace learning experiences.
A
My mental health disorder is something I live with, but it does not define me. However, if it defines you, I can assure you that there is a way to have a tremendously fulfilling life. I’m living proof that you can be anything you want to be. There were times when I thought I’d never get to do what I wanted to do in this world or that I’d never get off the couch, frankly, and I want people to know that it does get better.
“Stranger Things” Star David Harbour Discusses Stigmas Surrounding Mental Health
Who or what inspired you to become an artist? What currently inspires you?
One way for students to demonstrate readiness is through an initiative called “Redefining Ready!”. Launched by the School Superintendents Association, it introduces research-based metrics to assess the readiness of high school graduates so they can
To read more about BetterHelp visit, www.betterhelp.com/usatoday
A patient’s privacy and confidenti ality are protected, and users can pick a nickname to identify themselves in
A New Convenient, Private, and Affordable Way to Get Therapy
The virtual mental health platform recently started working with 826LA — a nonprofit that’s dedicated to support ing students ages 6 to 18 with creative writing skills, and helping teachers
“Young people have done tremen dous work to reduce the stigma of men tal healthcare and advocate for better resources,” said Alon Matas, president
Therapy can be out of reach for many simply because they can’t afford it. Another challenge is that patients often wait weeks for an in-person appointment, or are concerned about transportation or other logistics. Oth ers worry about privacy.
B
Looking to the future
and founder of BetterHelp. “We’re excited to launch this first-time schol arship and support future leaders who will no doubt make a huge impact in the mental health space as they build their careers.”
That starts with funding “Future of Mental Health Scholarships” — $10,000 academic scholarships to 10 college students majoring in psychology or a mental health-related field during the 2022-23 school year.
inspire students to write — by offering three months of free therapy to 826LA students and teachers.
MEDIAPLANET 9
etterHelp, the world’s larg est online therapy platform, offers access to licensed, trained, experienced and accredited mental health professionals including psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social work ers, and board-licensed professional counselors.Thetelehealth platform’s goal is to change the way people get help dealing with challenges in life. That starts by making professional therapy available to those who need it — anytime, any where via computer, smartphone, or tablet.BetterHelp has therapists who specialize in depression, addiction, anxiety, relationships, stress, trauma, LGBTQ+ matters, grief, and more. Consumers can get weekly live therapy in three ways, including exchanging messages with a therapist, chatting live, speaking over the phone, or video conferencing. You also get unlimited messaging with your therapist outside of weekly live therapy sessions. Other features include access to group webi nars led by licensed mental health pro fessionals, journaling tools, worksheets andRecently,more.
Brighter days
Ready to try BetterHelp? USA Today readers get 25% off with code ‘usatoday’. Get started at www.betterhelp.com/ usatoday. n
Game on
Access to therapy
BetterHelp is partnering with A Brighter Day, a non-profit focused on helping teens manage stress and depression. The platform is also offer ing free therapy services to teens expe riencing financial difficulties.
BetterHelp achieved a huge milestone: Over 3 million people have used the platform to connect with a licensed therapist online.
the system. Their contact information will only be used for emergencies and everything a patient tells their thera pist is Theconfidential.membership can be canceled at any time for any reason. The platform doesn’t work with insurance and the provider isn’t able to prescribe medi cine or provide clinical diagnoses
Mental wellness is a priority and one organization is working to ensure those who need therapy can get it conveniently and affordably.
SPONSORED
BetterHelp is supporting the next gen eration of therapists by investing in the future of mental healthcare providers.
Supporting teachers and students
Many young people are experiencing mental health challenges coming out of the pandemic, including social anx iety, uncertainty, and readjustment concerns.“We’re looking to help individuals combat those hardships by provid ing easily accessible mental health services,” said Ciara Kelly, associate program manager of impact, advocacy, and research for BetterHelp.
But BetterHelp closes those gaps. The platform is more affordable than traditional therapy, costing $60-$90 per week; getting started with a thera pist can happen within a few hours or days of signing up; and appointments are convenient since they’re virtual and set by the patient.
