LEAP Expands Boundaries of the Classroom

Learning happens at Calvary Women’s Services every single day, both inside and outside the classroom. This is true for residents, volunteers and staff. The Life Skills, Education and Arts Program (LEAP) regularly schedules field trips that give women the opportunity to take what they learn in class and explore different topics in a fun, new setting.

Earlier this year Nancy Arbuthnot taught an eight-week “Art Talks” class. She brought in slides of artwork from the Phillips Collection and prompted women to react to the images. Each week focused on a different style, including abstract art, portraits and landscapes. The class culminated in a field trip to the Phillips Collection. There women wandered through rooms of exquisite and rare paintings and picked out their favorite works. They inhaled the sweet, sticky aroma of the Laib Wax Room and discussed styles of art that they recognized from class.

Last week women went to the Folger Shakespeare Library to tour the historic reading room, Elizabethan garden and Folger Theatre. The Folger Library is home to the world’s largest Shakespeare collection. During their visit a LEAP volunteer was pulled onto the stage for an impromptu performance! This field trip complemented a popular drama class called “Shakespeare’s Sisters” that was taught in the spring.

Volunteers from the Advisory Board Company – a research, technology and consulting firm in Washington – accompanied women to the Natural History Museum in April. They are also planning a trip to the National Museum of the American Indian.

We are grateful for the volunteers who spend their time exploring art, history, drama and more with women at Calvary, and grateful for these opportunities to expand the space for learning!