Our pilot program, From The Block Out The Box, launched its first season as an 8-week after school song-writing workshop at South Bronx Prep. that culminated in two performances for the school. Four New York City based performing emcees guided 20 sixth and seventh graders through the creative and technical process of songwriting. Working in teams, the mentors collaborated with students to create an original song and each team performed their work in front of their peers at South Bronx Prep.
Our student-emcees learned song-structure, delivery, and performance. Students wrote songs around the theme of change…change in their lives as they begin adolescence, change that they would like to see in the music they listen to, and change that they hope will come to the neighborhoods and communities where they live.
In the fall of 2006, Urban Art Beat expanded the Hip-Hip workshops to include high school students. The impact of From The Block Out The Box Season 1 was so profound that Season 2 drew more students on both school levels and our mentor base tripled.
The second season focused on the theme of choices and their rewards and/or consequences. In the third season the theme was storytelling. We studied different songwriters and their storytelling techniques. We also focused more on literary devices, supplementing and connecting their lessons in English and Social Studies class with our program.
Thanks to some generous donations and minimal fundraising, we were able to build a recording booth in the school, and in June we released our first CD with original material, ranging from R&B, to Reggaeton and Hip-Hop.
Urban Art Beat programs at South Bronx Preparatory have left a lasting and positive mark on the school’s culture, as seen in our 80% retention rate. Many of our first season participants have served as “junior mentors” to newer participants. In some cases, students have inspired their siblings who also attend South Bronx Prep. to join Urban Art Beat resulting in a rich exchange of creativity and support for each other. This spring, we proudly enter our 5th season of From The Block Out The Box with plans to expand our program in both scope and size.
