Follow Creative Forces on:
Library
The Crossroads Institute online library of proven practices is free and available to all those who want to learn about community-based arts. It is designed as an instructional aid, not a self-standing publication or curriculum. The library was launched in July 2009 with documentary materials from the Crossroads youth program in New Orleans. In future years, the library will add materials from other programs around the United States.
Organizational
A selection of documents used to plan, fund, promote, evaluate and record the Creative Forces program.
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| Sample Grant Proposal |  View |
 Download |
| “How to Raise an Army (of Creative Young People)” an article by Mat Schwarzman with illustrations by cartoonist Keight Knight |
Download |
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| Creative Forces Program Logic Model | View |
Download |
| Creative Forces “First Impressions” 2007 Promotional Video |  Watch |
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| Creative Forces “Extras” Video | Watch |
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| Creative Forces “What’s the Impact?” Fundraising Video | Watch |
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Artistic/Educational
A selection of documents by and about the youth and instructors of the Creative Forces program, including scripts, lesson plans, educational rationales, songs, poems and personal reflections.
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Wake Up Call to Health
A 40-minute musical variety show created for children ages 8-18 about the importance of diet and sleep. Act One is a comical love story about two high school students with very different habits, and Act Two is an interactive game show about food called ‘You Are What You Eat.’ Supported by Louisiana Standards in Nutrition and Education.”
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Drum Time
A 40-minute integrated lesson plan that teaches children a traditional New Orleans rhythm while it reinforces one of the most important physics equation in daily life: Speed = Distance Divided by Time.” Supported by Louisiana Middle School Physical Science Curriculum Standards.
| Resources | ||
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| Lesson Plan | View |
Download |
| Video of Workshop in Action | Watch |
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| Lecture/Demonstration of Bamboula rhythm | Watch |
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Life Through Our Eyes
“Life Through Our Eyes” is a new CD containing original music, lyrics, and poetry by the teen members of the Creative Forces Youth Educational Theater Corps. Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, the peer educators of Creative Forces use their performing arts skills to teach younger children about science, math and life, and to inspire in the next generation a belief and hope for the future of our beautiful, unique city.
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| Sample Track: Breathe |  Listen |
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| Sample Track: Yes We Can | Listen |
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Silence Speaks
From January to May 2009 Creative Forces instructors led a core group of veteran members in the creation of a new performance piece entitled “Silence Speaks.” It was the first time that the group focused their creative attention on audiences of their peers and adults—rather than children—in an effort to stem the tide of violence in New Orleans neighborhoods today.
“When you are in New Orleans, reality comes to you at an early age.”
—Roque, Peer Educator
| Resources | ||
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| CRAFT of Creative Forces: Silence Speaks | Watch |
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| Sample Track: Dreams | Listen |
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| Sample Track: Why Don’t You Be the One (Remix) | Listen |
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Cultural Activism
From January to May 2009, Creative Forces instructor Troi Bechet taught 15 high school students in an elective class designed using the CRAFT framework.
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| Introduction to Cultural Activism (Syllabus) | View |
Download |
| Hitting Prime Time: Introduction to Cultural Activism Winter/Spring 2009 |
Watch |
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