As a Certified Member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, the Center believes all children benefit from participation in performing arts classes. 

1. Cultivate creative thinking Cultivate creative thinking &problem solving skills
2. Encourage self-expression
3. Provide an outlet to explore untested feelings, ideas, and impulses
4. Promote analytical thinking and problem solving skills
5. Arts study has been proven to increase academic performance
6. Develop goal setting and time management skills
7. Promote positive self-esteem
8. Develop non-verbal communication
9. Learn to work with others in a group
10. Learn to set standards
11. Learn new ways to convey ideas and emotions
12. Develop physical coordination, timing, and memory skills
13. Develop self-discipline
14. Understand human experiences past & present
15. Develop an appreciation for artistic work
16. Become initiated to a variety of ways of perceiving and thinking
17. Learn to respect othersLearn to respect others’ (often different) ways of thinking, working and expressing themselves
18. Develop intuition and imagination
19. Understand the influence of art in our culture
20. Have creative, playful, fun

The Center for Theater Arts has extensive experience partnering with schools, non-profits, and community organizations to enrich children’s performing arts experience including:

	A twenty-six year program of free weekly musical theater classes for children with special needs, previously funded by a grant from The William V. and Catherine A. McKinney Charitable Foundation and Earl Knudson Charitable Foundation.
	A 2 1/2 year program of free musical theater classes for adults with special needs funded by a grant from FISA Foundation.
	A fourteen-year program of weekly musical theatre classes for students with special needs at Pathfinder School.
	A seven year collaboration with Mt. Lebanon Extended Day Program to provide weekly performing arts classes for kindergarten children.
	A five-year program that includes thirty-weeks of after-school performing arts classes at Chartiers Valley Middle School for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
	Collaborations with Hoover and Markham Elementary Schools to write, direct, produce, and perform original works.
	Seven years of free summer performances for Camp Aim - the YMCA special needs summer camp.
	After-school classes at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in McMurray.
	Pre-school arts in early childhood enrichment program in collaboration with Shady Lane School.
	Collaboration with Mt. Lebanon High School to produce two one-act play festivals in 1999 and 2000 for high school students from throughout the South Hills.
	Five years of musical theatre workshops for gifted high school students in Hopewell Township during which over 100 participants work on acting, singing, and choreography each year.
	A twenty-week session of performing arts classes in collaboration with Hampton Township School District, Hampton Partners for the Performing Arts, and Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence.
	A partnership to provide free acting classes for Project MOST, which provides free before and after school safe-places and programs for Middle School children.
	A five-year performance project with Howe Elementary School in Mt, Lebanon during which the entire fifth grade creates and performs an original musical theatre piece.
	Participation in numerous conferences and professional presentations and workshops for schools, state groups, and community organizations including the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of the Young Child, Duquesne University, Seton LaSalle High School, Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, Carlynton High School, Mt. Lebanon High School, etc.
	Performances throughout the community including the Baptist Home for Seniors, The Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, The National Kidney Foundation Children’s Holiday Party, DePaul Institute, Outreach South, Camp Aim, RuthFred Lutheran Church Mother/Daughter Dinner, South Hills YMCA Indian Princess campout, Temple Beth El Family Day, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Pre-School Benefit, Fair Oaks Senior Center, Mt. Lebanon School District, Eisenhower Elementary School, Ft. Couch Middle School, Pittsburgh Children’s Festival, Phipps Conservatory, Hartwood Hayfest, Three Rivers Arts Festival, etc. . .