Spring Ridge Middle School Students Attend The Alvin Ailey Performance At The Kennedy Center

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. – In 2020, as the founder and CEO of the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation, I had this vivid dream of taking 8^th grade girls, attending Spring Ridge Middle School, to the Kennedy Center to experience the Alvin Ailey performance, explore the upcoming Kennedy exhibit and enjoy fine dining at Tony & Joes Seafood Place, located in Washington, DC. On Saturday, 11 February 2023, with the devotion and tireless effort displayed by the leaders of the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation and financial support of several committed sponsors, a dream once deferred was most humbling realized. 

Through youth development, the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation remains a catalyst for positive change at the individual, community, and county levels.  The Carolyn E. Parker Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit operating in St. Mary’s County, on behalf of youth in the county, raised funds for Project Kennedy Center, an experiential learning opportunity for eighth graders attending Spring Ridge Middle School. 

Moreover, Project Kennedy Center is an arts infusion field trip that offered 22 young ladies an opportunity to embrace the fine arts. Additionally, Project Kennedy Center builds on our work to partner with other public and private organizations to achieve positive youth outcomes, despite any social, economic, and personal challenges that undermine youth well-being and pathways to adulthood. 

The arts are a basic and central medium of human communication and understanding with a direct correlation between the fine arts, and basic learning that enhances student achievements. Also, research shows the fine arts stimulate learning and improve overall academic performance, teaching important skills that prepare the whole person for college and later life. Overall, the entire trip was simply amazing, and the students had an epic time…truly a phenomenally fabulous time.     

When interviewed after the performance, the young ladies shared how they now believed they could be dancers and/or support the art of dance with creative music.  Some ladies described how they felt crazy excited, enthusiastic, and inspired by the beauty and storytelling of the Alvin Ailey Performance.  Also, the students expressed how they felt the performance was aspiring and invoked a sense of pride, because they connected emotionally to the stories being shared via the performances, as if they were reading a pop-up book with pop-up pages.  Moreover, the ladies conveyed how they now understand the art of communicating via dance without speaking words; and how it can be powerful and expressive. 

Other ladies shared how they appreciated learning about so many styles of dance.  A couple of young ladies described their experience as beautiful, grand, and breathtaking.  My favorite comment was when one young lady said how she loved the fact the performance was filled with diverse dancers, afforded equal opportunities to be stars while performing. 

Some ladies appreciated Project Kennedy Center, as they felt it was a once in a lifetime experience, because it was their first time leaving St. Mary’s County. Lastly, the young ladies mentioned they would like to ask their parents to bring them back to see the performance one day, along with friends who did not join them to further share this amazing experience with family and friends.   

Furthermore, the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation would like to thank all of its sponsors for assisting the organization overcome financial constraints and launch Project Kennedy Center, targeted at exposing the youth in the community to the fine arts, particularly as the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation plans to expand its Project Kennedy Center initiative in 2024 by doubling the number of program participants next year. 

It truly is difficult to describe the visible impact we partnered and collectively had on the students; however, what is certain is what was witnessed forever changed the hearts and minds of these young ladies, and hopefully influenced their life’s trajectory.   

In closing, Ms. Kay Jahn, a Spring Ridge Middle School teacher, informed the President of the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation, Ms. Adrienne M. Somerville, the Alvin Ailey Performance attendance excitement continued post the trip to Washington, DC, as the young ladies coordinated the wearing of their souvenir T-shirts to school on Monday, 13 February 2023, radiating with a sense of pride to have had such a transformative, fun-filled fine arts experience. 

Without sponsorship, the participating students would not otherwise have been afforded this life changing experience. So, thank you so much to the following: 

-The amazing leaders of the Carolyn E. Foundation Organization -Tony & Joes Seafood Place, Washington, DC -Ms. Nell Elder and the St. Mary’s Arts Council -Mr. Maurice Patterson and the National Society of Black Engineers Junior (NSBE, Jr.) -Mr. William (Bernie) Garrett and Garrett Physical Therapy Services and Sugar Hill Boxing, LLC -Mr. Ebes at E&R Photography -Mr. Erdley Bent -Mr. Michael Brown, Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC) and lastly -Ms. Kay Jahn, Dr. Brown Taylor, the leaders of Spring Ridge Middle School and their amazing students. 

As Founder and President of the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation, I personally invest my time, tithes, and talents to improve the lives of our St. Mary’s County citizenry. Hence, the leaders of the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation look forward to doubling the number of participants in our Project Kennedy program for 2024. 

To support Project Kennedy Center, any of our other programs and/or learn more about the Carolyn E. Parker Foundation, please visit our website at www.carolyneparkerfoundation.org/

Questions can be directed to my attention at 240-577-5753, or via email at carolyneparkerfoundation@gmail.com.