In a unique blend of music and education, a recent event at Tahoe Expedition Academy transformed a typical science class into an electrifying hip-hop performance. The room reverberated with music as Brandon Greathouse, a local rapper and producer, captivated an audience of elementary students with his energetic stage presence and engaging tunes.
The theme of the performance was herpetology, the scientific study of amphibians and reptiles. Students were encouraged to join in as Greathouse rapped lyrics like, “Don’t leave me in the sun, too hot, water’s more fun. Turn up the noise!”
This innovative approach is part of a larger initiative by Arts for the Schools, a nonprofit organization dedicated to integrating arts education and cultural programming into the curriculum of schools in the Tahoe Truckee area. The program aims to make learning more captivating by incorporating creativity and live performances, according to Lindsay McIntosh, the executive director.
“Arts for the Schools has been around for 41 years bringing cultural enrichment, visual arts, and performing arts,” McIntosh explained. “We do lots of assemblies of all different cultures and genres, and this one was hip hop themed.”
Spanning more than a dozen schools across Northern California and the Sierra Nevada, the organization presents assemblies that include music, dance, visual arts, and storytelling. These performances often intersect with traditional academic subjects such as science.
“I asked Brandon [Greathouse], ‘Can you write about herpetology?’” McIntosh shared. “And he said, ‘What’s that?’” Greathouse approached the task by researching the subject first. “She told me it’s the study of amphibians and frogs,” he recalled. “So I looked up some facts, started making beats, and the songs came out great.”
Dance also plays a significant role in these performances. Dancers like Lily Faye, a local high school senior who began dancing at age three, contribute to bringing the show to life. “It’s just so fulfilling,” Faye expressed. “Some of the students I teach are in the audience yelling ‘Miss Lily!’ and running up to hug me. Seeing their joy makes everything worth it.”
In an area renowned for its Olympic athletes, the arts provide students with an alternative avenue for expression.
Maria Palma
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KUNR Public Radio
Throughout five days, the program delivers eight live arts assemblies to various schools in the area, engaging hundreds of students within the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. Many performances emphasize environmental topics.
“We are commissioning new works that are all about ecology and something we call ‘eco literacy,’” McIntosh said. “So not only is music and having cultural experiences important, but we also ask artists, musicians, dancers and visual artists to create work about the environment.”
By continually expanding these experiences, Arts for the Schools seeks to unite artists with classrooms, fostering new methods to enliven creativity, culture, and even science for students.
