LEAP Year in Review
Celebrating Our Impact Together!
(Seeing this on your phone? Trust us, it's a desktop dazzler! 🌟 Switch over and see for yourself!)
As summer comes to a close our hearts are filled with gratitude and pride reflecting on the remarkable milestones made possible by your unwavering support. Journey with us as we recount stirring narratives of transformation, shining a light on the impact of our shared commitment to promoting equity and access to the arts for NYC children!
A Strong Start for A Comeback Year!
In September we invited supporters to join our cause and start the year off strong at our first Back to School Rooftop Soiree Fundraiser featuring LEAP Artists LIVE! performers and hosted by LEAP Board of Director Co-Chair Andy Tomback!
Our Rooftop Soiree set the stage to welcome hundreds of returning students in October at our fun "We Stand, Create & Play Together Youth Festival". This event commemorated the annual National Lights On Afterschool Celebration!
In November, our Board recruitment drive soared, growing our Board of Directors from 12 to 17 seats, warmly welcoming six new members! Pictured above is our first in-person Board meeting since 2019 including our new members!
Our first ever Summer Musical Theater Series provided hundreds of NYC youth a unique Off-Broadway experience. LEAP Artists LIVE! showcased plays by Kathy D. Harrison: "Liberty & Justice", "The Movement", and "Southern Folk".
CITYWIDE IMPACT: 20,000 Youth | 140 Schools | All 5 NYC Boroughs!
With 218 in-school arts residencies, 89 Signature Arts Programs, 22 comprehensive afterschool programs, and 102 Family Engagement Workshops, LEAP translated its mission into dynamic motion, touching the lives of nearly 20,000 youth and families across 140 New York City schools from Kindergarten to 12th grade! Backed by our steadfast Board of Directors and your invaluable support, we see beyond the numbers to the heartwarming stories they embody. Together, we're not just creating arts programs – we're crafting dreams, unlocking boundless potential, and nurturing a lifelong love of learning that inspires creativity, innovation, and confidence in tomorrow's leaders.
2023 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS!
Elementary School Mural Masterpiece Wins National Competition!
Pictured above, our students' "Garden of Joyfulness" mural triumphed in the Afterschool Alliance's national poster contest earlier this school year. Chosen to adorn 50,000 Lights On Afterschool posters nationwide, the mural exemplifies the artistic excellence of our youngest public art students. Immense gratitude goes to our Public Art Teaching Artists, Lady K. Fever and Grace Martinez, for their dedicated mentorship. Read more about their journey here!
Inaugural Summer Master Class Series!
Our inaugural Summer Master Class Series at Manhattan's renowned Ripley Grier Professional Artists Studios was a resounding success. It fostered artistic growth, inspired creative potential, cultivated a deeper passion for the arts, and provided hundreds of young artists with meaningful opportunities to connect with their peers. Over six wonderful weeks, youth participants immersed themselves in specialized arts workshops, exploring disciplines such as Visual Arts, Dance, and Theater, all under the expert guidance of our professional teaching artists. What an amazing summer of artistic exploration and discovery!
LEAP Contestants Make it to the Apollo! Isabelle Chow and Khylee Faith McBride dazzled at Harlem's Apollo Theater, representing LEAP in True Colors' Next Narrative Monologue Competition. One of LEAP's Signature Programs, Next Narrative inspires students to channel their voices through theatrical explorations of history, culture, and contemporary Black theater. Our young thespians studied the works of nearly 50 Black contemporary playwrights in preparation for the competition!
EXPANDING CAPACITY & AMPLIFYING EQUITY: Look who's joined our team!
Lakimja Mattocks
Chief Talent & Equity Officer
Paulette Jarrett
Manager of Talent Acquisition
Gineyda Diaz
Director Program Operations Evaluation and Impact
Catherine "Cat" Espinal Manager, Signature Programs
Chantay Berry Talent Coordinator
Alyse Royal Finance Coordinator
Lauren Messeck Residency Manager
PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE: Professional Development Highlights
Madleen C. Santana
Director of Talent
We're thrilled to spotlight Madleen Santana's suite of accomplishments, which includes the HR Generalist Certification, the renowned Developing Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals at Columbia Business School, and the distinguished Leadership Fellows New York Program by NY Community Trust. Her diverse certifications and leadership training empower her with a multifaceted approach to talent management, ensuring that LEAP continues to cultivate and retain a workforce that is passionate, skilled, and aligned with our mission of excellence.
Kimberley Jackson-Brown
Managing Director of Elementary Programs
Heartfelt congratulations to Kimberley Jackson Brown on her remarkable achievements, which include completing the New York Community Trust's acclaimed Leadership Fellows New York Program and graduating from Youth Inc's award-winning 18-month RISE Academy for Leaders of Color, where she earned her Organizational and Community Leadership Certification. These accolades equip Kimberley with strategic insights and leadership frameworks, positioning her to scale our elementary programs with an emphasis on racial equity and community empowerment.
