Los Angeles, CA — December 11, 2012

CMH Global Arts After School wrapped up our second semester program (pilot semester was Spring 2012; mini program Summer 2012) at the Watts/Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club.  The afternoon featured our accomplished global citizens with the end of program final exhibit showcasing the talented students’ best work, highlighting the photo exchange with our Haiti partners, and celebrating all their hard work with a pizza reception and gallery viewing for friends and family.  We could not be more proud of the amazing work the students created this semester and are inspired by their development as artists and global citizens connecting to the world through their creative expression.  We are thrilled with the progress of the program and love that we get to share the growth of the classes and students with all of you!   This semester the CMH Global Arts After School program also expanded to two new sites partnering up with After School All Stars… check in soon to see a recap on that final exhibit and the new ideas our wonderful Global Arts After School Partners continue to bring to the table!

Last week Children Mending Hearts partnered with CoachArt to provide a week full of Global Citizenship and Photography fun!

Coach Art is an organization that provides free arts and athletic classes to chronically ill children and their siblings!

Our group of campers, ages 11-13, at Camp CoachArt was one of the best bunch of photography students that Children Mending Hearts has ever had!  Our week began with lots of fun photography exercises that helped the group get comfortable with photographing each other and being photographed! We then progressed into concepts such as lighting and digital editing.  All the students worked on our Microsoft laptops as they learned how to manipulate their images and ultimately selected their top two favorite photographs to be printed for the final showcase.  On the last day of class LA Times Photojournalist Kirk McKoy joined us to share personal stories about what led him to the field of photojournalism and what he has experienced as photographer.  The children were amazed by the places McKoy has been and the people he’s had the opportunity to meet as a professional photographer!  Camp ended with a wonderful “Closing Ceremony” where the students’ photographs were on display for parents and friends to view.

Children Mending Hearts is so grateful to our wonderful Camp CoachArt kids for being amazing Global Citizens and Photographers!

www.coachart.org

On Friday July 13^th 2012 Children Mending Hearts launched our summer programming with the Watts/Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club.  This summer, Children Mending Hearts will be providing our Global Arts Photography course to over 200 students.  Last Friday we introduced the basic functions of our classroom equipment along with the importance of Global Citizenry!  Students energetically explored the campus with their cameras, capturing candid photographs of their fellow club members.  After getting creative behind the lens, students they returned to the classroom and learned the step-by-step process of uploading and saving digital photographs to the laptop computers that were provided by our wonderful partners MICROSOFT! Thank you Microsoft!

Not only were the children beyond excited to have cameras and computers at hand, they were also very engaged in conversations about Global Citizenry and Haiti. It was a wonderful start to what we know will be a fantastic Summer!

A student gets his first chance to play around with a camera.

The students made a poster that was hanging in the classroom to welcome CMH for the first day of Summer Session. “Mending Hearts Friday” in honor of CMH’s presence every Friday at the Boys & Girls Club.

Hannah shows students how to upload their pictures to the Microsoft laptops.

Excited students ready for class!

These girls got creative with their first photo assignment scavenger hunt. How to capture the representation of love in an image? Create a heart shape with you hands:)

Thank you to our amazing sponsor MICROSOFT for the donation of laptops and photo editing software to use in class every week!