As the Manager of Career Experiences for Reach Cyber Charter School, Nicolette Silverman is always looking for ways to get students out into the world. Her job at Reach, an online Pennsylvania public school for grades K-12, is to find programs that provide students with pathways to career success.
When Silverman discovered the Young Artists Workshop (YAW), Moore College of Art & Design’s historic, all-gender youth arts program for grades 3-12, she was excited by the possibilities.
“It encapsulated everything that we were looking for. I love the diversity in it,” Silverman said. “Something that really helps our students out is the ability to dabble in different things—they might do ceramics in the spring, but they might switch to photography in the fall. It’s a really great setup.”
Silverman reached out to Moore’s Continuing Education department in 2022, sparking a relationship between Reach and the College that’s still going strong. Reach’s Career Readiness department covers tuition costs for any students that want to attend YAW.
Reach students who commute to Moore are able to strike a balance between remote and in-person learning. Online courses like Character Design and Art for Video Games are also offered for students who prefer to learn remotely or aren’t able to be on campus.
“We’re always thinking about our students’ needs and interested, combined with the best and most effective approach to learning. Our programs provide a forum for creative expression and exploration,” said Meg Wolensky, Moore’s Managing Director of Continuing Education. “We’re thrilled to work with Reach and provide their students with new experiences in an inclusive and holistic environment.”
YAW also creates social opportunities for Reach students, many of whom have never met each other away from their screens. The program allows students to connect and develop relationships outside of their virtual classrooms.
Moore welcomed 13 Reach students in grades 9-12 for YAW’s Spring 2024 term, where they took part in classes like College Portfolio: Drawing & Painting, Architecture & Interior Design and Anatomy for Artists. As enrollment among Reach students grows, so does the excitement for Moore’s personalized art and design courses.
“Our school absolutely loves this program and loves seeing what the kids are creating and where they’re developing,” Silverman said. “I’ve actually been able to go out to Philadelphia to meet our students, see them in action, and hear the stories behind what they’re creating. That’s my favorite part.”
The success of the ongoing efforts between Moore and Reach highlights the College’s culture of acceptance and dedication to innovative solutions. According to Wolensky, the future of youth arts education at Moore lies in its flexible structure.
“We’re so excited for what collaborations like this mean for the future of creative learning at Moore. Our youth programs provide a fully customizable experience that’s so unique and indicative of what education can be for all types of learning environments,” Wolensky said. “We’re so grateful for the administrative team at Reach and the students who continue to express interest in YAW. This relationship has been so impactful.”
Want to learn more about Moore’s Young Artists Workshop (YAW)? Click here for more information or contact us at ce@moore.edu or 215.965.4030.
Photo by Erin Blewett.