Monique E. Jarvis
Director of Communications and Corporate Partnerships
Celebration is in order for Monique Jarvis, who recently earned her Engaging in Bold, Inclusive Conversations® Facilitator Certification from the nationally recognized, Black women-owned DEI&J change management experts, The Winter's Group, Inc. Monique's certification equips her with content, tools and methods to drive forward impactful and inclusive organizational conversations around race, equity, and belonging with an emphasis on Mental & Emotional Well-being, Empathy, Social Awareness, and Unity & Understanding.
INSPIRING PROGRAM VISITS: Sponsors and Community Leaders Experience LEAP in Action!
We're grateful for NYC Council Member Althea Stevens (D16, Youth Services Committee Chair) and Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Keith Howard, making their first stop on their "Summer Rising World Tour" at one of our flagship South Bronx LEAP Afterschool sites!
In the afterglow of our Liberty & Justice Off-Broadway Debut! Making arts programming possible at LEAP: (l-r) Karen Sonet-Rosenthal (Board Co-Chair), Linda Brumach (Pomegranate Arts), Monica Horan Rosenthal (Rosenthal Foundation) and Rich Rosenthal.
✨ Standing Ovation at Symphony Space! 🎭
What a triumphant year for our professional teaching artist touring ensemble LEAP Artists LIVE! They captivated audiences with Kathy D. Harrison's 'Liberty & Justice', spotlighting the journeys and resilience of 20th-century women of color in NYC. Their story of sisterhood at the White Rose Mission House becomes an influential thread in the Women’s Suffrage Movement tapestry. The crescendo? A standing ovation at Symphony Space! We're deeply grateful to our funders and supporters in attendance that were able to experience the magic of their impact. A special shoutout to Monica Rosenthal (Rosenthal Foundation), Linda Brumach (Pomegranate Arts), Tim Marback (The Great Hall at Cooper Union), Steve Hillyer (The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture Archive), David Auburn (Proof) , and Ted Snowdon (Ted Snowdon Foundation) for joining us. A resonating note from our Board Chair, Karen Sonet Rosenthal: "From the documentary excerpt to the "Talk-forward," to the performance, it was clear that Kathy [Director of Signature Programs] has mustered an important work, engaging our talented teaching artists, all in the support of bringing joy, her-story and education to our students." To our theatre luminaries, steadfast Board, and every arts ally: Your support fuels our purpose. Heartfelt thanks for championing the arts beside us on behalfof NYC youth!🎭🌟
At our Liberty & Justice Off-Broadway Debut: The Legendary Ted Snowdon of the Ted Snowdon Foundation, making musical theater possible for hundreds of young artists at LEAP!
New York State Assemblymember Latoya Joyner (left) and Principal Flores (right) taking center stage at P.S. 53X Basheer Quisim for our Saturday LEAP On Stage Arts Residency! Thanks to Joyner's pivotal funding and our LEAP Teaching Artists, like Cameron Bhola, the arts vibrantly echo throughout District 77.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHTS: Powering Youth Success Through the Arts!
Champions of Educational Theater Arts Programs
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every visionary supporter for making our fully immersive theater programs a resounding success. Our journey to advance racial equity and social justice through arts has been significantly empowered by the NYLife Foundation & Afterschool Alliance's competitive AIM HIGH grant, a testament to their dedication to transformative arts education. Our array of signature theater programs, including the LEAP 360° Theater Residency, Next Narrative Monologue Project, LEAP OnStage Young Playwrights Program, Young Artivists Musical Theater Ensemble, and the captivating LEAP Artists LIVE!, owe their continued success to the steadfast support of our cherished theater funders. We salute the commitment and passion of IBISWorld, Ted Snowdon Foundation, The Rosenthal Family Foundation, The Leo Rosner Foundation, The Michael Tuch Foundation, and The Richenthal Foundation. Your belief in our mission and your invaluable contributions are shaping the future of arts education.
Guardians of Transformative Public Art Programs
We extend our warmest appreciation to our visionary patrons who have championed our transformative public art programs. Our mission to promote racial equity, social justice, and civic engagement through the medium of art finds robust support and amplification from the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation and the William Talbot Hillman Foundation. This initiative goes beyond mere artistic expression; it instills a deep sense of social responsibility, civic participation, hones artistic skills, fosters collaboration, and kindles self-confidence. Principal Milczewski in a moving message to students remarked, "You will eventually graduate, but this mural will stay here. Students will come year after year to see the message that you put on this mural and will be here in perpetuity. This artwork is a time capsule that people will look back to. You are the future leaders of art, both as a profession and as a craft. LEAP's unwavering support in our diverse artistic pursuits, from theater to visual art, is invaluable."
Allies in Artful Learning: Groundbreaking Pathways in Literacy
Thanks to our steadfast supporters, LEAP Literacy programs have truly thrived this year. The evidence is radiantly clear in the joy and vibrant enthusiasm captured in the picture above. We're not merely teaching literacy; we're sparking joy, fostering a love for the arts, and building bridges of hope for our newest migrant and asylum-seeking youth. We owe a massive shoutout and gratitude to our committed partners: the Pinkerton Foundation, Venable Foundation, the New York Yankees Foundation, Nora Roberts Foundation, and the Cornelia T Bailey Foundation. Your unwavering support has been instrumental in weaving this colorful tapestry of success allowing us to inspire Pre-K to 5th grade students, especially our non-native speakers, by seamlessly blending the magic of drama, visual arts, music, and movement with literacy.
