Page 12 - spaces4learning, Summer 2022

spaces4learning
THEATERS/PERFORMING ARTS
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE
The Mapleton Arts Center (The MAC) in Denver, Colo.
By Abby Collins and Seth Clark
HISTORICALLY, THE PERFORMING ARTS HAVE NOT commanded the strong foothold in secondary education that they deserve. From choir to dance and orchestra, the enrichment that the performing arts adds to the middle- and high-school experience is undeniable. Mapleton Public Schools in Colorado is working to change this. The school district believes in the power of the performing arts and has always upheld it as a crit- ical element of its educational programming. Even during the budget challenges of the Great Recession and beyond, Mapleton has never once trimmed its performing arts programs.
Boasting a robust performing arts program, including drama, orchestra, band, choir, color guard, mariachi and jazz, Mapleton has long reaped the benefits of prioritizing the arts in its schools. What’s materialized through this sustained in- vestment is increased academic engagement among students, fostering students’ strong sense of purpose and confidence, and a strengthened community. Mapleton’s current performing arts students are the model of dedication. Beyond school-based pro- grams, many middle-school and high-school students choose to ride the bus at 5:30 in the morning to participate in zero-hour performing arts programs. Such commitment and relentlessness call for recognition, celebration and fortification.
Given the history of performing arts excellence in Mapleton, the district has committed to investing even more heavily in these
The MAC’s design delivers an unmistakably bold presence within the community, serving as an icon and legacy building for the school district.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEENAN COMPANY
12 SPRING 2022 | spaces4learning.com