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The
Florida Special Arts Center integrates "the arts"
with "education" by creating programs that promote
the performing and visual arts. Its programs foster the
creative expression for persons with developmental disabilities. Through
its programs, the Florida Special Arts Center trains and facilitates
internships with persons or companies interested in working
with the developmentally disabled populations, with a focus
on vocational opportunities in the fields of performing and
visual arts.
Here
are the primary programs of the Florida Special Arts Center:
The
Special Needs Color Guard of America Program. The Special
Needs Color Guard of America (formerly known as the Florida
Special Needs Color Guard) is America's first special needs
Color Guard & Dance Program.
It
is the only special needs color guard in the world invited
to perform in the 2006 and the 2008 Macy’s Thanksgiving
Day Parade in New York City and annually in exhibition at
Winter Guard International World Championships at the
University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. This group
is comprised of approximately twenty-five participants with
developmental disabilities as well as ten non-disabled age peer
participants. The participants work together with flags,
rifles, sabers, and various dance routines to create a moving,
beautiful, musical performance. The motto of the Special
Needs Color Guard of America is to continue to "Bridge
the Gap" between the general and special populations
by showing the world how unique, capable and talented their
very special color guard is. Their goal is to continue
to perform in exhibition for the South Florida Winter Guard
Association (SFWGA) during winter guard season,
to perform at Winter Guard International Regionals throughout
Florida, and to perform at many other venues across the country. Making
society aware of the outstanding abilities rather than
focusing on the disabilities of the special population is
their main purpose. Volunteer opportunities are plentiful
for high school students. At present, the coaches and volunteers
work diligently with the color guard's director to choreograph
creative performances which give consideration to each member’s
abilities and limitations. Volunteers receive high school
volunteer service hours for their efforts, and relationships
develop as a natural outcome between the non-disabled volunteers
and the special color guard members. Through our aggressive
fundraising efforts, we are able to offer our student coaches
part time positions as they continue their college educations. Many
of our non-disabled participants are following career paths
in areas of human services, such as Occupational Therapy, Physical
Therapy, Social Work, Dance Therapy, and Special Education,
to name a few. This is due to their involvement with our
very special participants and ultimately they are filling a
void in areas where these professionals are needed. Some
participants have chosen special arts as a college and career
choice as a result of their experiences with the color guard
organization. We continue to strive to help our very special
children and young adults fulfill their dreams and to live up
to their own individual potential.
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The
Applause Program: The Applause Program
is a musical and performing arts program.
The
Applause Program includes the following activities:
- Solo
or small group “vocal” choral instructions.
- Showcasing
and performance by choral groups.
- Small
and large drama groups including instructions and
performances.
- The
encouragement of including participants within mainstream
drama experiences in local theater productions and
incorporating when necessary, the use of “shadows”.
- The
encouragement of including participants within mainstream
youth symphonies and orchestras including the use
of “shadows” when necessary.
- The
showcasing of talents through variety shows.
- Solo
and small group dance instructions inclusive of the
various forms of dance.
- The
showcasing of dance participants within center productions
or mainstream dance events.
- The
encouragement of “Applause” participants
in soloist competitions such as the National Young
Soloist Program.
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The
Expressions Program:
The Expressions Program
is a visual arts program which includes the following
activities:
- Solo
or small group musical instrument instruction utilizing
instruments which have been specifically adapted to
enable the disabled individual to play notwithstanding
his or her particular physical and/or mental limitation.
- Solo
or ensemble performances and the showcasing of participants.
- The
creation of an adaptive orchestra utilizing groups
of persons with physical and/or mental disabilities
playing adaptive musical instruments, such as colored
hand-bells, and other such instruments that are within
the physical and/or mental capabilities of the individual
participants.
- Ceramics
- Oil,
water-color and mixed media painting
- Crafts,
using a multi-sensory approach
- Community
exhibitions
- The
incorporation of visual arts with possible vocational
outcomes such as computer assisted design and graphic
arts and computer photography and illustration. Participants
demonstrating particular skills will be encouraged
to pursue vocational interests, which capitalize on
visual arts skills.
- Pen
and ink drawing
- Sculpting
- Photography
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The
Apprentice Program:
The Apprentice Program
offers an opportunity for persons interested in working
with individuals with developmental disabilities to work
with the Florida Special Arts Center as well as an opportunity
for professionals who already work with persons with developmental
disabilities to seek employment opportunities.
The
Apprentice Program includes the following:
- College
and Paraprofessional Internships.
- Internships
for Music Therapists, Art Therapists, Physical Therapists,
Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Professionals
and other professionals who work with persons with
developmental disabilities.
- Volunteers
including high school and college students for service
credits magnet school arts participants, teachers,
parents, professionals, artists, retiree’s and
other special guests.
- Seminar
opportunities for the skill development, leadership
development, and the sharing of experiences among
participants of the “Apprentice” program.
- A
“Mentor and Artist in Residence” programs
involving local universities, professional organizations
and philharmonic orchestras in an effort to teach
and inspire and serve as role models for the developmentally
disabled participants.
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Television
Production and Editing Program:
The Florida Special Arts Center is privileged to have the
opportunity to explore the many aspects of the video arts
with a world renowned videographer, Wolfgang Busch.
This
innovative program allows participants to learn a highly
valuable skill. The first project under this program, which
has just been completed as of October, 2007, is a made-for-television
documentary which highlights the events of the Florida Special
Needs Color Guard's journey to New York City to perform
in the 80th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,
as well as their 2007 performance at Winter Guard International
World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. In addition, this
documentary is a superb arts in education project. Subsequent
projects will include the production of cable network programming,
which will be conceived and produced by the participants
of the Florida Special Arts Center under the direction of
Wolfgang Busch.
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Sparks
of Genius Program: The Sparks
of Genius Program is a wonderful computer based cognitive
training program and is presently being designed and field
tested for the participants of the Florida Special Arts
Center by Dr. Rohn and Nina Kessler and Dr. Amy Price
in their Boca Raton offices and in the homes of our participants.
This
state-of-the-art technology has shown astounding results
that transcend beyond the day-to-day persisting life problems
of the developmentally disabled, such as family, work,
school, leisure activities and life skills. In addition
to using cutting edge technology, the Sparks of Genius
Program focuses on igniting and celebrating the creative
potential -- that “Sparks of Genius” within
each individual. Outcomes from participation in programs
under the auspices of the “Sparks of Genius”
program include, but are not limited to:
- Memory
enhancement
- The
development of listening and thinking skills
- Enhanced
impuslivity control
- Improvement
in processing
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The
Micro-Enterprising Program:
The Micro-Enterprising Program is an innovate project
to encourage participants to develop business skills.
The notion that developmentally disabled young adults may,
with guidance, create and sustain businesses for themselves
was virtually non-existent until recently.
The
Florida Special Arts Center staff provide oversight to the
evaluation and assessment of our special participants' unique
strengths and interests. This provides a basis of support
for those micro-enterprising individuals with developmental
disabilities. When applicable, our participants are
encouraged to utilize community resources such as the State
of Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Work Force
One, The Agency for Persons with Disabilities, special programs
under the auspices of Broward Community College, etc., for
evaluations, supplemental training and funding. While
still in the early stages, the initial participants in the
Micro-Enterprising Program have shown entrepreneurial business
successes that have met or exceed the business efforts of
their non-disabled age peers.
For
more information about our programs, please contact
us.
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© 2008 The
Florida Special Arts Center, Inc. All Rights Reserved - (954) 721-1020
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The
Florida Special Arts Center, Inc., is a Florida Non-Profit
501(c)(3) Corporation.
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