LOUISVILLE, KY (January 18, 2016) – In partnership with Delta Dental of Kentucky and Fund for the Arts, $44,651 has been granted to 38 schools in Eastern Kentucky for the second round of the Delta Dental Making Smiles Happen® Arts in Education Initiative. This grant creates an estimated 11,334 Arts experiences for students in 22 Eastern Kentucky counties.
This initiative will provide students opportunities in a wide range of disciplines, from drama and dance to music and the visual arts. Every arts engagement meets Kentucky Core Academic Standards and each individual school’s curriculum.
“Educating the whole child is the key to success in academics and in life,” says Tammy York Day, Delta Dental of Kentucky Chief Operating Officer and Fund for the Arts board member. “We know that kids learn best through meaningful hands-on engagement. Arts build the skills our future workforce will need like problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. It is a great honor to help support arts-integrated learning in more classrooms.
In November 2015, Delta Dental of Kentucky announced a $100,000 donation to Fund for the Arts to create the Delta Dental Making Smiles Happen® Arts in Education Initiative. This initiative creates experiences for students of all grade levels in Southeastern Kentucky and in Jefferson County.
The Delta Dental Making Smiles Happen® Arts in Education Initiative allows Fund for the Arts to broaden its reach by serving constituents across the commonwealth. Through Delta Dental’s Making Smiles Happen® commitment, Fund for the Arts will be able to reach an additional 12,000 children in 200 classrooms.
“Through this partnership with Delta Dental of Kentucky, we are bringing the transformative power of Arts in Education to many more children, schools and teachers,” said Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President and CEO. “The Delta Dental Making Smiles Happen® Arts in Education Initiative is engaging creative minds and inspiring student success across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
“We’re grateful for this investment in the Southeastern Kentucky region. The Fund for the Arts and Delta Dental of Kentucky are providing wonderful opportunities for our schools and students to experience the Arts,” said Phil Osborne, SOAR Tourism, Arts and Heritage Committee Chair.
Schools Receiving Delta Dental Making Smiles Happen® Arts in Education Initiative Grants:
- Belfry Middle School (Pike County)
- Bell Central School Center
- Big Creek Elementary School (Clay County)
- Cold Hill Elementary School (Laurel County)
- Crab Orchard Elementary School (Lincoln County)
- Estill County Middle School
- Evarts Elementary School (Harlan County)
- Flat Gap Elementary School (Johnson County)
- Frakes School Center (Bell County)
- Green Hills Elementary School (Harlan County)
- Highland-‐Turner Elementary School (Owsley County)
- Hunter Hills Elementary School (Laurel County)
- Jackson County Middle School
- Jones Fork Elementary School (Knott County)
- Kimper Elementary School (Pike County)
- Knox Central High School
- Leslie County High School
- Letcher County Elementary School
- Lincoln County Middle School
- Lone Jack School Center (Bell County)
- Madison County Middle School
- Marie Roberts Caney Elementary School (Breathitt County)
- McCreary County Middle School
- Mount Vernon Elementary School (Rockcastle County)
- Page School Center (Bell County)
- Porter Elementary School (Johnson County)
- Prestonsburg Elementary School (Floyd County)
- Right Fork School Center (Bell County)
- Robinson Elementary School (Perry County)
- Sand Gap Elementary (Jackson County)
- South Floyd Middle/High School (Floyd County)
- Tyner Elementary School (Jackson)
- Warfield Elementary School (Martin County)
- Wayne County Middle School
- Whitley County East Elementary School
- Whitley County High School
- WR Castle Elementary School (Johnson County)
- Yellow Creek School Center (Bell County)
About Delta Dental of Kentucky Making Smiles Happen®:
Making Smiles Happen® is Delta Dental of Kentucky’s commitment to serving the community and its residents one smile at a time. Aimed with the task of promoting oral health to the residents of Kentucky, Making Smiles Happen® provides charitable support to a variety of non-profit partners. Giving back is a core component of the culture at Delta Dental and Making Smiles Happen® allows it to support, not only groups aimed at improving oral health, but non-profits important to our employees and the communities they serve. And while their primary focus is to ensure that Kentuckians of all ages have exceptional access to oral care, they are open to partnering with any organization that supports a healthy lifestyle and an improved well-being.
About Delta Dental:
Delta Dental of Kentucky is part of a family of companies that collectively is among the largest, most experienced dental plan administrators in the nation: Delta Dental Plans Association. In 2013, the enterprise paid out nearly $3 billion for dental care for 12.1 million enrollees. Offices are located in Okemos and Farmington, Hills, Mich.; Sherwood and Little Rock, Ark.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; and Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, Tenn. For more information visit, deltadentalky.com.
About the Fund for the Arts:
The Fund for the Arts builds a stronger community by investing in world-class Arts organizations, driving collaborative initiatives and fueling innovative Arts-in-education programs throughout the region. A national leader in corporate partnerships; helping business and creative find a unified voice, a more educated workforce, and attract talent through the Arts. The annual Fund for the Arts campaign has generated more than $196 million for the Arts since its establishment in 1949. More than 20,000 donors contribute to the campaign each year. For more information, visit fundforthearts.org.
