“Shortly before the introduction of Theatre Of Hearts, I was in a gang, and I decided I wanted to be out. I told people that I want to be out and the process of going out happened. And afterwards, I was [more] vulnerable, because I didn’t have any influences after that…One of the things I did was I read a lot and the other thing [was] art. Those two preoccupying my mind, it kept my thoughts from going back. It’s easy to go back if you don’t have any influences helping you to move forward.”

Josh Esters, Former Student of the Artist-In-Residence Program, Alliance Community Day School

“When you’re doing art, you express yourself solely from you only, so when you’re creating something that you built, that’s from your own mind, your own heart, it builds self-confidence and self-esteem…When you believe that the possibilities are endless in art, you believe the possibilities are endless in life, so you can achieve any goal you want to achieve and creativity helps you do that…It takes creativity to be successful at anything, and that’s what art taught me, and I believe it teaches a lot of people that.”

Josh Esters, Former Student of the Artist-In-Residence Program, Alliance Community Day School

“The program gave me a way to start doing art by showing me the process of how to put my ideas on paper.”

Frankie, Student, Tri-Community CDS

“We work together to help each other get better so we can keep each other going. We watch each other, make comments, and try to push each other the way [Artist Mentor] Maia does, so we can make her proud.”

Jacqueline M., Student, Dominguez High School

“Hearing the professional drummer [Robertito M.] talk to my class was great. It was cool to hear how he accomplished so much when he didn’t come from a great background. The way he spoke got us interested in how we could make a career out of what we do.”

Randy P., Student, Compton Community Day High School

“Students that were continuously sent to the principal’s office seemed to have been engaged in the program. Student behavior referrals decline for those specific students.”

Edward Sanchez, Principal, Lincoln Drew Elementary School

“The art that was displayed in the cafeteria was breathtaking. The acting and dancing illustrated how skills can be acquired by students who have less exposure to the arts.”

Edward Sanchez, Principal, Lincoln Drew Elementary School

“95% of our students learned how to scale art from a 12 in. x 24 in. drawing to a full blown wall mural…This artwork has beautified our campus and is motivating students to express themselves in constructive and creative ways.”

John Cotton, Principal, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall School

“The students were able to experiences some team building as they worked on a large canvas together. They realized that everyone has something unique to bring to the table.”

Debra Von Platen, Teacher, Pomona Academic Center

“Students who rarely speak or have difficulty with the language spoke on stage and participated…One way this residency was important is that it enabled students to work towards a goal and share their ideas with others…This workshop just reinforces for me how important it is to provide students with opportunities to be creative, use their imaginations, and find their voice.”

Suzanne Osman, Librarian, Van Nuys High School

“One of my student’s self-confidence was increased because she was able to participate equally with the rest of my students. This student struggles with reading fluency, so she is reluctant to participate in any activity that involves reading.”

M. Kepler, Teacher, Lincoln Drew Elementary

“Some of my non-readers were able to memorize their lines and be very vocal, engaged participants.”

M. Rollins, Teacher, Lincoln Drew Elementary

“I think my kids were impressed by their finished products; they were surprised at how well they could make art. Their confidence in their art-related skills and self-worth in general increased as a result of their participation and successful completion of art projects.”

Kris McHaddad, Teacher, Lincoln Elementary

“Students have learned that fear can be overcome and in doing so, they realized that anything can be done. Trying can be the key to success.”

Teodora Dayoan, Teacher, SEA South Central Education Center

“Students were able to develop teamwork among themselves and realized that helping one another will make a difficult task a lot easier to do. Students were able to develop their friendship stronger by doing things together.”

Teodora Dayoan, Teacher, SEA South Central Education Center

“Theatre Of Hearts is always able to connect with our students and tap into an artistic intelligence that we otherwise would not know how to access. I would also like to commend Norma M., our Artist-In-Residence, for all the hard work and dedication she has shown our students and program. Working with students with severe social and emotional needs is no easy feat…It takes a great deal of patience and understanding, which she has indeed demonstrated. From day one, she has worked to engage and foster their creative skills, specifically to support them in translating their inner ideas into outer displays of art.”

Cam To, School Psychologist, Southwest ISP (COMPASS School)

“We loved our visual arts workshop with Artist-In-Residence Norma M.! We had between 5 and 10 girls each week and the artwork they produced was fantastic! Norma was a kind, patient teacher who the kids loved, and she was obviously an experienced mentor. The parents and grandparents liked the presentation and we were happy to participate. I made a display of the kids’ artwork in our lobby display case, and it looks great…It’s especially gratifying to have school children being mentored in the library environment while bringing art to the community. We loved being a part of this program!”

Carol Burke, Librarian, George Nye Library

“Norma is fantastic. She really knows how to work the kids and we can tell she’s a veteran art teacher. Many parents have come to me telling how pleased they are with the work their children are making. One dad told me this is really great! The workshops are a special time for the kids.”

Carol Burke, Librarian, George Nye Library

“As a librarian, I realized that visual arts are very important to the community. Many parents thanked the artist, and asked if we will have future workshops. The pride in the child’s accomplishment could be seen in the amount of photos taken. Students took time to work on their projects, and many students arrived early so they could spend additional time working, showing they were motivated to produce quality art.”

Adrian Romero, Librarian, Rowland Heights Library

“We are so grateful for the Theatre Of Hearts/Youth First Program! I was very impressed that the children produced so many different types of art throughout the series. This variety seemed to improve their confidence, and flexibility in trying new things…They also learned how to look at pictures and art in a new way, which will help their critical thinking abilities.”

Barbara Nightingale, Librarian, Artesia Library