Posted by Elaine on April 12, 2007, from Newark, New Jersey
Community Partners: GlassRoots
StoryCorps is happy to be partnering with GlassRoots, a Newark, New Jersey nonprofit that “provides artistic and life skills training to Newark area youth through workshops in glassmaking, graphic design, and basic business and entrepreneurial concepts”. Seen above is a concrete bench covered in a glass tile mosaic made by the students at GlassRoots. It is currently on display in the front window of GlassRoots at 10 Bleeker St. in downtown Newark, but will make its permanent home in one of Newark’s public parks.
Above is a picture of the glassmaking studio, aka “the hotshop”, where instructor Kate Dowd is setting out materials for class. Students can learn glass bead-making, glass casting, kiln-formed glass, and coming soon: glass-blowing. Below, Kate tries to high-five former student Quawon McAllister, who she interviewed on StoryCorps’ first day of recordings at GlassRoots. When Quawon is not studying computer animation at Essex County College, he returns to GlassRoots to help teach.
