Cultural ArtS & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

What do symphony orchestras, STEAM museum, and a NASA astronaut have in common? They are all part of cultural arts and enrichment programs benefiting our students. Through Cultural Arts & Enrichment Programs, the PTA strives to bring a diverse offering of performing arts and educational enrichment to our school usually in the form of school assemblies. These PTA-sponsored programs include the musical and dramatic arts; math, science and technology; global and domestic history and culture; physical education; language arts; and appreciation of diversity.

The Bolden School PTA fundraising efforts support the school by directly funding these assemblies and artists-in-residence. Students are immersed in a wide variety of arts and cultural experience, from extravagant, days-long celebrations featuring professional performances to art projects.

Interested in donating or getting involved? You can reach out to our VP of Arts & Assemblies, Cat Starmer & Sally Unsworth at culturalarts@bolden-pta.org.

Here is a sampling of programs the PTA has sponsored over the past school years:

CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM | SY 2022-2023

Maud Arnold, Syncopated Ladies | February 

CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM | SY 2021-2022

Fly, Bessie Fly! | June 

Dialed Action Sports BMX Assembly | June 

Dialed Action Sport's bike stunt shows are the nation’s leading provider of action sports performances and educational school assemblies. Our roster of BMX, FMX and Mountain Bike athletes have devoted themselves to continued growth and development within their sport. Our bike stunt shows are a proven effective way to keep your students and crowds entertained from start to finish.

CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM | SY 2020-2021

Us! Abundantly | February 

The Boden PTA was able to offer our students our first virtual assembly for the year in honor of Black History Month.  Karisma Jay, creator of Us, Abundantly and her team at AbunDance Academy of the Arts provided a fun and informative workshop that pairs African history, diaspora, and dance in a fun way for students. Students attended a 1 hour Master Workshop (either African or Caribbean) including an approximate 15-minute video, a LIVE Mini Dance/History lesson and a Q&A session. 

cultural arts PROGRAM | SY 2018-2019

Mexico Beyond Mariachi | October

Our Bolden School students had an awesome Hispanic Heritage Celebration in tandem with the inaugural of !HolaFest! NJ. Through live music, dance, and storytelling, Mexico Beyond Mariachi came to Jefferson School to share the magical realism that is ever present in Mexican culture, igniting the students' imagination, leaving them with an enhanced awareness of our global community. To learn more about their program, click here. 

Slapstick Science | November

Can you name 10 sources of Potential Energy? Which are Chemical, and which are Physical? We're bringing the all-time favorite science assembly with Ted Lawrence and his alter ego, Dr. Quenton Quark with Slapstick Science. Hoisting 200 pounds (like teachers) over their heads, lifting 1000 pounds of classmates, or throwing the portly Dr. Quark eight feet high is simply a matter of understanding kinetic energy, potential energy, friction, and simple machines like pulleys, levers, and screws are demonstrated.

Born to teach, Ted was certified to teach chemistry, physics, and math after majoring in Electrical Engineering at the University of Vermont. He graduated from the Ringling Clown College in '86, toured with the circus for two years. With Slapstick Science, he combined both!

Story Pirates | January

Bolden students students enjoyed a visit from Story Pirates in the beginning of the year. A nationally respected education and media organization that turns kids' original stories into wild sketch comedy musicals featuring professional actors, they will show our students just how amazing their ideas are!

Story Pirates believes that every child has a story to tell.  Whether it's a world where cats can fly or a rock opera about fuzzy alien tickle monsters, this sketch comedy musical is based entirely on stories by our very own elementary schoolers!  

Mayhem Poets

"Let's go see a poetry show." That is a sentence rarely proclaimed and usually responded to with cringes and excuses. The Mayhem Poets are on a mission to change that. Having been dubbed "an amazing ride" by the New York Times, this mind boggling performance has been described as "The Simpsons meets Malcolm X at a Notorious B.I.G. concert". These theater-trained, comedically-gifted, lyrical virtuosos seamlessly blend raw elements of hip hop, theater, improv and stand-up comedy to tell gut-wrenching truths that leave audiences forever changed. To learn more about Mayhem Poets, click here.

Pixie Dust Players' Hundred Dresses

Based on the beloved Newbery Honor Book by Eleanor Estes, this acclaimed musical adaptation masterfully handles such topics as bullying, friendship and forgiveness. Packed with humor and filled with colorful characters and memorable songs such as "Bright Blue Day," "Penny Paddywhack" and "Never Do Nothing," 

The Hundred Dresses by Pixie Dust Players is a timeless tale that explores the bonds of friendship, the willingness to be yourself and the courage that it takes to stand up to others—even when you're standing alone.

PTA fundraising efforts support the school's budget by directly funding educational materials, additional curriculum tools, school events, and other enhancements that make Jefferson School special. 

Interested in donating or getting involved? You can reach out to culturalarts@jefferson-pta.org.