Dallas City of Learning Partners: SPARK!
Established: September 2010 in Dallas; facility opened June 2015
About: The SPARK! mantra is all about allowing children from second grade all the way to high school to develop their self-definition as creative individuals. How does SPARK! do that? By providing a fully immersive creative learning environment that layers artistic disciplines meant to spark the imagination, expand the mind, and motivate the body. This includes an endless roster of workshops and pop-up activities that allow students to broaden their creativity by learning from experts, innovators and artists.
Why is summer learning so important?
“Summer learning is extremely important because it helps kids continue to work on their academic skills without missing a beat,” says Lori Carey, Community Engagement Manager at SPARK! “At SPARK! they’re learning the creative process which will help them with problem solving skills and give them a leg-up when they return to the classroom in the fall.”
Why partner with Dallas City of Learning?
“Partnering with DCoL helps us reach more kids in the Dallas area,” says Carey. “And in doing this, we are able to help kids spark their imagination, expand their minds and engage their physical well being during the summer.”
How does your participation in Dallas City of Learning benefit SPARK! kids?
“SPARK! is a one-of-a-kind program that works to ignite the spark of creativity inherent in all children,” says Carey. “When kids start identifying as creative individuals, they develop better problem-solving skills which lead to better academic performance and higher self-esteem.”
What is your vision and passion for the future of education?
“Our passion is that educators ignite creativity, our vision is aligned with our practices,” says Carey. “At SPARK! we teach the creative process. We define this as: Inspiration with Iteration & Collaboration leads to Innovation. If the educational institutions would encourage children to study, learn and work through this process, we would have a more inspired student body and a stronger work force.”
— Mario Tarradell
