Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and other related disabilities often do not receive enough opportunity to explore their unique capabilities, express themselves authentically and act with independence. The creative arts allow children a powerful forum to do just that, which is why UCPLA launched the UCPLAy Project.
The UCPLAy Project is dedicated to providing children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and other related disabilities, creative theater and drama workshops. The innovative program brings drama to students with special needs in classrooms across the Los Angeles Unified School District and soon to expand to the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District.
Every week for eight weeks, Program Manager Olivia Karaolis visits the participating schools to teach the creative workshops. These workshops are structured around a theme inspired by the class teacher. The children are introduced to dramatic activities and use these to create a performance. Each school produces a unique performance that is devised, performed and belongs to the students.
At Walgrove Avenue Elementary School students are exploring friendship by creating an original piece of puppet theatre. Titled "Lou-Lou in the City of Angels," the puppet play was devised by the students and they created their own puppets to use during the play. One non-verbal student, while reflecting on his work, wrote he was "pleased to know that angels existed and that they could speak." The classroom teacher noted that the children were making connections about friendship in their daily activities as a result of their classroom experience.
More encouraging is the news that the children speak about their drama lesson at home with their families. The drama motivates them to share their day with their parents. This is often a challenging language skill for students with communication disorders.
The students are constantly surprising themselves and their teachers, finding new ways to express themselves and enjoying connecting with others. "It is always wonderful to see the children proud of their work…to watch a child walk away from an activity knowing they worked really well, with honesty and creativity. They always know," says Olivia Karaolis.
Although the UCPLAy Project focuses on the process of making art and the pleasure and sense of pride it gives the children, the performance aspect of the class is equally important. "The children’s work on stage is wonderful, as they love the experience of being in charge of a performance and they work with such confidence…because they created the work," remarked Olivia.
"When I see the joy in the eyes of the parents whose children we teach, and hear the many expressions of hope once lost, it touches me to know that UCPLAy is, in some small way, playing a part in changing not only the life of a child, but also of their parent," said Dr. Ron Cohen, CEO of United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles.
For more information on the UCPLAy Project, visit the UCP of Los Angeles Web site.
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