Drivers of Inclusive Excellence in STEAM
We express our deepest gratitude to our dedicated partners who fuel our groundbreaking Creative STEAM Academies and Programs. The mission to invigorate STEAM education, emphasizing diversity and inclusivity, has been significantly bolstered by the support of industry leaders: Con Edison, IBISWorld, National Grid, Illumina, MUFG, and The Line Studios. Creative STEAM isn't just a program; it's our beacon of interdisciplinary learning, spotlighting the fusion of arts with STEM to craft experiences that foster creativity, innovation, and real-world problem-solving. Our alliance with powerhouses like the New York City Department of Design and Construction, Lego Robotics, STEM Scholars, Teens for Food Justice, and National Science Academies amplifies our impact. This synergy embodies our dream: to sculpt a diverse STEM landscape where every student can envision their place.
Youth Spotlight:
One Middle Schooler's Transformational Journey
When Mari first joined LEAP she was shy and had an overwhelming fear of public speaking. As a timid 6th grader, she would get extremely nervous about participating in activities that required her to speak in front of her classmates. But she took a chance and joined the theater program, and that decision changed her life. As Mari rehearsed and performed, she made new connections with other students who shared her love of theater and discovered a hidden talent for acting she never knew she had.
“I started to feel more comfortable speaking in front of others and my confidence grew -- as both a person and an actor” she shared.
With newfound courage, Mari joined the scholar council and even took up photography. She became a leader among her peers, leading by example and making better choices for herself and those around her. This year, Mari starred as the mother in the Broadway Jr. production of Disney’s Moana! A heartfelt thanks to our supporters! Your impact is immeasurable and life-changing, and has made a huge difference for students like Mari, who have discovered their passions, built meaningful relationships, and became leaders within their communities through access to the arts.
EXPERIENCE THE RESILIENCE OF OUR YOUTH: Watch "I'm Black" and witness their powerful anthem of triumph composed in part by our incredible migrant and asylum-seeking youth from one of our flagship South Bronx after school programs. Lending their expertise and facilitation to this project was none other than musician and sound engineer extraordinaire, Teaching Artists Gabriel Adjei-Gyamfi. Witness how arts can fuel powerful identity exploration and mastery of creative expression through literacy! 📽️ #InspireThroughArts #LEAPLiteracy
LEAP BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON THE MOVE!
Soaring to New Heights: Thanks to Board Co-Chair Andy Tomback (right) for elevating our cause by hosting the back-to-school fundraiser at the beginning of the year on his breathtaking rooftop overseeing Central Park! A moment captured with Andy and our Chief Program Officer Jennifer DiFiglia.
Representing with Radiance: Board Members Jared Giles (left) and Alejandra Villanueva (right) took LEAP's mission to new heights at the Youth INC Board Fair this year, connecting with NYC's top nonprofit enthusiasts. A salute to their dedication and Youth INC's platform for change
Brushstrokes of Gratitude: Celebrating a year of unwavering support from KPMG, we orchestrated a memorable Paint & Sip for A Purpose appreciation event led by our amazing teaching artists Maimouna Doumbia and Mason Sills! Dedicated Board Member and Head of Talent Management at KPMG International, Jackie Mountford (back row, 3rd from the right), played an instrumental role in this appreciation endeavor. With KPMG's continued partnership and Jackie's passionate advocacy, we're poised to bring the transformative power of arts to even more of NYC youth underserved in the arts. Thank you Jackie and KPMG for your unwavering commitment to our cause. Here's to forging vibrant collaborations in 2024!
In Memoriam: Honoring Kons Samarakody
As we reflect on the milestones of the past year, it’s vital we pause to remember the soulful essence of Kons Samarakody, our cherished colleague and friend. The void left by their departure is palpable. Days oscillate between feeling like an eternity since their joy-filled Zoom calls and fleeting moments where we feel they've never truly left us. Occasionally, in the humdrum of city life, we catch a fleeting resemblance of Kons - a poignant reminder of their eternal spirit. In these instances, we embrace the warmth of remembrance and silently express our gratitude for the moments they graced our lives, continually advocating for equity and justice. Kons often found solace in the evocative verses of "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur (see poem on right).
As a lasting tribute, the spacious conference room at our 535 8th Ave office has been christened the "Kons Room." In the upcoming weeks, LEAP Teaching Artist Aurelio Del Muro will craft a mural, immortalizing Kons' indelible impact on LEAP. We eagerly anticipate unveiling this heartfelt dedication and hope many will engage with Aurelio's creation process. Today, and always, let's make room in our hearts to celebrate Kons and the fragility and beauty of life.
With profound gratitude and remembrance,
The LEAP Team
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