By Marilyn Delk
DCCA News
Studies show that the arts are essential to cultivating the imaginative thinking and problem-solving skills needed to prepare children for the global workforce of the 21st century. Cultivating young people’s creativity positively affects not only academic success, but also health, well-being and social and cognitive development. These are essential factors which motivated founders of Darke County Center for the Arts’ Arts In Education series; but those people also knew that students can have a lot of fun while learning. This year’s DCCA AIE schedule pretty much proves the truth of that knowledge.
The season begins September 23 through 27, when Grammy nominee Zak Morgan brings his zany songs and poems and stories and hijinks to kindergarten through third graders in all Darke County and Greenville City schools. Well-known nationally for his highly acclaimed albums including the Grammy-nominated When Bullfrogs Croak as well as being viewed as a star in his native Cincinnati where he continues to live and write, Zak’s warm and funny interactive performances will inspire students to laugh and scream as well as to read, imagine and believe in themselves.
Area high school students will be enlightened and entertained October 7 through 11 by genre-defying trio Take 3, three conservatory-trained musicians who have expanded their repertoire from Bach and Beethoven to include Beieber and the Beach Boys. The trio, led by Lindsay Deutsch, has won accolades for delivering a message of hope, inspiration, and the importance of following dreams. Ms. Deutsch has performed concerts with symphony orchestras around the country, and toured as Yanni’s featured violinist throughout the world.
And then, fourth through sixth-graders will be delighted and engaged when national treasure Terrance Simien brings his Creole for Kidz show to local schools November 4 through 8. Terrance is not only an excellent entertainer and a force of nature, he is a masterful educator proudly sharing his culture through the story of zydeco, the traditional indigenous music of the black and mixed race French-speaking Creoles of south Louisiana. Educators have dubbed his show “stealth education,” which is another way of saying he is teaching kids while they think that they are just being highly entertained.
Local Junior High students will welcome Spring by experiencing a cappella group Six Appeal in concert at Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall on March 20 and 21, 2025. This group began with six freshman choir nerds at Concordia College in Minnesota getting together to sing music they wrote themselves which they performed around campus until a college administrator noticed their talent and suggested that they might have a future after graduation as music performers rather than teachers or in other “real jobs.” Since then, Six Appeal has won back-to-back championships at the world’s largest a cappella competition, been the featured entertainment on Disney and Cunard Cruise Lines, sung the National Anthem at the Sugar Bowl, and more. Now consisting of four men and two women, the group is still having fun sharing their music and their message after 18 years of existence.
Over 90 per cent of Americans believe that a well-rounded education must include the arts. The arts not only provide entertainment; they inspire creativity, nurture positive self-images, encourage the will to follow one’s dreams to attain personal goals. Darke County Center for the Arts proudly presents outstanding artists who fulfill the promise to inspire as they entertain, not only lifting spirits but also teaching life lessons as they spread hope and joy to students who are having a lot of fun!
