KRAVIS CENTER Spotlights Outstanding Teacher from Lantana Elementary School and Student from Jupiter

April 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Kravis Center for the Performing Arts Spotlights Outstanding Local Teacher and Student for April 2013



Denise Sasiain, Afterschool Program Director at Lantana Elementary School & Patricia Kelly, Sophomore at Dreyfoos School of the Arts



Kravis Center Education Programs are Supported by Annual Palm Beach Wine Auction





(West Palm Beach, FL – April 25, 2013)  Tracy C. Butler, Director of Education for the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, today announced the Center’s Outstanding Local Teacher and Student for the month of April: Denise Sasiain, Afterschool Program Director at Lantana Elementary School, and Patricia Kelly, a sophomore at Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.



Denise Sasiain

Ms. Sasiain has been involved in Kravis Education programming for many years, and is committed to making live performance experiences available to her afterschool youth every year. During the 2012-2013 season, she participated in the Kravis Center’s new Afterschool Family Engagement program in connection with the Kravis On Broadway production of Mary Poppins.  



“With a full orchestra providing live music for all of the song and dance numbers; the lighting, the sets, the costumes and the meaningful storyline—this was an unforgettable experience for all of us,” said Ms. Sasiain, who lives n Palm Beach Gardens and has been Afterschool Program Director at Lantana Elementary School for the last 11 years.



Being named Outstanding Teacher for April assures Ms. Sasiain that she is “on the right track in exposing the children of Lantana Elementary to the wonderfully rich worlds of music and theater.  I hope this helps to open the doors of the Kravis Center to many more young people and to families who cannot afford to take their children to such events.”



“We were thrilled by the participation of the Lantana Elementary Afterschool program youth and their families for our inaugural season of the Afterschool Family Engagement program with support from Prime Time Palm Beach County,” said Ms. Butler.  “Ms. Sasiain is truly dedicated to making sure that her youth and their families have access to engaging and entertaining performing arts experiences.  She sees how the performing arts inspire and educate her students in a truly unique way.”



Patricia Kelly

A sophomore visual arts major at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Patricia Kelly hopes to study architecture or environmental design after graduation.  The daughter of Tania Kelly and the late Michael Kelly, Patricia lives in Jupiter and served as a Mentor for the Kravis Center’s 2013 Spring Residency Program, an urban arts intensive for local elementary and middle school students interested in dance, music, poetry and visual arts.



“Working with such creative children was a very rewarding experience,” said Ms. Kelly. “I was amazed at the students' energy and what they accomplished in such a short period of time.”



Tricia Halverson, one of the Kravis Center’s Afterschool Residency Teaching Artists had this to say about the Dreyfoos sophomore: “Patricia was incredibly attentive to my students and to me. She shared her artistic talents and was able to guide youth through their own process as opposed to 'doing it for them'. She was able to connect with one student in particular who struggled at times. Through this connection the student was able to feel successful. You can tell that Patricia truly cared about the work we were doing and the students as individuals.”



Kravis Center Education

“After 20 productive years of Kravis Center arts educational programming, we are proud to spotlight the motivated teachers and dedicated students who have contributed to our success,” said Ms. Butler. “Our Outstanding Teacher and Student of the month will each receive two free tickets to an upcoming performance of their choice at the Kravis Center.”



“A key component of the Kravis Center’s mission is to offer comprehensive education programs,” she added. “The Center is committed to supporting and sustaining high quality, accessible and affordable educational programs for children and adults of our community.”  



Note:  The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts Education Programs are Bringing the Arts to the Next Generation & the Next Generation to the Arts. These Education Programs are supported in part by the Annual Palm Beach Wine Auction.



About the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts:

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is a not-for-profit performing arts center whose mission is to enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach County by presenting a diverse schedule of national and international artists and companies of the highest quality; by offering comprehensive arts education programs; by providing a Palm Beach County home in which local and regional arts organizations can showcase their work; and by providing economic catalyst and community leadership in West Palm Beach, supporting efforts to increase travel and tourism to Palm Beach County.



The Kravis Center is located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, FL.  For more information, please call 561-832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.



Available for Interview:

Tracy Butler

561.651.4243  /  butler@kravis.org



Attached Jpeg Below:

Lantana Elementary Afterschool Program Director Denise Sasiain with student Willow Barnett at the Kravis Center just before a performance of Mary Poppins.



Media Contact:

Gary Schweikhart, PR-BS, Inc.

561.756.4298  /  gary@pr-bs.net