A Positive Outlook For Youth At Risk A Positive Outlook For Youth At Risk Of Dropping Out In The City Of Dropping Out In The City

==Murals A Salvation For The Murals A Salvation For The

Community Community Murals A Salvation For The Murals A Salvation For The

Community Community Murals A Salvation For The Murals A Salvation For The

Community Community

By: Jose CalzadaAdan Figueroa

Alex Pate

Dropout Rates State Of Dropout Rates State Of IL Vs. Chicago IL Vs. Chicago

On average, only 58% of students in America’s 50 largest cities make it to graduation.

The Graduation Rate for Chicago is 55.7%

The Graduation Rate for the rest of Illinois (suburbs) is 84.1%

Foreman High School in Chicago this past june graduated 49.57% of its initial graduation class of four years ago

Foreman High School Foreman High School Chicago’s 30th WardChicago’s 30th Ward

Alderman: Ariel E. Alderman: Ariel E. Reboyras Reboyras

On The Northwest Side On The Northwest Side Of Chicago,Located on Of Chicago,Located on Belmont & LeclaireBelmont & Leclaire

Predominant Latino & Predominant Latino & Polish Community.Polish Community.

Known For Its Basketball Known For Its Basketball Program and For Drop Program and For Drop OutsOuts

Gang Infested AreaGang Infested Area

Portrayed As A Bad Portrayed As A Bad SchoolSchool

Currently On ProbationCurrently On Probation

CHICAGO’S 30TH WARD

ALDERMAN: ARIEL E. REYBOYRAS

FOREMAN HIGH SCHOOL

The Impact Of Outside SourcesThe Impact Of Outside Sources

Outside Sources have portrayed Foreman as a school in which Blacks hate Latinos and in which racial tension and fights occurs often within the school, the reality is that the only problems of racial tension is within the gangs surrounding the school not the actual student body.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bg5FoiSNWo

No UnityNo UnityAfrican American kids that live on the south side African American kids that live on the south side cannot go to their local High Schools as they’re cannot go to their local High Schools as they’re overcrowded.overcrowded.

They’re pushed to the Northside where they have They’re pushed to the Northside where they have to conform to an environment which they to conform to an environment which they themselves are not used to.themselves are not used to.

They enter Foreman which is a school having the They enter Foreman which is a school having the majority of the population as Latinos and Polishmajority of the population as Latinos and Polish

Racial tension occurs which leads into gang Racial tension occurs which leads into gang involvement which later leads to many other involvement which later leads to many other problemsproblems

Limited Resources = Limited Resources = Finding Resources ElsewhereFinding Resources ElsewhereFinding Resources ElsewhereFinding Resources Elsewhere

As a result of schools not having funding As a result of schools not having funding the schools themselves cannot create the schools themselves cannot create programs which will cater to a students programs which will cater to a students wants/needs which will keep kids off the wants/needs which will keep kids off the streets and doing what they’re not streets and doing what they’re not supposed to do. As a result of not having supposed to do. As a result of not having something to do kids wander the streets something to do kids wander the streets and get into trouble which then leads to and get into trouble which then leads to expulsion and dropping out.expulsion and dropping out.

Kids after school have nothing to do Kids after school have nothing to do which interests them as programs don’t which interests them as programs don’t cater to their needs/wants so they find cater to their needs/wants so they find that interest in the streets of Chicago that interest in the streets of Chicago where they engage in gang activities with where they engage in gang activities with friends, fights, drugs, graffiti and many friends, fights, drugs, graffiti and many other problems which catches up with other problems which catches up with them in school and which leads to their them in school and which leads to their suspension, expulsion and dropping out. suspension, expulsion and dropping out.

TAGGERS

Dropout FactoryDropout FactoryForeman among Chicago Foreman among Chicago Public Schools and Public Schools and among Schools in Illinois is among Schools in Illinois is one of the leading one of the leading “dropout factories”.“dropout factories”.

Which causes kids to Which causes kids to dropout is that they’re not dropout is that they’re not motivated to come to motivated to come to school as they have school as they have nothing to look forward to nothing to look forward to so for the most part kids so for the most part kids either ditch classes or either ditch classes or don’t show up to school don’t show up to school at all.at all.

