On May 27th, Steppenwolf for Young Adults hosted its Annual Celebration. The event brought together members of the Chicago community who have participated in Steppenwolf for Young Adults programming throughout the year – from teachers and principals, to artists, students and board members. All of SYA’s friends convened to celebrate the completed SYA year, and looked ahead to the exciting 2009-2010 season. The evening was not only an opportunity for artistic celebration, but also a platform for SYA to thank the educators, organizations and individuals who enable our theatre for young audiences. Guests heard reflections from graduates of our Young Adult Council after-school program, enjoyed a reading of the winning essay from our “American Dream Essay Contest,” and received a sneak preview of next year’s season with a reading from A Separate Peace. The Fidelity Investments’ Inspire the Future Award ceremony was a definite highlight of the evening. Steppenwolf and Fidelity created this special award together for Chicago Public School educators who display a passionate and enduring commitment to arts education in the classroom. The winners receive a $2,500 grant towards arts programming at their schools; a sum we hope will support and advance the great work they do. In the past years, the Inspire the Future Award was awarded to two distinguished educators. This year however, due to a large applicant pool filled with truly inspiring teachers, Fidelity Investments generously enabled Steppenwolf to give four incredible teachers this award. . Edward Cisneros is a theater director and educator. Originally from Dallas, Ed created and implemented the educational programming for Cara Mia Theater Company and helped reorganize Shakespeare Dallas’s educational outreach program. Ed received a BA in Drama from the University of Dallas and an MFA in Directing from Ohio University. He currently heads the theater program at the Multicultural Arts School on the Little Village/Lawndale High School Campus where he teachers Drama I, Drama II, and Theater Technology. At MAS, Ed has partnered with Steppenwolf for Young Adults, participating as a Residency School teacher and in Steppenwolf’s Teacher Immersion Course. Ed believes it is important for students to see and work with diverse theatre artists to reinforce the accessibility of the art form in both participation and consumption. He plans on using the Inspire the Future Award to bring guest artists to MAS and take his students to see theatre across Chicago. Kirsten Hanson has worked as a Drama and English teacher at Lane Tech College Prep for 10 years. Before working at Lane Tech, Kirsten worked as an actor and arts educator in Chicago. A graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in Drama, Kirsten continued her education at University of Illinois at Chicago, earning a Masters of Education. Kirsten brought her students to see Steppenwolf’s production of The Glass Menagerie and will partner next year as a new Residency School teacher. She also is participating in Steppenwolf’s Teacher Advisory Council and has two students from Lane on Steppenwolf’s Young Adult Council. Kirsten believes that the skills her students learn in Drama – building community, communication, creativity, and design – can translate and enhance all areas of their lives. At Lane Tech she promotes Drama by creating cross-curricular projects with students and teachers. Kirsten plans to use the Inspire the Future Award to purchase new class sets of plays and production equipment. Lisa Ehrlich-Menard has taught Drama, English and History at Curie Metro High School. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Theatre and History, Lisa continued her education there earning a Masters of Education. Lisa has been bringing her students to see productions at Steppenwolf for the past few years and will partner next year as a new Residency School teacher. Lisa uses the principles of drama in all of her teaching, from Drama classes to English to History. She believes that theatre can help her students engage in critical analysis and also foster empathy. Lisa chooses work that acts as a catalyst for dialogue and that helps her students understand how theatre can be used as a vehicle for social change. She has spent the last year trying to raise the literacy level in her drama classes and plans to use the Inspire the Future Award to purchase books and take her students to see more theatre. Susan McDonough teaches U.S. History, Philosophy & Social Issues, and Social Expressions at Austin Career Education Center. A graduate of Illinois State University with a degree in Comprehensive Social Science Education and graduate work in History, Susan continued her education at the University of Illinois at Chicago earning a Ph.D in Education. Susan brought her students to see Steppenwolf’s production of The Glass Menagerie this fall and hopes to deepen her relationship with Steppenwolf by bringing them to see more theatre and having guest artists in her classroom. She is passionate about incorporating theatre and art into all areas of her curriculum. Out of student demand for more artistic opportunities in the classroom, Susan designed a sociology class highly infused with art that supports state standards across curricular areas. Susan believes that exposing her students to art and helping them find their voice through artistic expression can help to foster a stronger sense of identity and care in her students. She hopes to use the Inspire the Future Award to continue to bring in guest artists and purchase basic supplies that are desperately needed for her classroom. Steppenwolf and Fidelity are honored to award these Chicago Public School teachers and help them as they continue to cultivate tomorrow’s artistic leaders!