Kristen Castillo
The platform is flexible;
and accountability. We have shared expectations for quality, customer service, and overall performance. When our partner delivers, our sense of collaboration, transparency, and loyalty grows.Our dining services partnership also provides deep people operations expertise and management. Our dining services team members benefit from
natives” expect to be able to navigate every aspect of campus life using their smart phones — and if they can’t do something from their phone, they simply won’t bother. That presents a challenge for many college campuses, which haven’t always been on
Something similar can be achieved when it comes to a mobile-first approach to campus life. Taking a phased
at North Carolina A&T answer to many. We are responsible for delivering excellence to our students and budgetary performance to the state. And parents want to know their students are healthy, engaged, and thriving every day, beyond the shine of the campus tour. Through a long-term partnership with Sodexo, we have fostered trust that comes with performance, transparency,
Angela Peterson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Enterprises, North Carolina A&T State University
approach to manage cost and utilizing digital platforms like Near Field Communication (NFC), can ease the transi tion to give students access to essential campus systems via theirForsmartphones.example, the 360u App from TouchNet, a pay ments and ID management solutions provider owned by Global Payments, com bines secure building access functions, class registration and attendance, and student financial services into a sin gle sign-on app on students’ Apple or Android phones. Student IDs can be added to digital wallets, allowing them to simply tap their phone any time they would traditionally produce a physical ID.
On average, today’s college students received their first smartphone before their 12th birthday. These “digital
Making college campuses mobile-first and friendly to “digital natives” doesn’t have to be difficult.
students without access to a mobile device can be issued plastic cards with embedded NFT chips if necessary. Best of all, the platform works with a wide variety of existing door access and digital payment hardware, making the invest ment required to make a cam pus mobile-first much more attainable.Amobile-first college cam pus isn’t the future — today’s college students expect it. The time to give it to them is now. Are you ready to go mobile? n Jeff Somers
As a public institution, we
During this exciting time, there is tremendous value to students in leaning on partnerships. I see key benefits of having a dining services partner in the areas of process, transparency, people, and innovation.
exceptional training, recruitment, and promotion opportunities, and are most definitely part of the NC A&T community. They know and are loved by our students and faculty. I have seen particularly how outsourcing our dining services program has helped us better navigate both labor and supply chain challenges during the pandemic.Finally, outsourcing
The Benefits of DiningContractingServicesforToday’sStudent
the leading edge of technology — illustrated by the fact only 5% of college budgets are ded icated to IT spending. Many academic institutions assume creating a mobile-first expe rience for incoming students will be complex and costly, but with the right technology and approach, it is possible.
Specialized expertise and established processes are vital for feeding our campus community. Dining services are far more complex these days with retail dining operations, residential dining halls, and catering. Students seek convenience, and that means technology for mobile ordering, delivery, and payment options. Large, medium, or small campus, we all have a lot on our plates, and a partner managing all those tasks reduces redundancies and saves the team time and budget.
SPONSORED READ MORE AT EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS.COM10
The global pandemic proved colleges are capable of rapid and effective adoption of new technological platforms, as many of them were forced to move the entire educational experience online in a very short period of time.
Bringing the Campus Experience Into the Digital Age
Mobile-first
See all 360u has to offer at id-management/360u-apptouchnet.com/
dining services at NC A&T results in a program that stays fresh. Our students want real value, but they also want cuisines from across the globe, more plant-based and sustainable options, and retail choices that match their favorite hometown restaurants. It’s a tall order, but having a partner who is an expert and lives and breathes this industry, just as we live and breathe higher education, helps us take full advantage to leverage their supplier network, regional and national innovation team and network of chefs, and their deep consumer research and insights to stay ahead of what students need and want. n
FUTURE EDUCATIONOF UNCF is closing the gap for HBCU African American STEM scholars with the following signature programs: Ernest E. Just Life Science Initiative HBCU Computer Faculty Scholars in Residence HBCU Tech Pathways Initiative HBCU Silicon Valley Tech Innovation Summit K12 STEM Academy For more information to become a partner please visit: uncfstemprograms@uncf.org UNCF (UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. While totaling only 3% of all colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 13% of bachelor’s degrees, 5% of master’s degrees, 10% of doctoral degrees and 24% of all stem degrees earned by black students in higher education. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Visit UNCF.org for more information.
