Today, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced a new international partnership with Step Afrika!, the first professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping and one of the leading African American dance companies in the U.S.
The new partnership will provide an exclusive opportunity for 10 young men to travel to Zagreb, Croatia to participate in a weeklong international youth camp with 100 students from Croatia and nearby European countries. Students will participate in a series of workshops, grounded in Step Afrika!’s core values — discipline, teamwork, and commitment. They will learn the art of stepping and work together to choreograph and perform a step show.
The students selected to participate in the youth exchange program are all in their junior year and are from six DCPS high schools. They were nominated by their school principals. Each student has a GPA of 3.0 or higher and completed a competitive application process that included a series of essay questions highlighting their commitment to excellence in school and passion for discovering new cultures. The following students will be participating in the program:
- Victor Alleyne, Banneker HS
- Triston Henry, Cardozo HS
- Khyle Hightower, Columbia Heights Education Campus
- Merhawi Huwarshek, Cardozo HS
- Terrence Jackson, Eastern HS
- Parris Kennedy, Anacostia HS
- Matt Lopez, Columbia Heights Education Campus
- Donald Morgan III, School Without Walls HS
- Christopher Tate, School Without Walls HS
- Ahmad Woodard, Anacostia HS
“Step Afrika! opened the world’s eyes to the beauty and power of step, and I know this new partnership will do the same and more for our DCPS student cultural ambassadors,” said Chancellor Kaya Henderson. “I am incredibly proud of the 10 young men embarking on this special journey and excited Step Afrika!. I am confident they will remember this experience forever. It is through these experiences and expanded perspectives that our young people are propelled toward college and global careers.”
This is the third year that Step Afrika! has traveled to Croatia for the International Youth Exchange program. However, these young men will be the first student representatives from the United States to participate.
“Step Afrika! has developed a great connection with students in Croatia, and the Company is excited to share this opportunity with students from our home city, Washington, DC,” said Step Afrika!’s founder and executive director C. Brian Williams. “Together, the students will build self-confidence, develop a deeper sense of cultural pride, and gain cross-cultural understanding.”
The students will document their journey in personal journals and through social media. When they return, they will create a presentation to showcase their experience and share it with their peers. The students will also participate in Step Afrika!’s 20th Anniversary home performance series to be held at the Ira Aldridge Theatre on Howard University's Campus on June 4-7, 2015.
The new partnership comes on the heels of DCPS announcing new investments to support international travel for middle grade students, as a part of a strategic initiative.
For more information about Step Africa!, visit www.stepafrika.org