Week 5: By Devonte Blake

Last Week: Tasks Accomplished

• Manpower- worked on first topic with coach


• Week 4 Performance Evaluations


• Reviewed performance goals we set on day 1


• Payday (possible increase based on performance per evaluation)


• Finalizing drawings to scale
  
  

Last Week: Employability Skills Practiced:

• Keeping on schedule with tasks


• Giving & receiving constructive criticism


• Creative thinking


• Problem Solving


• Self initiative


• Brainstorming


• Collaboration skills


• Listening skills

This Week: Tasks to be Accomplished

• Blog


• Finished 2nd Designs


• Working on 2nd scaled drawing , thinking about color


• Sand and Prime boards


• Practice drawing techniques for the mural


• Format photos to be used in the mural


• Goal Reflections: How am I doing in meeting the goals I set for myself on Day 1?


• Practice mixing colors


• Feedback exercise about goals

This Week: Employability Skills to be Practiced:

• Productivity


• Accountability skills


• Creativity skills
  

Personal Thoughts of Devonte Blake About The Program:

I've been enjoying the program so far! I am learning and practicing new and old things every week which will help me in the future. Also the additional coaching program with Manpower will help me too. Overall im loving the expierence!

Week #4 By: Ken'Drella & Ashley

Last Week - Tasks
- Presented mural design ideas to the customer
- Worked on constructive critism
- Finalized the mural design, based on customer feedback

Last Week -Employability Skills
- Critical thinking
- Public speaking
- Mural collaboration & communication
- Meeting deadlines

This Week -Tasks
- Career Coaching @ Manpower
- Pay day on Friday!
- Start mural production
*mixing colors
*image printing investigation
*priming panels
- Performance evaluations on Wednesday and Friday this week: We could earn a raise!
- Goal setting check-in: How are we doing in mastering the goals we set for ourselves on day 1?

This Weeks -Employability Skills
- Listening
- Constructive Critism
-Production & Planning
*how we will work together to get work done

Comments from Apprentices about the program:
When presenting the idea's to the customer, I did not think they would like any of the ideas that we came up with. When they said they actually liked it and they felt they had a hard decision to make, it made me very proud. I really feel good about myself and my teamates. Very glad I was part of this project. I'm psyched!!
-Ashley Fizer

Last week after the big persentation to the customer when my HEART came out of my STOMACH my only thought was getting to Manpower and working with my Career Coach. I'm Very Excited!!!!!!!!
-Ken'Drella Keeler

Pictures of the ArtWorks Apprentices

The Apprentice Team (left to right):

Adrian G., Vanessa J., Ashley F., Quinton W., Kendrella K., Katie Van Velzer (Lead Artist), and Devonte B.

Vanessa, Kendrella, and Adrian present their mural design ideas to the team
Lead Artist Katie Van Velzer listens to Quinton and Ashley's design ideas

Devonte, Ashley and Quinton present mural design ideas to the team

Adrian, Vanessa, and Kendrella share mural design ideas with the team

Program Week 3: By Vanessa Jones & Quinton Washington

Program Blog-Week 3
By Vanessa Jones and Quinton Washington

Last week the team accomplished these task(s):

• We had 2 Guest Speakers that helped us learn even more about crime and violence -Thank you Mariano Quiles & Pastor Rodney Campbell!
• Each team created 2 design ideas for the mural.
• Each team shared their 2 design ideas with the team for critique.
• We met Meghan Koven for Career coaching at Manpower, Inc. Each Apprentice was paired up with a volunteer from Manpower who will serve as their Career Coach.
• Each Apprentice received informal performance feedback from Lead Artist Katie Van Velzer. Katie told us what she thought we were doing well, and what she would like us to work on as her employee.

The Employability Skills we practiced in Week 3:

• Communication
• Construction criticism
• Branding yourself
• Collaboration
• Brainstorming
• Professionalism

This week our team will accomplish these following task(s):

• Teams will be "changed up" to finish team design ideas for the mural.
• Teams will critique each others' mural design ideas.
• Teams will develop a presentation for each of the designs created.
• Apprentices will "pitch" {convince or persuade} all their design ideas to customer.
• Apprentices will see if they are designing ideas the customer wants for the mural.

The Employability Skills we will practice this week:

• Public Speaking
• Critical thinking
• Collaborating
• Problem Solving
• Customer Service
• Constructive Criticism

Safe Place Mural Blog: By Adrian and Tyrone

Accomplishments from Week 1:

• The first day was employee orientation. It was good information. We met everybody. It was kind of boring but we learned a lot of things.
• For the rest of the week we learned about Safe Places, crime data analysis, how to use compass, and different art styles.
• The employability skills we practiced were: Communication (talking and listening), working together/collaboration, geting to work on time, filling out time sheets, and customer service.

Program Plans for Week 2:

• We started our program blog and got our uniforms on Monday.
• This week we will also begin career coaching at Manpower, Inc., and we will receive informal performance feedback from our manager Katie.
• We will continue to learn art techniques, and will begin to critique each others' work.

Our thoughts about the program so far:

• A team picture will be posted soon!
• So far the programs seems alright (Tyrone), Katie and Meghan are cool (Adrian), but we don't really know what to expect (Adrian and Tyrone).

Safe Place Mural Program Begins March 1st!

In collaboration with Safe & Sound, Inc., and Wisconsin Community Services - Project Excel, ArtWorks youth apprentices will work together under Lead Artist Katie Van Velzer to design and produce a one-of-a-kind indoor mural that will be installed at Project Excel. The mural theme will addresses the difficult choices teens currently face in Milwaukee communities, as well as the results that come out of these choices.

Over 65 high school students applied for this 8-week paid apprenticeship, and we are thrilled to be working with the following 8 youth:

• Devonte, New School for Community Service
• Ashley, Riverside University High School
• Adrian, ALAS High School
• Ricardo, Grandview High School
• Kendrella, Milwaukee School of Entrepreneurship
• Vanessa, South Division High School
• Quinton, Washington High School
• Tyrone, South Division High School

The Safe Place Mural Program began on March 1st. Apprentices will begin the program by learning about crime statistics unique to Project Excel's location and their age group. They will then use this information to inform their design ideas for the mural. These designs will be "pitched" to Project Excel and Safe & Sound leadership and a finalized design will result. Only then will the apprentices actually begin the mural production.

Since 2001, ArtWorks has been utilizing paid apprenticeships in the arts as its method for training high school students in highly transferable 21st Century employability skills. ArtWorks serves youth who already face significant barriers to employment, such as underperformance in school, disabilties, and a lack of resources or mentors.

If we want our young people to become productive contributors to our communities, then we need to help prepare them for the job! Current Apprentices set performance goals for themselves on March 1st, and their performance will be tracked and evaluated using real-world processes and methods. They will additionally receive one-on-one career coaching, thanks to ArtWorks' partnership with volunteers at Manpower, Inc. The whole point is to expose these high school students to the world of work, and put them on a path to employment success.

Stay tuned and watch this program progress! Each week, ArtWorks Apprentices will add information to this blog to reflect on their experience, to assess their adherance to the project plan, and to prepare for the work week ahead.