During the month of June 2011, Project SUCCESS is led another round of amazing canoe adventures in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness! Each year we have worked to offer this opportunity to more and more of our students. This year we expanded our program, offering our annual week-long experience to the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students at Anwatin, Anne Sullivan, Jefferson, Northeast, Olson and Sanford Middle Schools in Minneapolis and the 7th and 8th grade students at Battle Creek and Washington Technology Magnet Schools in Saint Paul. Project SUCCESS brought 127 students on this year's life-changing adventure - doubling our participation from 2010! Each year, through this experience, students develop positive behaviors and skills, such as goal-setting, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills - building confidence and respect for the awesome beauty of the wilderness and a simple way of life. Mostly they come home with a huge sense of accomplishment that has an amazing impact on their educational and personal growth. The BWCA Experience was funded, in part, by the generosity of the The Minneapolis Foundation's Santa Anonymous Advisory Committee and individual donors. For more information about and photos of this year's trips, visit our BWCA adventures page, and watch the Fox 9 feature below:

In May 2011, Project SUCCESS brought six Southwest High School students to tour the campuses of Gallaudet University and Georgetown University in Washington DC. Gallaudet is the world leader in liberal education and career development for deaf and hard of hearing students. The Southwest students, who are all deaf or hard of hearing, all returned with a new sense of the possibilities for their future, and a feeling of having just entered a world where they totally belonged. The trip to Washington DC was the fifth and final out-of-state college tour organized and hosted by Project SUCCESS during the 2010-11 school year. Over 170 students participated in tours to 17 campuses (some more than once!), including Loyola, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Iowa State and Grinnell. Project SUCCESS also brought 362 students on tours of 16 Minnesota college and university campuses, including Dunwoody, Carleton, McNally Smith College of Music, University of Minnesota- Duluth and Twin Cities, and Minnesota State University-Mankato. Project SUCCESS offered the tours to all students at North, South, Southwest and Washburn High Schools and 9th-11th grades at Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis. Click here for more information on college tours.

On June 18th 2011, Project SUCCESS’ supporters Anne and David Winker-Morey left on a 417 day bike trip around the United States. They will have the route on display and they would like you to let them know if you know people they should meet along the way. They will be interviewing people and gathering stories about those working for a more just society. As part of their adventure they are raising money for three local organizations including funds to help Project SUCCESS expand programming to Anthony Middle School in Minneapolis. They want to invite others to support our Anthony Fund. To learn more about the trip and follow their progress you can visit their website at https://sites.google.com/site/pedalstory/home (It also comes up when you Google: Pedalstory). Thank you, Anne and Dave, for including Project SUCCESS in your journey!

On June 3 and 4, 2011, Project SUCCESS presented A Year With Frog and Toad, its 13th annual musical production with Anwatin Middle School in Minneapolis. Audiences were captivated by the shining performances of the 6th, 7th and 8th grade actors and technicians from Anwatin. With direction by Jeffry Lusiak, choreography by Trudy Monette and musical direction by Anita Ruth, forty-four students began daily rehearsals on April 11 both in front of and behind the scenes, working directly with professional artists, quality sound, sets, lighting and costumes, in addition to acting and singing. Frog and Toad is a musical based on the stories written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel, and follows the adventures of two amphibious friends, a worrywart toad and a cheerful frog, with their colorful companions, over the course of a year.  Click here for photos and more about this year's production.

On May 26, students and teachers at Washington Technology Magnet in St. Paul were treated to a special performance by their peers in the English Language Learner (ELL) program. For the past four weeks, the ELL students in Ms. Pham's room have been working with Mu Performing Arts artists and Project SUCCESS facilitators Ginny Snow and AsaleSol Young on The Stories Project, learning to use creative media, such as acting, dance, and art, to write and perform their personal stories of immigration to, and experiences in the United States. Some of the stories performed included "Trouble in Thailand" by Kaw Mu Htoo, "Bullies" by Brittani Pradel Arriet, and "My Bicyle" by Mahret Mengistu."  Since 2008, Project SUCCESS has collaborated with Mu Performing Arts on the Stories Project at Washington, with the goal of  helping students articulate and tell their personal stories through the performing arts, thus supporting leadership self-esteem, interpersonal skills and English language development; and build a broader understanding among themselves and their community. This project was funded by the generosity of the Travelers Arts & Diversity Employee Committee. Click here to learn more about the project and other special projects coordinated by Project SUCCESS.

