Thank you for visiting AfterSchool Arts!
OUR MISSION: AfterSchool Arts is dedicated to bringing the fun of the arts to students in a safe and creative after school environment. All children have talents; some are obvious and others are undiscovered. Our goal is to develop those hidden talents while offering opportunities for self discovery, enrichment, and increased confidence.
DISCOVER AND NURTURE YOUR CHILD'S PASSION. UNLEASH THEIR INNER ARTIST!
OUR STRATEGY: Our mission will be achieved through Community Outreach Theater, Storyland Theater, and AfterSchool Arts Classes and The AfterSchool Players, two programs utilizing qualified, artistic instructors who have been BCI/FBI and drug-screened. Each instructor has years of rich experience and is considered to be an expert in his/her field. SUMMER THEATER CAMP is an additional component of The AfterSchool Players.
About AfterSchool Arts LLC
CCO (Chief Creative Officer) Jennifer Kuczek brings more than 22 years of experience to the program. Jennifer has appeared on WFMJ as their Etiquette Expert "Ask Jen." She has taught etiquette classes to students throughout the Valley. Jennifer has worked for Youngstown City Schools in their after school program, serving as Drama and Etiquette Provider at Volney Rogers and P. Ross Berry Middle Schools.
She has been the Drama Advisor at St. Charles School for the past 9 years, producing and directing shows such as The Dragon and the Princess, Androcles and the Lion, GodSpell Jr., Annie Jr., A Little Bit of Broadway, Supper with Shakespeare, The Only Christmas Pageant in Town, Fiddler on the Roof Jr., Beauty and the Beast Jr. and The Best of St. Charles. Additional productions include St. Charles Idol, an annual talent review. Jennifer is excited to bring the AfterSchool Players to Holy Family School again this year.
Bitten by the acting bug at age 8, Jennifer has appeared on stage at the Youngstown Playhouse, Main Street Theater, the Oakland Center for the Arts, the Rust Belt Theatre, Top Hat Productions, Move Over Broadway, Geagua Lyric Theater Guild, Westlake Community Theater, Royalton Players and Easy Street Productions. Jennifer is the founding president of Strongsville Community Theatre and past board member of Ballet Western Reserve. She spent five years with Magic Carpet Theater, a professional acting troupe. An avid theater-goer, she enjoys singing, reading, and spending time with her family.
Utilizing her artists' network, Jennifer has assembled a vast array of gifted instructors to serve as Arts Facilitators. Each Facilitator brings years of rich experience in his/her designated field and has been BCI/FBI and drug screened.
Musical Director Katelyn DeLadurantey is a graduate of Boardman High School and current student at YSU's Dana School of Music, pursuing music education. She has performed at venues such as Trump Tower and B.B. King's Jazz Club in New York City, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C., and has had the honor of singing the National Anthem at Cleveland Indians Stadium multiple times. Katelyn is well-known for her superb voice and dynamic personality and is thrilled to be working with the AfterSchool Players.
INSTRUCTORS- Please visit the AfterSchool Arts Classes page for information on class instructors.
Testimonials
"Jen has a genuine enthusiasm for the Arts and for teaching, leading, and bringing others to appreciation of the Arts. She easily develops rapport with children and adults. As director of plays at St. Charles School and head of the Drama Club, she used her excellent communication skills to establish rules and guidelines for students and their families. Jen includes all children and notices those who need extra encouragement. She is a loving person who treats all children as if they were her own."
Miss Mary Welsh, Principal, St. Charles School in Boardman, OH
"As a former teacher I feel very confident in recommending Jennifer to you. Her attention to detail and concern for others...make her a perfect addition to the school environment."
Carol, client and Mother-of-the-Bride, Canfield, OH
"I have witnessed Jennifer to be a very compassionate, caring, and loving person. She has expressed these qualities to many students that she has worked with. Jen knows how to bring out the best in people. She has a very patient and giving demeanor. There is no stopping Jen. Jen puts her whole heart and soul into a project. I have never seen a person with so much enthusiasm. She will work beyond the call of duty to get the job done. She can be very demanding in wanting perfection and work hard to deliver the best product. She has a gift for the arts and can express herself outside of the box."
Lina, parent at Holy Family School, Poland, OH
Did you know that the Arts can make kids smarter?
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the arts are essential to every child's education. In addition to studying the arts for their own sake, experiencing and making works of art benefit students in their intellectual, personal, and social development. Research studies point to strong relationships between learning in the arts and fundamental cognitive skills and capacities used to master other core subjects, including reading, writing, and mathematics. (http://www2.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiatives/updates/040826.html)
We hope to see you again! Check back later for program updates. There's much more to come!