Research of the Benefits of Research of the Benefits of the Artsthe Arts

At a time when teachers are worried with standards and testing, some researchers suggest the arts can boost students’ test scores;

Several studies in a report suggested that training in the arts might be related to improvements in math or reading skills.

In some studies, a University of Oregon team, headed by psychologist Michael Posner concluded that the arts can train children’s attention, which in turn improves cognition. RESEARCH

Casa Aztlan: Pilsen

Murals a salvation for Murals a salvation for kids in the citykids in the city

PURPOSE:-We want to create a mural so that high school students have something which they can look forward to when they go to school.

-We want to use murals to promote unity within the high school and as a result kids will go to their classes and after school come to the after school mural program where they will work together to create a mural or several murals which they can identify with and can be proud of creating in their time as high school students.

-What we are hoping is that these same high school students after they graduate come back and help the future generation of students in continuing a tradition in school and continue to help future students become better academically which in turn will help create respect within the school and within the school’s community.

The Plan Behind The The Plan Behind The MuralMural

In order to create a mural fundraising will be doneIn order to create a mural fundraising will be done

A program will be created to cater to students A program will be created to cater to students artistic needs and provide a safe space for the artistic needs and provide a safe space for the students to come chill, listen to music, paint, eat students to come chill, listen to music, paint, eat and have fun.and have fun.

Will ask for volunteers from colleges (Art Majors) to Will ask for volunteers from colleges (Art Majors) to help the school community in creating several help the school community in creating several murals and in doing so unite the student body and murals and in doing so unite the student body and communitycommunity

Audience: Audience: We Plan To Target (Local Business We Plan To Target (Local Business Corporations, The Ward’s Alderman and the Corporations, The Ward’s Alderman and the Community where the school is to donate money, Community where the school is to donate money, food, supplies.) food, supplies.)

Ask for local corporations to donate supplies and Ask for local corporations to donate supplies and for local restaurants or bakeries to possibly donate for local restaurants or bakeries to possibly donate food so the students have something to eat after food so the students have something to eat after school school

Ask for alderman’s and community help in Ask for alderman’s and community help in fundraising/donating money (fundraising/donating money ($250$250) so that the ) so that the community can be united through creating the community can be united through creating the murals, through this the community gains respect.murals, through this the community gains respect.

Creating The MuralCreating The Mural

Pick a topic to addressPick a topic to address

Research for pictures on line Research for pictures on line

Compile picture which will go on to the muralCompile picture which will go on to the mural

Photoshop the picturesPhotoshop the pictures

Project the image on to the canvasProject the image on to the canvas

Trace the images on the canvasTrace the images on the canvas

Paint the canvasPaint the canvas

TOPIC EXAMPLE: GANG VIOLENCE/ VIOLENCE

1-RESEARCH FOR PICTURES ONLINE TO PUT ON CANVAS

2-PHOTOSHOP PICTURES INTO ONE IMAGE

3-PROJECT IMAGE ON AN EMPTY CANVAS AND TRACE THE IMAGES INTO IT

THE CANVAS (INITIAL THE CANVAS (INITIAL STAGE)STAGE)

NEXT PROCESS IS ADDING THE PAINT

12

3

START ADDING PAINT TO THE START ADDING PAINT TO THE CANVASCANVAS

12 3

4

56 7

89

12

3

45

FOCUS WAS MORE ON THE COLOR SHADE

6

DETAILS

FINAL STAGES

1 2

3 45

6 7

The Final ProductThe Final Product

United School & United School & CommunityCommunity

Throughout having created Throughout having created the mural we will create unity the mural we will create unity within the many different within the many different minorities of the school, by the minorities of the school, by the creation of the mural we will creation of the mural we will help motivate kids into help motivate kids into becoming better students becoming better students academically and through this academically and through this help promote respect within help promote respect within the community and student the community and student body which will be something body which will be something the school and the school and district/community can be district/community can be proud of. =) proud of. =)