Our Final BAISY Saturday: All about April

Welcome back, readers! It was our FINAL BAISY MEETING last Saturday, and boy was it a long one!

We started our day off with our morning ritual – a check in at the door (what Kermit are you today?), meditation and mindfulness, and our check in question (who do you think will write the song of the summer?) Answers varied from Beyonce to Billie Eilish.

Well, gentlefolk, it was a busy day! After our check in, we jumped right into business, lamenting our struggles with FAFSA delays and colleges. Some of us have not yet committed to a school because of problems with FAFSA!

We then went over our individual capstones, which we are all very excited to share with you! Some of us have been artmaking, others have been tracking down events to cover, and some have been doing extensive research.

After sharing and delighting in each other’s capstone plans, we took some time to talk to some BAI alumni who are now in or have graduated college! We were graced by the lovely faces of Nikiyah, Trellis, Ciera, Apollo, Jada, and Ms. Cassie, who led the conversation. We learned about the best ways to save money, how to get along with roommates, and just how work study actually works. The end of high school is in sight, my friends, and college is steadily approaching!

After a lunch of Pizza Boli’s pizza and wings with a spread from Nothing Bundt Cakes for dessert, we headed back into the thick of it with FINAL EVENT PLANNING!

Not much can be shared here, as we love a good surprise, but we’ll tell you that we spent time working together to come up with a title for our collaborative artwork, a design for the decor, and artmaking to make our individual spaces really POP!

It was a heartfelt goodbye at Arts for Learning when four forty-five rolled around and we all reconvened to share good memories and well wishes for the future. 

We may be done at Arts for Learning, but the world grows tall ahead of us! We look forward to sharing the first day of the rest of our lives with you soon.

Brought to you by Spiral Weber

February BAISY Session

This week at BAI, the interns had an exciting session. From working on college prep, to a large scale statement piece, their hands were full and minds busy with determination and planning.

They began with their usual mindfulness practices, and eventually moved onto a beautifully facilitated conversation about awareness. Acknowledging that they will be going to new places, and living in new spaces, they brainstormed wishlists for items they could see themselves needing in a new setting. The College Dormitory. Preparing supplies and later discussing budgeting your finances to stay healthy and prioritizing NEEDS versus WANTS when you’re on your own.

The session then became an informative guide/fun conversation about financial aid and loans post acceptances. The interns then focused on their future careers, through a game of Jeopardy, learning about professional mannerisms, credit cards and finances, and even loans and banking.

Later that day, the interns engaged in a political art project, geared towards addressing issues in America. They devoted time towards brainstorming ideas, selecting individual issues, and deciding on a cohesive and fun color pallet. From racism, to economic struggles, this project speaks volumes to everyone and the interns can’t wait to show the world their work.

Though the day was eventful, many interns found it difficult to leave, as they were so excited about the project, they wanted to keep working, long after the day had ended. It’s safe to say, this was another exciting day at BAI, and we can’t wait to get back to work!

Brought to you by Kelaysha Williams

BAISY January Session WITH Supervisors

Welcome to Saturday (on a Friday!) Meeting #4!

As the interns entered the building, the QOTD (Question of the Day) was posted on the door: Share something good! 

Answers varied from getting into colleges of their choice and college visits to going on dates with significant others. Once everyone arrived, we started our day with mindfulness and morning pages. Next, we moved into our check-in.

Next, we then moved into our Final Event prep with Julea! We covered what we want to share with the world at our final exhibition (STAY TUNED FOR MORE DEETS). They also helped to answer questions about how we want to portray that in different ways. They provided us with some useful tips. We then had lunch from Pizza Boli’s, sat outside and enjoyed the sun while it was out!

Last, but not least, we spent the last hour of our day with our lovely supervisors. We took the time to do an activity based on what each intern and supervisor have done together so far with their worksite, then shifted to an activity based on how well each intern is doing with their worksite so far (a Mid-Program Performance Review!). We enjoyed the personal talk we had with our supervisors as well as getting a deeper understanding of what needs to be done from here on out.

We had an amazing day and look forward to seeing y’all next month. Thank you, as always, for rocking with us!!

Brought to you by Jaila White

December Saturday with BAISY

Happy December and welcome to Saturday Meeting #3!

As interns entered, the QOTD (Question of the Day) was, as usual, posted on the door: what animal matches your vibe this morning? Answers varied from bats to red foxes to golden retrievers. Once everyone arrived, we started our day with mindfulness and morning pages. We then moved into our check-in and icebreaker question: what is your favorite holiday tradition? Highlights included decorating for Christmas and visiting family.

We then moved into our College & Career prep lesson with Ms. Cassie! We covered Adulting 101 and, most importantly, the FAFSA. She also helped to answer questions about applying to scholarships, and when exactly we’re going to get that money! She provided us with some useful tips & tricks, and then had lunch with us as we ate pizza from Joe Squared. (NOTE: Joe Squared is closing at the end of the year! Please patronize them as much as possible. They have become a beloved part of our BAI community, and we will miss them so very much!)

After lunch, we rushed to get on the bus, because our Arts Experience today included a FIELD TRIP! We visited MICA’s Decker Library in order to view ‘artist books’. We learned that for an artist, a book can take many forms, from one you might find on a shelf, to an unopenable spiral notebook! We spent about an hour and a half with the lovely librarians and archivists at the Decker Library, and after getting a little distracted upstairs looking at zines, games, and art supplies, we headed back to A4L for a final wrap-up. 

We had an exciting day and look forward to seeing y’all next month — or, if you want to see our lovely faces sooner, keep an eye out for some invites for alumni events coming your way!

Brought to you by Spiral Weber