Press Conference to Reveal OMA Program Results

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Estella Zavala or Jennea Bono Moore, 225-6437 
Posted on: November 14, 2003

Results of the Opening Minds through the Arts program, also known as OMA, will be presented at a press conference at 10 a.m., Tuesday, November 18, in the library of Corbett Elementary School, 5949 E. 29th St.

Presented information will include data on how the OMA program has proven to raise Stanford 9 scores of second grade students who have been in the program for two consecutive years. More specifically, OMA has narrowed the achievement gap in all subject areas for second grade Hispanic students. During its first two years, OMA made significant progress helping at-risk students succeed by integrating the arts with core curriculum. OMA, currently in 27 TUSD schools, is designed to fully engage the multiple intelligences of students by infusing the arts into all lessons, through collaboration with local artists and art-based organizations.

WestEd, an independent research agency, has conducted scientific research on the program’s effectiveness on OMA students’ learning ability versus that of non-OMA students. WestEd’s findings will be discussed at the press conference. Superintendent Paz will be present to speak with the media along with fourth and fifth graders from the program. After the press conference, tours of both the kindergarten and fourth grade classrooms will be given where students will be observed both learning from the Tucson Symphony musicians and practicing their violins.

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