Getting elementary children more involved in the arts at school is already becoming a reality thanks to funding for in-kind services through the “Any Given Child” program made possible by the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts.

The program, however, also takes getting family involved by making their students excited about the arts. A new program titled “Grandmothers’ Advocacy Program” hopes to do that by giving children encouragement from home. The program is for elementary grades in the Meridian Public School District.

Grandmothers of students in this age group will have an opportunity to ask questions and get more information about the program at a tea scheduled at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the MSU-Riley Center, Room 3A. 

“This is a great opportunity to bring more of the arts into our curriculum,” said Anne McKee, who serves as the liaison between the grandmothers and the schools. “We need to bring grandparents onboard. Someone has to get the children interested and many students are being raised by grandparents today and I realized we had to do something to include them.”

McKee said she is hopeful if the elementary program goes well it can be introduced to middle school students in the future.

“These children will have an opportunity they’ve never had,” McKee said. “We want any grandmother of any elementary age student to please come, (to the tea.)”

McKee credits Charlotte Tabereaux, education director for the MSU-Riley Center for Education & Performing Arts, for this opportunity. Tabereaux was instrumental in obtaining the funding to implement the program in the schools.

“We have obtained funding for the ‘Any Given Child,’ program for two years and we are beginning to fund year three,” Tabereaux said. “This is an informational meeting and we have invited through the churches and every school and hopefully we’ll have as many as 20 grandparents there.”

Although the program focuses on getting grandmothers involved, Tabereaux said no interested grandparent will be turned away.

The program will fund art education in the schools and enable students to take field trips with no cost to them and transportation will be free on school buses.

“We know this is special and want them to know this is of no cost as we’re paying for tickets and for them to have a big arts experience through field trips,” Tabereaux said.

In addition to funding through the Kennedy Center, the community raises additional money and those contributing enjoy doing so to see the arts stay in schools to enrich the lives of these young people, she said. Tabereaux is planning to talk soon to the Lauderdale County School District board members and whoever is appointed the new superintendent to hopefully get them into the program.

Some of the field trips already planned for the 2018-2019 school year are:

• Kindergarten students will attend a performance of, “Aladdin,” at the Meridian Little Theatre.

• Second graders will visit the Jimmie Rogers Museum and Railroad Museum.

• Third graders will visit the Meridian Museum of Art.

• Fourth graders will visit the recently opened Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience.

• Fifth graders will attend a performance at the Riley Center.

Members of the Meridian community with a collaboration including Mississippi State, local educators and the Kennedy Center are all part of the Any Given Child program. The program enhances the quality of arts programs, creates equal opportunities for students in the Meridian Public School District and provides training for teachers to integrate the arts throughout all subjects and grade levels. Arts are essential elements for a complete education and helps students succeed in school, succeed in work and succeed in life. The goal of the program is to touch every child in their school experiences with the arts across many different forms-dance, music, theater and visual arts.

To be part of the Any Given Child program call Clair Huff, Meridian Public Schools coordinator at (601) 484-5557.