2017 ShareWell Impact Report

2017ImpactReport



ABOUT SHAREWELLAt ShareWell, we cultivate brave and generous thinkers. Through the arts, immersive play andreal-world action, we guide children and youth to recognize injustice and possibility within theircommunities and beyond, and to take meaningful, collaborative and collective action to create a betterfuture.ShareWell is the new parent name for the Zimmer Children’s Museum and youTHink, our creativeyouth development program. ShareWell captures more than a place or a program. It represents a spiritof imagining the world we want to live in and being who we must be in order to create it. Whether it’s achild dressing up as a firefighter to help someone in need, or a middle school student standing againstbullying on their campus, this is a place where our ideas and actions matter. Because the world thatwe all share is our responsibility.The Zimmer Children’s Museum offers 10,000 square feet of child-directed and discovery-basedexhibits and a robust calendar of arts and cultural programming for children up to 8 years old and theirfamilies.In youTHink, middle and high school youth cultivate their voice and develop their leadership skills.Together with teaching artists, middle and high school students explore important social issues andengage in purposeful activism through the arts, educated dialogue and civic engagement.There’s a growing need for a place like ShareWell. Over the last five years, attendance has tripled toalmost 90,0000 annual visitors despite the museum’s modest size and somewhat hidden location.To meet the needs of our growth, and to continue to expand museum programs, youth developmentefforts, special exhibits and educational offerings, the museum will relocate to Santa Monica Place inNovember, 2018. The new site is substantially larger and conveniently located with easy access to theDowntown Santa Monica Metro stop, creating the increased access and visibility that ShareWell hasbeen seeking for several years.With a well-conceived plan for growth and sustainability; increasing participation across all youthengagement efforts; and over 25 years of helping to inspire children as they grow to become their bestselves, this exciting move will expand our role as a vital creative force in the community. 1

To act more broadly and boldly on our mission, our new space increases visibility and accessibility to the museum, enabling us to serve a greater number of children, youth and families.”~ Esther Netter, CEO2

A LETTER FROM THE CEO2017 was a big year for the Zimmer.In December, we became ShareWell. This new organizational name was selected to capture thespirit of our mission, and to unite the Zimmer Children’s Museum and youTHink, our creative youthdevelopment program, under one common identity.Soon after adopting our new name, we found our new home on the rooftop of Santa Monica Place. Toact more broadly and boldly on our mission, our new space increases visibility and accessibility to themuseum, enabling us to serve a greater number of children, youth and families. This next chapter inour evolution is the most significant step for our organization since the Jewish Federation welcomedus into their home at 6505 Wilshire Boulevard fifteen years ago. We are tremendously grateful to theFederation and its leadership for their support in helping us create lifelong memories for the hundredsof thousands of children and families who have gathered here.For the past 29 years, children, families and teens have looked to the Zimmer for innovative play andarts-based learning experiences and cutting edge programs that teach social justice, diversity and howto meaningfully contribute to the greater good. In this time, we have helped more than 25,000 middleand high school youth find their voice, cultivate a social conscience and make a positive impact intheir communities. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have been to our museum. They have flownour airplane around the globe, dressed up as first-responders in our Aid and Rescue Center, madenew friends on Main Street and played with the world’s largest Tzedakah Pinball Machine to begin alifetime of giving to others.We are fortunate to be in a city that reflects the benefits of living in a global community. Our newchildren’s museum will enable us to reach more than four times the number of annual visitors wecurrently welcome to the Zimmer, and will be accessible to residents from all over Los Angeles Countyby foot, car, bus and train. A tourist destination, the new site will also position us as ambassadors ofkindness and wonder to visitors from other cities, states and countries.You are an important part of this journey. I hope you share my pride in everything we haveaccomplished together, and that you share my excitement about what is yet to come.Gratefully,Esther Netter 3

youTHink The Zimmer Children’s Museum 2,921 89,079 participants in 2017 visitors in 2017 WHO? Middle and high school youth from Children 0-8 and their families WHAT? 89 Title I schools Playing our way to a better world! WHEN? Helping youth find their voice, develop their creativity and make 6 days a week, all year long a positive impact in their own lives and communities At the Zimmer Children’s Museum on Museum Row in LA and in offsite All year long classes and festivals WHERE? In the classroom, after school and Through 10,000 square feet HOW? on the weekend in diverse cultural of play-based exhibits, camps, settings and neighborhoods in the classes and public programs that LA area stimulate creativity, imagination and collaboration Through innovative arts enrichment, civic engagement, leadership development and college access programs4

