I was looking back at past students works from 1999 – 2006, at Santa Fe Community College. I was a drawing, painting and art history adjunct instructor and helped co-found, write grants and was the project director of the summer series program, Make Your Mark, that offered Visual and Performing Arts program college credit to high school students. We received a yearly $15,000 grant from the NEA and NMArts program.

Stefany Burrows, Drama Instructor at Santa Fe Community College who is shown with her students when we were shooting a video of the program’s successful participants.

Students received the benefit of attending a college program and who were mentored and had access to the arts faculty. The Arts Faculty were local national and international exhibited artists.

The funding was cut because it was not supported by the administration at the time and the reason given was that the grant money was too small to administer. The Program had 296 students with 60 % of those students continuing on to college and graduating high school. Considering the statistics of drop out rate among high school students this program showed students that there were options for their interests and talents. Students took courses in jewelry making, drawing, painting, ceramics, drama, music and dance.

Promoting the arts and Showing that Arts program that are subsidized create jobs and careers to students. Plus it gives them the benefit of use visual conceptual skills, connects them to creating objects, sharpening skills which opens other doors by instilling confidence that they can contribute and become productive.

Since 2005 there had been exemplary program for high school student with a performing and visual charter high school opening in Santa Fe. The Make Your Mark program was an idea that began to stimulate the notion that there needed to be an investment in high school student talents and interests.

We will have DVD’s and digital downloads available on the Born to Draw website for those interested in seeing specifics about the program. I encourage all to look into grants that maybe available to help your programs.

If you have questions about the program please feel free to contact me through the website. Contact here!

It was through this program and others that I based the book series, Born to Draw, on helping parents, teachers and students,to teach and learn to draw and paint. I hope you take time to check out the book just click on the badge at the top of the page.