2010 Summer Day Camp for 3-5 and 6-9 year olds creates a vibrant arts first learning experience that develops the curiosity of exploring many things.

Application • Philosophy • Sample Daily Schedule • Teacher Bios • Reader Article

"The greatest scientists are artists as well." -Albert Einstein

Philosophy:At the UpSideDownSchool, the usual pyramid of learning subjects is flipped, placing arts as the foundation.  A Super-Topic will be determined by the youth and research of the topic will be done by “peeling the onion.” Peeling the onion is the idea that you can take any simple idea and if you keep exploring that one thing deeper and deeper- you will soon discover the whole connected world.

At last year’s camp, children played with the Super-Topic of Flight.  Playing with this idea, children researched from birds to planes, wind to grasshoppers, and created sculpture, painting, song, poetry, masks, and other art projects, culminating in a play called The Green Bird.

Free Street is directed by Ron Bieganski, a theater arts leader with 25 years experience. Each group will have a maximum of 10 students and be lead by teaching artists Shanel Jackson, (MA in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in expressive arts therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies) and Amy Jensen, (BA in Sociology, Theater, and Urban Studies form Wheaton College, teaching artist also at Redmoon Theater), assisted by two college interns. Each day will include yoga, voice and dance, visual arts, swimming, and reading.

June 21 - July 23
8:30 - 9:00 drop off
9:00 - 3:00 classes
3:00 - 4:00 supervised play and pick up

Five week session / $200 per week

Teaching Artists
Shanel Jackson (6-9 year old group) is a visual and performance artist and has been working as a teaching artist for ten years. She started teaching with Free Street programs in 1999. Since then she has worked with youth between the ages of two and nineteen in public schools, community centers, treatment centers and summer programs teaching arts and crafts, drama, creative writing and creative movement. She is a resident artist in Oakland CA with the organization Opera Piccola and teaches drama, puppet making and puppet theater. In May 2008 Shanel graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies completing a MA in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in expressive arts therapy (the expressive arts include visual arts, drama/ritual, creative writing/poetry, storytelling, dance/movement and music). She works as a counselor with individuals as well as facilitates expressive arts and spirituality groups of all ages.

Amy Jensen (3-5 year old group) began teaching theater in the Chicago area in 2006. She interned with Free Street in 2007 while finishing up her degree at Wheaton College and came on as a teaching artist in 2009. In addition to Free Street’s school residency programs, she also works with Redmoon Theater’s Neighborhood Arts program. Amy trained and taught theater in Germany and Africa, working with Free Street’s German sister theater Schlesische 27, among others. During college Amy spent her summers working at a kindergarten prep preschool program in Portland, OR, and her first job ever was as a children’s swimming instructor. She is so excited to be leading the youngest students of UpSideDown School in our summer explorations of our bodies and our imaginations!

UpSideDownSchool at Free Street Theater in Pulaski Park
1419 W. Blackhawk Ave.
Chicago, IL 60642

(773) 772-7248

Free Street Theater is a 40-year old cultural arts laboratory where youth develop skills for virtuoso creativity and joyful lives.