Steppenwolf Announces Recipients Of Fidelity's 3rd 'Inspire The Future Awards'

Steppenwolf for Young Adults and Fidelity Investments are proud to announce the recipients of the 3rd annual Fidelity Investments Inspire the Future Awards: Edward Cisneros, theater director and educator at the Multicultural Arts School; Kirsten Hanson, Drama and English teacher at Lane Tech College Prep; Lisa Ehrlich-Menard Drama, English and History teacher at Curie Metro High School; and Susan McDonough, U.S. History, Philosophy & Social Issues, and Social Expressions teacher at Austin Career Education Center. Each recipient will receive a $2,500 grant to support arts programming for students at their respective schools. Recognizing this year's outstanding nominations, Fidelity Investments expanded the annual honor from two to four awards.

Fidelity Investments and Steppenwolf created the Fidelity Investments Inspire the Future Award to honor Chicago Public School educators who are dedicated to the advancement of youth through theater and the arts in Chicago. In addition to their active involvement in Steppenwolf for Young Adults programs, this year's educators have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to the employment of innovative learning techniques that motivate and encourage their students to think and participate in creative ways.

Edward Cisneros is a theater director and educator. Originally from Dallas, he created and implemented the educational programming for Cara Mia Theater Company and helped reorganize Shakespeare Dallas's educational outreach program. Cisneros 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 teaches Drama I, Drama II, and Theater Technology. At MAS, Cisneros has partnered with Steppenwolf for Young Adults, participating as a Residency School teacher and in Steppenwolf's Teacher Immersion Course. He 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 ten years. Before working at Lane Tech, she worked as an actor and arts educator in Chicago. A graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in Drama, Hanson continued her education at University of Illinois at Chicago, earning a Masters of Education. She 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. Hanson 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. Hanson 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. Ehrlich-Menard has been bringing her students to see productions at Steppenwolf for the past few years and will partner next year as new Residency School teacher. She uses the principals of drama in all of her teaching, from Drama classes to English to History and believes that theatre can help her students engage in critical analysis and also foster empathy. Ehrlich-Menard 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, McDonough continued her education at the University of Illinois at Chicago earning a Ph.D. in Education. She brought her students to see Steppenwolf's production of The Glass Menagerie last 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, McDonough designed a sociology class highly infused with art that supports state standards across curricular areas. She 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. McDonough 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.

Last year's recipients of the Fidelity Investments Inspire the Future Awards were Sandra Shimon and Ken Hunter of Prosser Career Academy.

About The Steppenwolf for Young Adults Programs:

Steppenwolf for Young Adults department brings high-quality theatre to artistically curious young adults across Chicago. Each production resonates with a mature teen audience, in hopes of inspiring a new generation of theatre enthusiasts and practitioners. Productions have ranged from original work and adaptation, to classics like The Glass Menagerie and Of Mice and Men - both produced in the 2008-2009 SYA season. The department produces two full-scale shows each year, performed during the week for students and opened up to the public during evening and weekend performances.

Productions for Students and Families
Steppenwolf for Young Adult productions are performed exclusively for students Tuesday - Friday mornings at 10 a.m. Schools interested in deepening their relationship with Steppenwolf should consider becoming a subscriber or residency school.

The Young Adults Council is a unique after-school program for passionate and motivated high school students who wish to learn the inner-workings of professional theatre from the most celebrated artists in the city. In addition to invaluable face-time with these leading professionals, Council members attend the best plays in Chicago, learn how to analyze and speak about these plays and organize events for their peers around Steppenwolf productions in hopes of inspiring a new generation of theatre enthusiasts and practitioners.

Educator Workshops
The Teacher Theatre Immersion Course is a professional development program that provides teachers with theatre arts integration tools designed to improve student achievement. Participants are exposed to principles, pedagogies and values inspired by the theatre arts and Steppenwolf Theatre Company that are directly applicable in the classroom setting and relevant to core curriculum. The Master Teacher Workshops help teachers improve student comprehension of literature through drama, using texts related to our Steppenwolf for Young Adults productions. All offer the opportunity to earn CPDU credits. All courses and workshops are free.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults is a citywide partner of the Chicago Public Schools School Partner Program.

The Fidelity Investments Inspire the Future program is a grassroots outreach initiative dedicated to raising awareness and building support for community youth programs in the arts and athletics. The Inspire the Future Award is given to recognize and honor local leaders who go over-and-above to support youth programs in schools and throughout our communities, and inspire both participants and other volunteers and administrators with their leadership and enthusiasm. Fidelity has a long legacy of supporting the arts and is proud to work with Steppenwolf Theatre Company to promote theater education and appreciation.

Fidelity Investments is one of the world's largest providers of financial services, with custodied assets of nearly $2.7 trillion, including managed assets of $1.3 trillion as of April 30, 2009. Fidelity offers investment management, retirement planning, brokerage, and human resources and benefits outsourcing services to over 20 million individuals and institutions as well as through 5,000 financial intermediary firms. The firm is the largest mutual fund company in the United States, the No. 1 provider of workplace retirement savings plans, the largest mutual fund supermarket and a leading online brokerage firm. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com.

Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Steppenwolf Theatre Company's mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships and contributing new works to the national canon. The company, formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, is dedicated to perpetuating an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through on-going group work. Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of 42 artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking and textual adaptation. For additional information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.

 

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