Rodman Arts for Kids program brings art to underserved children

In a struggling city, a compact, white van with the brightly colored logo emblazoned on its side announces to pedestrians and drivers alike that the Marilyn Rodman Arts for Kids program is about to arrive. The van is full of paint, paper, crayons, and other materials ordinarily found in a supply closet but that now rattle around in the portable classroom. Rachel Rodman MacDonald, a 2002 graduate of Canton High School, sits in the front seat, driving the supplies as well as the organization itself, in hopes of using art to help the students of Brockton.

Rachel picked up her art skills at the Art Institute of Boston and her dedication to aiding those in need from her grandparents, the venerable Marilyn and Don Rodman. When Don decided to create the Arts for Kids program, he sent Rachel to California to learn from established programs.

They initially looked to Boston for the program’s home, but the state capital already had resources flowing. Instead, they opted to focus on Brockton, a city with underserved students but fewer outsiders propping up enrichment programs.

In March 2010, Don founded the organization, with Rachel becoming its executive director and, thus far, its only administrative official. She is not alone, though, as she works with volunteers culled from nearby colleges and towns.

The young organization operates in five separate sites, including the Brockton Boys and Girls Club and the Brockton elementary schools. Rachel initiates the set-up, traveling to the site and establishing a presence.

The programs are open enrollment, with some kids opting to attend for consecutive weeks and others dropping in and out. The ideal number is ten students per site, allowing each participant to develop a relationship with the site volunteers, many of whom are signed up for six-month commitments.

Rachel and her team conduct lessons, oversee projects, and most importantly, serve as sounding boards for the youth. The volunteers are not merely distributing pens and pencils, but act as “artist mentors,” according to Rachel. The program, like its people, hopes to be indispensable to its participants, providing a constant in the kids’ otherwise turbulent lives. At the Arts for Kids program, no one is to be left behind.

While there have been many special moments throughout the past year, one particular incident stands out for the program’s creator. Arts for Kids works closely with children who have special needs and can go unnoticed. Often, special education students remain in one classroom all day, missing outside enrichment activities that other students attend.

Because of their intellectual disabilities, “people don’t always realize what they’re capable of,” said Rachel. One of her students at this site was particularly focused on the written titles of Disney films, even découpaging Toy Story. One day, though, Rachel drew a picture of Goofy and the boy followed along, copying every mark on the paper until he had created his very own picture of the character – the first time he had strayed from letters.

Rachel recalled the excitement of the moment, saying that “it showed even his teachers something that they had never seen before.”

For the Arts for Kids program, the goal is not the product, but the process. Rachel hopes to grow the organization by putting more volunteers into long-term placements, letting bigger groups of students join at a multitude of sites.

By getting kids involved with the arts, Rachel hopes to give an underserved population a little notice. She summed up her mission by saying, “we don’t want to lose sight of anybody.”

For more information on the Rodman Arts for Kids program, go to www.rodmanartsforkids.org.

Posted by Kelsey Oates on Feb 16 2011. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.