In a unique collaboration between Harvard students and the Cambridge community, CityStep, a Harvard undergraduate organization, combines the spirit of public service with the performing arts. CityStep enriches the educational experience of Cambridge public school fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students through a curriculum of dance and other creative activities. By introducing students to the performing arts as a medium for self-expression, an outlet for creativity, and as a means to enhance self-confidence and a sense of community, CityStep gives the Cambridge students a meaningful educational experience.
CityStep seeks to:
- Channel the spirit of urban life and the energy of elementary school students into creative forms of self-expression.
- Promote the values of hard work, dedication, and cooperation through the performing and visual arts.
- Unite a demographically diverse population of public school students with a diverse group of Harvard undergraduates.
- Foster self-respect and self-confidence in local elementary school students by helping them realize a tangible goal – the annual CityStep Show
- Create a positive and unique experience for Harvard undergraduates that integrates service and the arts.
- Forge closer bonds between Harvard College and the surrounding community by uniting undergraduates with Cambridge students in meaningful mentoring relationships.
CityStep accomplishes these goals by:
- Sending teams of motivated, talented undergraduates into Cambridge schools twice a week from October until the CityStep show in April. The CityStep teachers become an integral part of the students’ educational experience. They bring with them their expertise in the arts, teaching skills, rapport with youth, and above all, boundless energy.
- Introducing Cambridge public school students to all aspects of the arts. Students are encouraged to realize their creative potential in their endeavors as they express themselves through various media.
- Encouraging students to develop a positive self-image and grow together into a supportive, cohesive group to accomplish a common goal: the annual CityStep show.
- Offering the children an opportunity to continue their CityStep experience in the After-School Program and the Third-Year Program.
- Providing the children with a new outlet for self-expression, and a new way to achieve success. Some who may lack success in “traditional” school activities often find CityStep a source of pride and accomplishment.
By introducing students to the performing arts as a medium for self-expression, an outlet for creativity, and a means to achieve self-confidence and a sense of community, CityStep gives the Cambridge students it serves an experience that is never forgotten.