EXHIBITS Did you know that play is how life on Main Street or rescuing children learn? Every day in and caring for others in the the museum, the Zimmer S. Mark Taper Aid and Rescue teaches children about their Center, children get to practice power and responsibility to becoming compassionate, make the world a better place. socially responsible grown-ups Whether it’s navigating daily through play. 5

Thanks to a gift from longtime donor Susan Okum, we renovated the VIB (Very Important Baby) Lounge so that parents and adult caregivers can now spend more comfortable and interactive quality time with their little ones.6

IN 2017 WE PROVIDED 5,155 free admissions for EBT (low-income) families 2,000+ visitors welcomed over 4 free community daysWE ALL PLAY We All Play, the Zimmer’s 678 access initiative, provides free community days, subsidized free admissions for admission and memberships, families with special needs need-based scholarships, free field trips for Title I elementary on Open Door Days schools and Head Start preschools and Open Door 57 Days for children with special needs. For many children, a camp and class trip to the Zimmer is one of the scholarships for low- few cultural and educational opportunities they enjoy all income families year. 2,805 children and adults from 54 Head Start schools received subsidized field trips 7

Thanks to support from Stacey and Larry Kohl and the Special Needs Task Force of the Jewish Federation, the Zimmer provided a safe and welcoming environment, free of charge, for 678 children with special needs and their family members. OPEN DOOR DAYS Each year, the Zimmer hosts In order to serve as many Open Door Days exclusively children as possible, the for families with children with Zimmer partners with schools special needs. Open Door and organizations that Days provides these families specifically serve the special with a gentler, low-pressure needs population, including sensory environment and a Ability First, ABLE Program, community of other families Blind Children’s Center, who understand. The museum Compton Unified School is closed to the general District, Exceptional Children’s public, capacity restrictions Foundation, Friendship Circle, are lowered and sensory Garza Primary, Glenoaks modifications are made. In Elementary, HaMercaz, addition, staff are trained in Haynes Elementary, Junior strategies and techniques that Blind of America, Los Angeles create a warm and welcoming Elementary, Taft Elementary, environment. The Jeffrey Foundation and Toluca Lake Elementary.8

PUBLIC PROGRAMS Each weekday, the Zimmer hosts special events for the offers free family programs whole family. From cultural for visitors, including Shadow holidays and celebrations Play, Sing-a-Long, Open Art to historic events and artist Studio, Culture Club, Chalk commemorations, each Sunday it Up, Culture Club, Bubbles, has fun activities that reflect Storytime, Storytime with our diverse community and PJ Library and Wind Whirl. stimulate the imagination. On Sundays, the Zimmer 9

It’s amazing! I highly recommend Fun, easy, organized and this enriching experience. affordable. It’s a fantastic place and provided a truly memorable ”~ Teacher from Kipp Comienza experience for young children. FIELD TRIPS During 2017, the Zimmer ”~ Teacher at Bertrand Elementary ”It was interactive and the students hosted 86 field trips, had an amazing time. The staff was wonderful. ~ Teacher at Lashon Academy experience that these children would otherwise miss. Field welcoming 2,718 children and Trips to the Zimmer include 789 adults from 72 schools. Of curriculum development with these, 2,302 children and 503 teachers, a pre-museum visit teachers were from 54 Head lesson, and educational support Start (low income) schools. The materials that connect social Zimmer subsidizes field trips values to Preschool Learning for these children and teachers, Foundations and the Common providing an important cultural Core.10

