Concert fundraiser dedicated to 2 teachers and their passion for students, community and the arts
October 18, 2016
GUELPH, Ontario – Two teachers in the Upper Grand District School Board are being honoured through an annual concert fundraiser taking place next month.
Kelly McCullough and Jeff Bersche teach English and Drama at Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute. They also founded MADE in Guelph – The UrbanArts Project – a unique arts education program open to all secondary students in the UGDSB. Central to the focus of MADE is that the arts can be used as a tool for community-building, cultural development and profound social change.
On November 3, 2016, the fourth annual Inspiration Guelph concert will be dedicated to McCullough and Bersche for their dedication to the arts, their students, and the community.
“We have so many local talented artists who were once in the same shoes as students who have joined the MADE program. It’s a privilege to dedicate this year’s event to Kelly and Jeff, two leaders who have dedicated themselves to the arts,” said Brenda Gibson, founder and Chair of Inspiration Guelph.
Inspiration Guelph is an annual fundraiser in support of the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington’s Free to Play Program, which provides support for families, funding children to participate in art, music or dance through 40 local organizations.
Each year, local music students collaborate on stage with acclaimed musical artists from around the world. This year’s concert will feature guitarist Adrian Raso, Bayla, Celtic Academy Canada, GCVI’S marching band, Guelph Youth Singers, and more. Tickets are on sale at www.riverrun.ca.
About MADE in Guelph – The UrbanArts Project
MADE is an engaging interdisciplinary program for grade 11 students with a keen interest in the arts. It takes students out of the classroom and provides them with authentic learning opportunities through partnerships with local arts organizations and community groups.
Students earn credits in Music for Creating, Drama Production, Non-traditional Visual Arts, and English. The program is based at the Guelph Youth Music Centre, which gives students access to classrooms, a theatre and dance studio. Being located downtown Guelph, it’s a short walk to numerous community theatres, galleries and studios.
McCullough and Bersche stress that students do not need to be experts in all areas of the arts – rather, “they need to be excited about the possibilities that a creative life offers.”
“The most important piece of participating in the program is to seize opportunities, to embrace challenges, and to be accountable to the group.”
Students drum, dance, sing, paint and act. They focus on collaboration and team work, resilience and self-confidence, accountability and responsibility.
Throughout the semester, students work with local artists, hold art shows and performances, and stage a full Shakespearean play.
“Central to the focus of the program is that the arts should not exist solely in the realm of the individual,” said Bersche. “Rather, the arts can be a tool for community engagement, personal development, and profound social change.”
For students enroled in the program, the experience can be life changing.
[MADE] “changed by idea of myself,” said grade 12 student Nicole. “Everything I was doing had no focus but MADE was the first thing I was passionate about. It completely changed my courses going into grade 12.”
When speaking about his teachers, Kelly and Jeff, student Jeremy simply wanted to say thank you. “Both of you, and the program that you created together, have sent me down the path that will determine what I do for the rest of my life – and you introduced me to a passion that I’ve been pursuing every day since.”
MADE will start its fourth year in the winter 2017 semester, with 20 to 25 students enroled. For more information on MADE in Guelph – The UrbanArts Project, visit urbanarts.ca.
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For more information:
Heather Loney, Communications and Community Engagement Officer
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.725
[email protected]
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