Partnership allows S.C. summer camps to engage with the arts

Florence County students paint landscapes thanks to the Ignite program.
Students in summer camps across South Carolina are engaging with the arts thanks to a partnership between the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance.
These arts experiences, offered through the Governor’s School’s Ignite program, are designed to “fire up a passion for the arts” and encourage students to think like artists.

Paper weaving in Clarendon County.
In the Ignite program, students participate in a variety of hands-on music and visual arts activities, ranging from beat-making using simple music production software to paper weaving and bookmaking. Teaching artists guide them as they explore capacities, processes, questions, and themes through multiple art forms.
“Through this partnership with the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance, we are able to bring arts experiences to thousands of students attending these essential summer programs that keep students engaged in learning beyond the school year,” said Carol Baker, director of outreach at the Governor’s School.
“We are confident Ignite will enrich children’s lives and spark their creativity through this unique arts programming this summer, which is what the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance is all about,” said Zelda Waymer, president and CEO of SCAA. “We’re proud to support it and look forward to witnessing the impact it will have for many South Carolina students.”
Through the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance’s vast network, students in Charleston, Chester, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, Hampton, Horry, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Richland, and Spartanburg County will have to opportunity to participate in the Ignite program.
About the S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities
Located in Greenville, the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities cultivates young artists from across the state through pre-professional training in the areas of creative writing, dance, drama, music and visual arts. In the public, residential high school, students refine their talents in an arts-centered community while receiving a nationally recognized academic education. Summer programs are available to rising 7th-12th grade students. The Governor’s School serves as a resource to all teachers and students in South Carolina, offering comprehensive outreach programs designed to bring together artists, educators, community organizations and schools. SCGSAH.org
About the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance
South Carolina Afterschool Alliance (SCAA) is a partnership among state government agencies, municipal leaders, foundations, higher education, business leaders, the arts community, local school districts, after school program providers and other critical stakeholders joining together to form a supportive statewide network for after-school and summer learning programs. SCAA works with its partners to raise awareness, increase sustainability, and promote the importance of quality afterschool programs. For more information, please visit http://scafterschool.com/. To learn how your program or summer camp can join the S.C. Afterschool Alliance network, visit http://www.scafterschool.com/join-today.