PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Through its Urban Arts Program, COCA provides hands-on multidisciplinary arts instruction to at-risk children afterschool, in the summer, and integrated into the academic curriculum at Jefferson School. The classes are taught by artist/instructors who serve as mentors and role models, teach the students the value of the arts, and help build talent. The curriculum includes introduction to dance, African dance, vocal music, African drumming, storytelling, creative drama, cirucs arts, and visual arts. PROJECT OUTCOMES: COCA has served a total of 673 children in afterschool and summer programs at Jefferson Elementary School. More than 95 percent of the children attended class regularly. Culminating performances were held to showcase the learned skills. The administration at Jefferson School believes that COCA's programs are helping to build parent participation, which has risen to one of the highest percentages in the district (80 percent of the parents participated in parent conferences last year). During the project period, COCA has made great strides in communicating with the staff and principal of Jefferson School to address the problems of at-risk children. View Photo Gallery Back to YouthARTS Grantees   CONTACT: Shawna Flanigan Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA) Urban Arts Program 524 Trinity Avenue St. Louis, MO 63130 T: 314.725.6555 http://www.cocastl.org/