Ascension Youth Arts Program

The Ascension Youth Arts Program (YAP) is an integrated arts initiative for the children of Church of the Ascension that combines religious education with music and theater arts. The Ascension Youth Arts Program seeks to foster the love of God through music and theater and provide content which nourishes the intellect as well as the heart so that children's musical abilities and faith can flourish.  YAP fulfills its mission via two primary programs, Youth Choir and Youth Players, during the academic calendar. The arts are an essential part of the human experience and are especially important in a child's development. Exposure to the arts helps children increase academic skills, but more importantly, sustained participation in arts programs helps develop discipline, perseverance, reasoning skills and imagination.

Youth Choir:  Directed by Maybelle Kagy, a veteran music educator, the Youth Choir seeks to foster the love of God through music. As a member of the choir, children will, through the Kodaly Method, learn basic musical skills in rhythmic notation and sight singing, and apply these skills to songs and hymns from the Hymnal 1982. Music education has been shown to increase academic scores in subjects, such as math, while also encouraging collaboration and self-esteem.

Youth Players: Directed by Shellie Williams, an arts professional, grew up in the community theater and has performed in musical productions in South Carolina, Michigan, Florida and Maryland. The Youth Players will use drama as a method for teaching children about the Episcopal Church and biblical stories. Drama workshops provide children with a safe environment in which to explore and question liturgy, ritual and Biblical history. The Youth Players will undertake one to two dramatic workshops and performance a year including a Christmas performance. In addition to its religious education aspects, drama workshops also help children with literacy skills, increased self confidence, presentation, listening and observational skills.