Show Some Respect/Anti-Teasing and Bullying Program
This project also has a Changeshop where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Changeshop: Show Some Respect/Anti-Teasing & Bullying Program.
We provide diverse audiences with original, dynamic, participatory theatrical programming that creates a more civil, safe society.
About You
About You
First Name
Bethany
Last Name
Jorgensen
Twitter URL
https://twitter.com/#!/ImaginationThtr
About Your Organization
Organization Name
Imagination Theater
Organization Website
Organization Country
United States, IL, Chicago, Cook County
Country where this project is creating social impact
United States, IL, Chicago, Cook County
Is your organization a
Non‐profit / NGO / Citizen sector organization
Your role in Education
Other.
The type of school(s) your solution is affiliated with
Public (tuition-free)
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
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Innovation
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
How long has your solution been in operation?
Operating for more than 5 years
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
As budgets are cut within underfunded Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the pressure increases to meet standardized test scores, class time is increased and valuable opportunities for structured group interactions – such as arts programs and recess – are eliminated. Students spend more hours receiving lecture-style classroom instruction instead of learning together as a group. Outside of school, many youth face a world void of parental guidance and full of violence. (Since 2008, more than 600 young people in Chicago have died from violence or abuse.) For many students in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, school is the one safe place where they may practice and develop empathy through healthy group activities and play.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Theater exercises empathy by improving self-esteem and building many of the teamwork skills necessary to create a peaceful world. Actors “try on” others’ lives in a non-competitive, collaborative environment. Imagination Theater (IT) seeks to expand its program, Show Some Respect, by incorporating scenarios developed with CPS students. IT will visit 2nd, 5th, & 8th grade classrooms in funded CPS schools. In these workshops, students will play theater games to create a supportive group context. Within this safe, theatrical space, they will then improvise their real life stories of conflict, and with the guidance of IT’s professional actors, students will discover and practice empathetic solutions. Later, IT will return to the schools and perform the scenes in 3 age appropriate shows: K-2, 3-5, 6-8. This will allow all students to become involved “spect-ACTors,” influencing the action on stage, with the chance to problem-solve in a safe, cooperative setting.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
Recently, we performed a scene near the end of one of our shows in which an actor tries to convince volunteers from the audience to set up a fake e-mail account, which will trick a "nerd" into thinking he has a chance at dating a popular girl, inevitably leading to public embarrassment. That day, a courageous girl stepped forward. Not only was she not going to participate, but she didn't think the others should either. She said, “Because I have been bullied before, and I would never want anyone to feel the way I felt!” After she spoke up, the entire audience erupted into applause! The principal later told us this girl had transferred schools as a result of bullying. The school's staff was so pleased that our show had not only empowered her to stand up against bullying but to find a voice to encourage others to do the same.
Our work yields stories like this all the time. Although we constantly update our shows with stories we hear about and research, we believe that if students are aware the stories are directly from their peers, they will have a greater empathy for the action on stage and bigger investment in finding a peaceful solution.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Other theaters in Chicago offer anti-bullying programs. However, their shows do not offer our depth of interaction (allowing students to practice skills on stage) nor do they offer workshops and residencies as we do. We have learned over our 46 years of experience that students learn more by doing rather than just observing. They also become more engaged as they see their peers on stage practicing healthy, problem-solving skills. Nevertheless, schools have limited funds for programs such as ours, and Chicago has a thriving arts community. When foundation support is not available to us, we constantly seek ways to publicize our unique experiential learning programs and effectively compete for those limited funds.
Now that you have thought out your entry, help us pitch it.
Define your company, program, service, or product in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
We provide diverse audiences with original, dynamic, participatory theatrical programming that creates a more civil, safe society.
Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences [136 characters]
IT brings students’ stories to life allowing them to practice empathy in a safe, theatrical setting.
Social Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Each year, IT reaches approximately 60,000 students throughout Illinois. All schools receive feedback forms to be completed by teachers and administrators. The overwhelming majority of those returned express complete satisfaction with our programming. The No Secrets/Children’s Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (CSAPP) is the only show which has been studied by an independent evaluator, who found that 89% of students who participated in the program correctly distinguished the program’s objectives on a post-show questionnaire. CSAPP’s evaluation continues as does our efforts to expand more objective evaluations of our other programs. As foundational support for our programming grows, so will our resources to gather data on program outcomes.
What is your projected impact over the next 1-3 years?
Prior to the 2010-11 school year, we annually reached approximately 80,000 students. Last school year, we saw a drastic reduction in schools able to book our programs. This was due to state budget cuts which adversely affected schools’ budgets. In 2010-11, we reached only 50,000 audience members. We are looking at this as an opportunity and incentive to generate more grant income, which can provide free programming to students such as those in underfunded Chicago Public Schools. Over the next 1-3 years, we seek to reach at least 50,000 students a year with a greater percentage of those being at-risk youth who receive free programming through foundation support.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Rewrite IT's Show Some Respect script using real-world scenarios identified by real students.
Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your six-month milestone
Task 1
Identify schools appropriate for participation in the workshops and script development.
Task 2
Complete the workshops in participating schools and classrooms.
Task 3
Rewrite the Show Some Respect script to include scenarios described within the classroom workshops.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Offer all schools a menu of scenes which help students better identify the real-world applications of the empathy skills.
Identify three major tasks you will have to complete to reach your 12-month milestone
Task 1
Rehearse the new Show Some Respect script
Task 2
Perform the new script at participating schools.
Task 3
Using feedback from participating schools, refine it the show, and offer it to other schools.
Founding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world [125 words]
In 1966 Eunice Joffee founded Imagination Theater. She believed that the creative arts are essential to the full development of the individual. Her ensemble offered their shows in schools and malls allowing children the opportunity to learn through play. In 1969, she was asked to work with a group of disabled children and adults. Through this work, her vision became complete: that all people have the ability to express themselves creatively, and that theater has a unique and important capacity to communicate to all people, regardless of age or perceived ability. She then began expanding IT’s work into deeper social issues. Today IT’s artistic staff maintains her vision by constantly evolving our programming to address the most difficult social issues facing our audiences.
Sustainability
Tell us about your partnerships
Throughout its long history, IT has partnered with many non-profit social service organizations. In support of its Show Some Respect/Anti-Teasing and Bullying Program, IT is partnered with Communities in Schools of Chicago (CISC,) an education advocacy organization that equips the Chicago Public Schools with the necessary resources to ensure a successful educational experience. CISC will help IT identify schools in which to institute the program. In addition, IT currently partners with 3 organizations to support CSAPP: Rape Victim Advocates, Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center, and CISC.
What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section? [75 words]
Executive Artistic Director, Steve Leaver, has developed programs with IT for over 12 years. In addition, IT’s ensemble of 14 teaching artists are skilled and experienced at facilitating exploration of social skills through theater and theatrical workshops. Once the new scenes are developed, IT’s Marketing Director will promote the new menu of scenes, while the Development Coordinator continues to seek financial support for schools in need.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We are one of the oldest theater companies in Chicago. Yet, because we do not perform publicly, we are one of the least well known outside of the educational community. Wider recognition would certainly help create more possibilities for revenue. We welcome your suggestions for other avenues to explore for support of our work.