On Tuesday, May 10, 2011, Project SUCCESS hosted its 7th annual Fielding Dreams event at Target Field. Guests, sponsors, volunteers, staff, kids and families enjoyed a wonderful evening of food, fun, entertainment, a ballgame, wild weather, and incredible experiences. A huge thank you to Lifetouch, the Minnesota Twins, Target, RBC Wealth Management and all our other sponsors for  helping Project SUCCESS hit another home run for kids! Since 2005, Fielding Dreams has raised over a quarter of a million dollars to support Project SUCCESS’ invaluable work and growth in the community. The event is not just in recognition of us, but in recognition of all of you! We are honored to work with such wonderful students, families, and communities. Click here for great photos from the evening, a list of our fabulous sponsors, and more.

Wow, what a great trip! During Spring Break, March 20-23, 2011, students representing Minneapolis' Patrick Henry, South, Southwest and Washburn High Schools attended this very active and very informative college tour. For the first time we included a day trip to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign! We also visited schools in the Chicago area including DePaul University, Columbia College, Northwestern University, Loyola University, University of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Exploring Hyde Park, Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park made for memorable evening activities. Thank you to the amazing young people who went on our tour and inspired Project SUCCESS staff with their thoughtful approach to their college search. Click here for more information about college tours.

In March, Project SUCCESS and Marcy Open School presented the 2011 Winter Musical, Once on This Island, starring 6th, 7th and 8th grade actors and technicians. Once on This Island  is a one-act musical which delves into the lives of peasants and "grands hommes," the wealthy inhabitants of the island. Students at Marcy worked for eight weeks, both in front of and behind the scenes, directly with professional directors and musicians, and quality sound, sets, lighting and costumes. They wowed audiences with six dazzling performances over two weeks! The musical performance is a key way in which Project SUCCESS helps students build confidence, gain new experiences and learn more about themselves and each other through the power of theater. Once on This Island was Directed by Project SUCCESS Resident Artist Jeffry Lusiak, with choreography by Trudy Monette and musical direction by Anita Ruth. Congratulations and thank you to all the students, staff, parents and community members who helped out and attended the show.  Click here for photos and more information about the Marcy musical. 

From January 31 through February 3, the entire 8th grade class at Minneapolis' Northeast Middle School participated in a transformative experience using aerial arts as the tool. Since 2007, Project SUCCESS has collaborated annually with Xelias Aerial Arts Studio to give Northeast students a hands-on experience that also can teach life lessons. In small groups, students watched aerial artists perform and then each student could test their own aerial skills — rotating between three stations led by a Xelias teacher: Tumbling, Stationary Trapeze, and Spanish Web. Masterfully facilitated by Project SUCCESS Northeast facilitator Julia Hutchinson, each station was an opportunity for the students to apply their knew hands-on knowledge to the challenges and opportunities they face as they transition to high school. The students are also able to link their adventure in supportive risk-taking with the experience of their own day-to-day lives and the risk of going after their dreams. Support for this activity was made possible in part by the generosity of the West Fork Foundation.

In November 2010, Project SUCCESS collaborated with Mu Performing Arts on The Stories Project — an in-class workshop with English Language Learner (ELL) students — for the first time at Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis. The goal of the Stories Project is to help ELL students articulate and tell their personal stories through the performing arts. This experience helps students develop leadership, self-esteem, interpersonal, artistic, and English language skills; and builds a broader understanding among themselves and their community. The project culminated in a wonderful and powerful performance of the students' personal stories, such as "The Day I Stood Up For Myself" and "If You Really Knew" for their teachers and peers. This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Click here to learn more about the Stories project and other special projects coordinated by Project SUCCESS.

