CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — A Champaign magnet school will receive a $20,000 grant to support a project centered around community connection.
Stratton Academy of the Arts is receiving the grant from Healing Illinois to "support a new, arts-integrated initiative designed to foster racial healing, community connection, and a strong sense of belonging for students and the surrounding community."
Stratton Academy of the Arts is a magnet school teaching elementary school curriculum through an art lens using visual art, music, drama and dance to engage and challenge students.
Healing Illinois is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services, supporting projects that foster racial healing and community healing by honoring the histories, experiences, and voices of Illinois communities.
The grant will support "Healing Through Place," a collaborative project the school said will engage students in exploring local history, storytelling, and public art through four activities:
- A historical booklet project
- A school mural
- A student-led oral history project and website
- A large-scale basketball court mural
The school said the experiences will help strengthen connections between school, history and community.
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