Up Next Recordings

James Lyng CLC is an Urban Arts School in Montreal which has over the last 3 years developed exciting school-community partnerships with organizations led by members of Montreal’s vibrant hip hop scene, and students have recently launched their very own record label: Up Next Recordings.

“Between W.O.R.D. (an extra-curricular Hip Hop literacy program), a curated  multi-media art exhibit, a student-centered music program and school choir, there is an amazing amount of high quality music created at our school. The students saw a need to promote our school's music and decided to create a record label and release a mixtape entitled "Up Next Mixtape #1” comments James Lyng CLC teacher Nathan Gage.  

Nathan,the music and entrepreneurship teacher points out "Artists like Drake got their start by releasing mixtapes which fans could download for free.”

"Through community partners and our partnership with McGill's Department of Integrated Studies in Education, my students have developed working relationships with amazing and inspiring adults. I have seen my students benefit greatly from these interactions".

The CLC approach of school-community partnerships develops the supports and conditions for students to contribute to projects that have a life outside the confines of the school and helps provide authentic opportunities for students to engage with their school community.

Reflecting on the impact of the project, Nathan observed that  his students "have benefited by seeing their hard work come to fruition and be recognized.”

How did they do it?

The class was divided into 4 groups

1.     social media and website

2.     communications and media

3.     marketing and accounting

4.     art and advertising (poster, graphic design)

I asked Nathan how he managed the class and kept a record of student learning.  He used a different binder for each group, and students logged what they did each day.

Specific tasks included:

• Creating a budget
• Creating a website
• Setting up a social media presence
• Designing posters
• Designing a logo
• Designing cover art for the mixtape
• Helping a professional studio engineer record the James Lyng choir
• Assigning track order and song transitions for the mixtape
• Creating CD copies to give to students involved in the project
• Writing a press release
• Writing a one sheet
• Emailing radio stations across the country
• Contacting local media

You can hear more about the project from a great interview on CBC Montreal's Daybreak and the CBC radio program Cinq à Six.

Check out the Montreal Gazette article about James Lyng's Urban Arts Initiative here.

Quebec High School Intergenerational Art Project

Quebec High School (QHS) collaborated with the Jeffrey Hale Community Partners (JHCP) to develop an intergenerational art project.   QHS special needs and WOTP students traveled to JHCP where they participated in art classes for students that could not necessarily take part in a regular stream class. JHCP  had an arts expert and was willing to animate this project with the help of technicians from QHS.  At the conclusion of the art class, the QHS students met with a group of seniors associated with the JHCP to present their work and socialize in a non-school environment.

Prior to the meeting, the capacity of seniors was built to prepare them for working with a special needs population.  This project was important in strengthening the relationship with JHCP as the school is making it a priority to raise awareness of the supports special needs students require once they leave QHS at age 21. 

JHCP is very concerned about the special needs population of the Quebec City region.  Plans are already in place preparing for the various services that will be required in years to come.  It was beneficial for the partners to gauge the level of capacity needed to work with a special needs population. 

For QHS, the program provided a controlled atmosphere away from the school where the students could be placed outside their comfort zone and mix with other adults that they do not see on a daily basis at school.  The obvious benefits of students participating in an art project were observed, such as increased self-esteem.  

The resource team from the SNACS (Special Needs Activities & Community Services) program was pleasantly surprised with the positive feedback received from the students about their time spent with seniors. The JHCP found the partnership valuable in identifying and developing relationships with the clientele that they will have to provide services for after high schools years.  

The JHCP seniors did a great job in bringing out conversation with the students, which can sometimes be a challenge with special needs student clientele.  The intergeneration aspect to the project added a human aspect to our sessions.  Our students were able to showcase their artwork, which in the beginning was a challenge until some of the “ice” was broken.