A team effort by several Bronx institutions brought the arts to Norwood’s local hospital.

The Healing Arts Department at Montefiore Medical Center hosted roughly 30 elementary students from P.S 280 in Norwood on May 18. Residents, including parents, gathered at the Grand Hall in the Moses Campus to watch several performances including dance, chorus, and African drumming.

The department hosts several programs that use art and creativity to improve health outcomes and ease anxiety, primarily for hospital patients. Employees have taken part in art galleries to show off their creative side. Montefiore typically hosts community artists to showcase their talents. This time, P.S. 280 was asked to come in.

“Study of arts in the schools has been proven to improve their overall academics and become better citizens,” said David Nussenbaum, executive director of the Bronx Arts Ensemble. “Teaching artists from the Bronx Arts Ensemble come in to teach during the day and after school at P.S 280 and 39 other public schools in the borough.”

The choir performed several songs such as John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change” to encourage world peace, while other students embraced the rhythms of the African culture by presenting their drumming skills.

“It’s important to have faith in our children because they are the future,” said Deanna Kirk, jazz artist and choir instructor. “Extracurricular activities help give kids a sense of empowerment.” 

A group of fifth and sixth graders brought their lively dance moves to the stage, showing off their skills and their confidence.

“I learned not to have stage fright,” said fifth grade student Mia, who performed a dance routine.

The Healing Arts Center encourages children to stay active during the summer. Several representatives from organizations including DreamYard in Hunts Point attended the event to encourage children to join the programs  that pique their interest.

“Summer is a time when children forget what they learned during the school year”, said Haydil Henriquez, outreach coordinator and college advisor for DreamYard. “Our program offers year-round programs for children. In the Bronx especially, it is important to nurture children’s talent and desires.”

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.