On Friday, December 10, in the midst of a historic snowstorm, Just So, a spirited musical based on the stories of Rudyard Kipling, was performed by 6th, 7th and 8th grade actors and technicians at Sanford Middle School in the Project SUCCESS production. Just So takes you on a fantastic journey along the banks of Africa's Limpopo River to meet an amazing collection of strange and wonderful creatures. Directed by Project SUCCESS Resident Artist Jeffry Lusiak, with choreography by Trudy Monette and musical direction by Anita Ruth, the second-annual school musical allowed over 45 students to work in front of and behind the scenes for eight weeks, with professional quality sound, sets, lighting and costumes, in addition to acting and singing. Congratulations and thank you to all the students, staff, parents and community members who helped out and attended the show. This production was funded by the generosity of the Michelson Family Foundation.

The annual school performance is a key way Project SUCCESS helps students build confidence, gain new experiences and learn more about themselves and each other through the power of theater. Click here for photos and more information about the performance.

A huge thank you to the individuals to contributed to Project SUCCESS on Give to the Max Day! In just 24 hours, 58 donors gave over $7,000 to Project SUCCESS through GiveMN.org - the online giving platform for Minnesota non-profit organizations, advocates and donors. This support is vital in our work with young people and makes a profound impact on the lives of thousands of kids! The one-day giving event was also a great way to kick-off our end-of-year giving campaign - help us keep up the momentum!

It has been a busy fall! Following the MEA weekend college tour to Chicago in October, Project SUCCESS took high school students to tours in Iowa, Madison and around Minnesota. For three days, juniors and seniors from North, South, Southwest and Washburn high schools looked at five schools in Iowa, including Iowa State University, Drake University, Grinnell College, the University of Iowa and the University of North Iowa. On November 5th, Project SUCCESS juniors and seniors toured the University of Wisconsin -Madison, which included a presentation by an admissions counselor, a student-led walking tour, time to explore the popular and active "State Street," and a Project SUCCESS workshop on choosing colleges. Locally, 9th-12th grade students from all five of Project SUCCESS' partner high schools have visited Dunwoody College of Technology, St. Catherine University, St. Olaf College and Carleton College. In every tour, students learned more about college life, about their personal preferences, and came away more prepared for planning their future. Click here for more information about upcoming college tours.

Project SUCCESS recently returned from our annual MEA Chicago College Tour! From October 20 to the 23, 71 juniors and seniors from North, South, Southwest and Washburn High Schools toured the outstanding colleges and universities in the Chicago area, including the University of Chicago, Columbia College, DePaul University, Loyola University, Northwestern University, the University of Illinois - Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology, Shimer College, and the Illinois Institute of Art. Students were also able to explore some of Chicago's great neighborhoods surrounding the colleges, that are filled with art, cultural significance and a great student presence. On Thursday night, students visited Hyde Park, the Pilsen neighborhood (where they were able to visit a student-run radio station) and the city of Evanston. And on Friday night, students explored Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park. Many students came away with a better understanding of what they are looking for when they make their college decision. Other students were able to solidify their college choices. Due to the growing popularity of this tour, we are planning another Chicago college tour over Spring Break 2011. Click here for more information about upcoming college tours.

From August 23 through August 26, 2010, Project SUCCESS was pleased to work with the Minneapolis Public School District and high school principals for the third year to conduct 2014 — a four-day experience aimed at helping all 8th graders successfully transition to high school. Using a variety of workshops, team-building activities, and creative expression, the goal was to ensure 8th graders felt confident, comfortable and excited about entering 9th grade. The entire event was provided at NO COST to students and families, thanks to the Minneapolis Public Schools. It was a great success, with over 800 students participating throughout the week — a 50% increase in participation from 2009! The experience was featured in the Star Tribune on August 23.

On Thursday, August 19, over 200 teachers, administrators, and staff from each of our schools gathered for an event that we affectionately call "Teacher Night." Filled with great theater, food, and fun, the event is our way of thanking all of the wonderful school staff with which we work throughout the year.The evening culminated a with a thrilling performance of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire at the Guthrie Theater (a founding partner with Project SUCCESS). Project SUCCESS is so grateful for the help and support of the teachers, administrators and staff at each of our schools and enjoyed celebrating the synergy of our work together as we usher in another great year!