2017 Field Trip Schools Latona Avenue Elementary Monarch Christian School75th Street Montessori of CalabasasAgape Christian School My Friend’s Montessori PreschoolAllesandro Elementary  Nueva VistaAlta Vista CDC Olive Tree Arroyo Seco Museum Magnet Options for LearningBaldwin Hills Magnet School Pacific Point AcademyBel Air Presbyterian Preschool Paseo Del Rey Natural Science MagnetBertrand Elementary School Paseo Del Rey Science MagnetBrawerman Elementary  Pilgrim SchoolBuddie & Me Friends PUC Community CharterCastle Heights Rolling Hills Country Day SchoolCastle Heights Elementary Saint Cyril of Jerusalem Castle Heights Elementary Sherman Oaks Elementary Citizens of the World Silverlake Shirley Avenue ElementaryCleveland Elementary  St. James Holy RedeemerColumbus Elementary St. Joseph SchoolCompton Unified  St. Timothy SchoolDelvan Drive Study Circle PreschoolDivine Saviour School Superior Street ElementaryEagle Rock Elementary Taft ElementaryEllen Ochoa Learning Center Taylor Tot PreschoolEndeavor College Prep Temple IsaiahFenton Primary The Buckley SchoolGrand View Elementary Torrance TykesHaynes CES TransfigurationHeschel Day School Tulita Child DevelopmentHillside Elementary United Children’s Learning CenterHoly Spirt School Valley Beth Shalom Day School Key’s Wonderland School Weigand AvenueKid’s World School  West Valley Christian School KIDSBEL WestmontKIPP Comienza Westport KIPP Illuminar Wise School La Ballona CCUSD Wonderland Avenue Elementary Larchmont Charter SchoolLashon Academy 11

”In addition to our greatI just want to say thank you! You guys are always nice and helpful. Toddler Town is AMAZING and Pequeños Rockeros - my little one loves it and the whole week is singing the songs. ~ Parent of Andrew ARTS ENRICHMENT CLASSES In early Spring of 2017, everyday exhibits and public Zimmer West classes moved programs, the Zimmer to a new and larger location in Children’s Museum offers Playa Vista to accommodate special classes taught by more classes with up to 100 qualified professionals participants per week. with experience in arts education and early childhood In addition, Zimmer West development. Classes are participated for the second age-specific (baby, toddler, year in a row in a partnership pre- schooler, grade schooler) with Community Corporation and offered in Art, Music & of Santa Monica, a low income Movement, School Readiness family living facility. At this and Language Immersion. location, the Zimmer offered a weekly 90-minute art-based In 2017, we offered seven class for children 3-6 years old sessions of 14 to 15 weekly and their parents for ten weeks. classes each. We continued to expand our bilingual Through our Zimmer On-the-Go English/Spanish music and program, we offered three art movement classes by offering and music based programs for three classes each week for over 150 families during the crawlers to 3.5 year old, and month of June as part of LA continued offering our language Public Libraries’ Summer of immersion classes in Japanese, Literacy program. Farsi, Spanish, French and Hebrew.12

CAMP SHAREWELL CAMP SHAREWELL is a crafts, music and movement and museum playtime. longtime family favorite.Designed for children 3-8years old, CAMP SHAREWELL In 2017, CAMP SHAREWELLoffers a unique blend of best offered two weeks of Springpractices in early childhood Camp, ten weeks of Summereducation and high-caliber arts Camp and two weeks of wintereducation experiences with a camp, reaching more than 400focus on social responsibility. unique campers.Every day incorporates arts &” Just a note to say I love these Noa is having such a good time. updates and the pictures. So glad She hasn’t been this happy and Toren is there this summer.content coming home from camp all He loves camp! summer. It’s such a relief, I can’t”~ Parent of Toren begin to tell you. ~ Parent of NoaThese programs are awesome and it’sbeen so fun to send Linus to Zimmer. He is really enjoying it and we feelthe impact on his creative and social interactions. Thanks so much! ~ Parent of Linus 13

