The very first CommuniCare Arts Experience will kick off Thursday, November 2. This will be the first of many field trips, sponsored by The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, working towards building community between participating CommuniCare schools.

Kristen Engfors-Boess, CommuniCare Coordinator, notes, “By offering students meaningful arts experiences, we can help expand their understanding of what a community needs to be healthy, specifically how the arts play a vital role in connecting people, celebrating culture, critiquing institutions, spreading awareness, and building empathy.”

For this event, 100 students from Corbett High School, Grant High School, Madison High School, the Metropolitan Learning Center, and Northwest Academy, will be coming together at Portland Center Stage for “Every Brilliant Thing,” a play that focuses on mental health and support within families. Jordan D. Schnitzer and All Classical Portland will be also joining the students to hear more about how they view the arts and their new role as grantmakers.

The field trip will include pre and post-show activities to enrich the students’ experience, including backstage tours of The Armory and a Q&A with the cast about the issue of suicide prevention.