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 Big
Yellow School Bus, a partnership between the Bank of America Charitable
Foundation and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, provides $200
grants to help schools meet the transportation costs of educational
field trips to non-profit cultural institutions and activities
in the arts, sciences, and humanities across Massachusetts.
Big Yellow School Bus meets a growing need to help schools fund
student field trips to art and science museums, historic sites,
and music, dance, and theater performances, which are often eliminated
due to the pressures of dwindling budgets.
Creative learning at cultural institutions is critical to a
child's academic development. These visits help develop creativity
and innovation, which Governor Deval Patrick's 21st Century Skills
Task Force identifies as among the most important skills for students
today. The field trip also helps teachers enliven the curriculum
and engage students in learning. Big Yellow School Bus is designed
to foster partnerships between schools and cultural institutions
so students across the state can explore their creativity and
experience all that Massachusetts' cultural life has to offer.
Funded by Bank of America and the MCC, the program invites any
K-12 school in Massachusetts to apply for a $200 grant to be used
during the 2011-2012 school year. Grants provided by the Bank
of America Charitable Foundation support schools with 51% or more
low income students.
Now in its fourth year, Big Yellow School Bus has helped thousands
of Massachusetts students take field trips to nonprofit cultural
organizations across the Commonwealth. Students have visited more
than 185 destinations, from large Boston-based venues such as
the Museum of Science and New England Aquarium, to regional sites
such as Nuestras Raíces in Holyoke, Harwich Junior Theatre,
and Lowell's Tsongas Industrial History Center.
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| © Massachusetts Cultural Council 2012 |
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