Connecting Kids and Culture

A cultural learning experience connecting kids, culture, and the community

Program Overview

Connecting Kids and Culture is a new initiative developed to provide culturally enriching educational opportunities for elementary students and is made possible by contributions from the 2007 Principal Charity Classic earmarked "FORE Our Kids."

The Principal Charity Classic contributions to the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation and Bravo Greater Des Moines (Bravo) combined with financial support from a gift made by Kenneth P. & Helen I. MacDonald through the Community Foundation will fund the Connecting Kids and Culture program.

The Connecting Kids and Culture program will provide transportation for elementary students to educational experiences outside the classroom. In addition to transportation funding, this program will directly align community based arts and cultural learning experiences to school district curriculum objectives and provide opportunities for educators to bring local arts and cultural experiences into their schools.

Allocations from the Connecting Kids and Culture Fund will be awarded to private, parochial and public elementary schools and school districts in Polk and Dallas counties in order to meet the overall goal that every K - 5 student in these counties experience local arts and cultural programming a minimum of one additional time per school year.

Professional development opportunities will be designed for educators relating to arts and cultural experiences and a website www.connectingkidsandculture.org will provide information on curriculum connections, funding and transportation.

Program Features

Connecting Kids and Culture will eliminate two major barriers to students experiencing arts and cultural education programming. The program will:

Directly link community-based arts and cultural experiential learning to K - 5 curriculum standards for students in Polk and Dallas Counties, and

Fund transportation and in classroom arts and cultural learning experiences.

Every eligible school or school district will receive funding based on $90 for every 28 students for:

Transportation to and from a Greater Des Moines community based arts and/or cultural field experience, and/or

Costs to bring a community-based nonprofit arts and cultural experience into the classroom.

Connecting Kids and Culture program funding will be available beginning January 2008. Aligned curriculum for field experiences will be available on the website beginning February 2008. The website www.connectingkidsandculture.org is being designed to provide information on how cultural organization field experience opportunities match with school district curriculum objectives, how to access funding, and transportation contact information.

Eligibility & Requirements

School districts and private schools serving students in K – 5 in Dallas & Polk counties are eligible for the funding from the Connecting Kids and Culture Fund administered by the Community Foundation. This learning experience can take place in the classroom or at a Greater Des Moines community-based arts and/or cultural venue. For purposes of this funding, the definition of an arts and cultural organization is that their primary purpose is for the education, enlightenment and entertainment of the public through the production, presentation, exhibition, advancement or preservation of art, science, music, theater, dance, zoology, botany, natural history, or cultural history.

In order to participate in the Connecting Kids and Culture program, schools and school districts must agree to the following:

Sign a grant agreement with the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation, that the funds will be used to carry out the objective of the program that every K - 5 student in Polk and Dallas counties will experience local arts and cultural programming a minimum of one additional time in 2008.

Maintain accurate financial records, supporting documents and statistical records that are pertinent to the funds received and submit a status and final report on the use of funding to the Community Foundation.

For more information regarding Connecting Kids and Culture, contact Dan Raedeker or Leisha Barcus at the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation at 515.883.2626.