Students' spark brings arts alive for children

Princeton NJ -- When members of the class of 2004 heard the University was creating some programs to assist people affected by the World Trade Center disaster, they immediately volunteered to help.

Now class members are leading an effort that will provide live arts and cultural experiences, as well as educational programs, for some 10,000 New York City-area school children this spring.

Along with the University's Performing Arts Council, the class of 2004 is coordinating the involvement of Princeton students in "Arts Alive." Students will participate in each of the arts and cultural experiences offered at theaters, concert halls, art galleries and museums, and will develop educational workshops so that the school children get the most out of these experiences.

"We had heard President Tilghman initially propose the idea of utilizing Princeton human resources and capital resources to aid in the Sept. 11 disaster," said Maureen Monagle, class secretary. "We decided that our class has so many unique talents that we would love to get involved in the program she was talking about with the arts."

So class officers contacted Tom Dunne, assistant dean of undergraduate students, and Robert Durkee, vice president for public affairs and an overall coordinator of the four programs the University is funding (see related story on this page).

"We were really encouraged by the way the students responded," Durkee said. He and Dunne decided to work with the class as a means of reaching into the entire student body.

So far, most of the work has involved organizational tasks. The sophomore officers sent an e-mail to class members seeking volunteers for leadership positions in the effort. Within six hours, 75 students had responded. The officers have screened and interviewed candidates and selected people for the positions, as has the Performing Arts Council.

"The next thing is combining with the Performing Arts Council and mobilizing both groups to work together," said Monagle, who is serving as co-chair of the effort with a member of the Performing Arts Council. "It's a really short time frame."

The students will meet in January during reading period and are planning a kickoff event in early February on campus featuring two actors who have had lead roles in the Broadway production of "Les Miserables." The actors are expected to sing and talk about their experiences in the theater, as well as to give the students some pointers on gearing workshops for the age groups involved, she said. The students also will be meeting with representatives from HAI, the New York City nonprofit organization that is Princeton's partner in the project.

Monagle emphasized that all students are invited to participate and that they need not have extensive knowledge of the arts. "We're really encouraging everybody to get involved," she said. Jobs range from helping with logistics for the workshops to attending the events with the school children.

She believes the Arts Alive initiative is giving Princeton students a much needed outlet for responding to the tragedy.

"In the aftermath of Sept. 11, a lot of students wanted to help but there was not much we could do," Monagle said. "This is providing an opportunity for students to show their talents and interests and to get involved in helping New York City."