Minneapolis, MN, Aug. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Halfway through summer 2023, The National Theatre for Children (NTC) looks back on the 2022-23 school year while preparing its live in-school and virtual education programs for fall 2023.
The past school year saw an increase in the number of schools that welcomed outside assemblies as COVID restrictions lessened, allowing NTC’s actor-educators to perform shows for K-12 students on topics such as energy efficiency, water conservation, financial literacy, health and wellness, electrification and the culinary arts.
At the same time, many schools opted for exclusively online programs, which NTC was able to deliver through livestream events and virtual shows. In the wake of COVID, the flexibility for NTC to deliver both in-person and digital performances was appreciated by schools and partnering sponsors, which range from utility companies to government agencies to private corporations.
Whether presented live in schools or virtually, NTC’s K-12 programs were supplemented by print and digital resources like student playbooks, graphic novels and online, interactive games. This additional curriculum aims to benefit teachers and students by aligning with state and national education standards and incorporating the creative arts along with social-emotional learning tools.
NTC’s 2022-23 programs were a success. Virtual and live in-school performances were enjoyed by 3,436 schools, including 1,925 low-to-moderate-income schools. These programs engaged about 824,500 students, 44,280 teachers and 1.06 million parents and caregivers throughout the country.
Educators’ evaluations indicated the overall impacts of NTC’s programs. Teachers rated the overall educational value a 6.62 out of 7, and 98.9% said they would like to receive an NTC program in the future. This success rate is especially remarkable in its consistency across digital and in-person formats.
Finally, the supplemental materials included with NTC’s educational programs made a huge impact. Over 258,000 printed student playbooks were shipped to schools, encouraging students to keep learning about important topics long after the theatrical events concluded. Furthermore, e-learning packages were accessed almost 745,000 times by students and over 40,000 times by educators. Finally, energy efficiency kits distributed to educators and students’ families through NTC programs saved 13,428,338 kWh of energy – equivalent to taking 2,118 gas-powered vehicles off the road for an entire year.
As always, the 2023-24 school year is sure to bring its own challenges and opportunities, as NTC seeks to broaden its array of educational deliverables and subjects. Career prep information for high school students and climate change-related topics like electrification and environmental justice are sure to become more prominent. With the next school year only a few months away, NTC looks forward to providing the positive impacts it’s delivered for over 40 years: teaching, entertaining and inspiring students and educators through fun and memorable arts-integrated events.
For more information or to set up media requests, please contact Matt Levine at mlevine@ntccorporate.com.
About The National Theatre for Children (NTC)
NTC is a WBENC-certified diverse supplier and a premium provider of educational programming with operations in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. We work directly between schools and clients to promote beneficial behaviors and life skills to students and educators to help inspire and prepare the next generation of scientists, artists, thinkers, pioneers and world citizens in grades K-12 on a local, regional and national level.
Our award-winning educational programs are provided free for schools and are customizable to accommodate specific messages and goals for clients. Through formats including live performance, e-learning, in-class discussion, graphic novels, print curriculum, and digital games and activities, we present topics such as energy conservation, safety, financial literacy, STEM, water and environmental stewardship, and health and social responsibility in ways that engage and empower students. In doing so, we are helping our clients to be forces of change for students, parents and communities.
For more information, visit www.NTCcorporate.com.
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