Extremely educational. It helps us have ”These workshops are very important higher expectations of ourselves, by for me because I can improve and helping us better understand children’s acquire the knowledge that I need to physical and emotional development. help babies have a good development, stage by stage. The explanation of the I enjoyed the way the instructors movement stages of a baby 0-1 years managed the classes. old was excellent. ”~ Caregiver Academy Participant ~ Caregiver Academy Participant CAREGIVER ACADEMY Caregiver Academy is a series the other day is a workshop on of weekend workshops designed one or more of the following to provide participants with themes: an opportunity to learn and • Ages & Stages discuss important topics in early childhood and arts- • Developing Social- integrated education. Each Emotional Intelligence in workshop introduces important Early Childhood topics, practical approaches, • Education Begins At Home hands-on training, open • Teaching through the discussion and peer support. Senses In 2017, the Zimmer • Raising Healthy Eaters Children’s Museum provided • Temper Tantrum Dilemmas three weekend workshops in • Teaching with the Brain in Spanish and English. One day of the Academy is dedicated to Mind CPR and first aid training and • Teaching on a Budget • DIY Educational Materials14

These workshops are very enriching and build skills as a preschool teacher and ananny. I really enjoy taking these educationalworkshops and the direct interaction with theinstructors and the information they provide. ~ Caregiver Academy Participant 15

IN 2017 The Zimmer Children’s Museum leads the field in WE HOSTED blending play-based education and the arts with its social justice mission, With its youTHink initiative, 2,921 the Zimmer continues a long tradition of community development in the children’s museum field, and is participants opening up new horizons for practice. 1,734 ~ Laura Huerta Migus, Executive Director, on school campuses ”Association of Children’s Museums 1,017 YOUTHINK youTHink empowers youth in after school and from underserved communities weekend programs to explore the arts, develop their creativity, find their 170 voices and take positive action for social change. in College Services These creative approaches enable youth to imagine AND WE REACHED possibilities for themselves and their communities and 1,734 to lead through empathy and collaboration. students in youTHink in Schools16

YOUTHINK youTHink in Schools delivers skilled facilitators, lessons areIN SCHOOLS arts and critical thinking aligned with the Common Core lessons in Title I school and designed to be integrated into the school curriculum. classrooms. Lessons are The use of arts as a medium not lectures; students are for addressing important social issues helps students discover encouraged to speak out new tools of self-expression and critical thinking - assets that and share their ideas and are incredibly important but not otherwise emphasized in opinions. They educate one typical Title I school curricula. another about issues that concern them by sharing their views and experience and by presenting their works of social commentary art. Taught by Many of my students have Usually we don’t do projects attendance & other issues that show our leadership but and really loved having an this project really opened my opportunity to show their mind and it felt like there was strengths in ways alternate to academic reading, writing. a difference made.~ Student at International Studies ~ Classroom teacher, Early College Academy”Learning Center 17

YOUTHINK Especially for first generation 2017 college visits included COLLEGE ACCESS college-bound high school Marymount University of students, the College California, Cal State Fullerton Access Program includes and Occidental College. We counseling, college visits also hosted a college camp over and assistance with college the summer. essays and applications. For many youTHink students, youTHink also offers College the College Access program Access workshop for parents. In is the first time they have partnership with Hawkins High visited a college campus. This School, parents of students exposure to college students, applying to college gathered to administrators and faculty, connect with one another and coupled with the personalized learn more about the financial attention the program affords aid process and participated in them, helps students discover a bilingual Q&A session with their options, set attainable youTHink facilitators. goals and pursue their hopes for higher education.18

YOUTHINK Offered after school and on develop skills in critical weekends, youTHink in the thinking, self-expression,IN THE COMMUNITY Community programs integrate community building and civicEvery time there’s hatred, there’sa wide range of artistic media leadership. resistance. There’s you. and activities to help youth ~ Jonathan, former youTHinkparticipant, on the youth panel at”Voice Fest 2017 19

The Student Ambassador Program The most intensive of these community leaders. They learn is the Student Ambassador about and take constructive Program. This select group action on social issues that are of middle and high school important to them. Student students commits two evenings ambassadors also help plan each month over the course of and implement community a school year to develop and events for their peers, and help expand their leadership skills. with outreach efforts on their Ambassadors learn how to be school campuses. People don’t get how much I need this program. I find people here who want to have serious, mature conversations. I only get different points of view in youTHink, not in my classes. I don’t have close friends in my classes. This is a comfortable space, where I get to talk about opinions that I don’t get to say in school. People are aware of their surroundings and the world. youTHink is my starting point. ~ Judith, age 17, second year Student Ambassador20

I’m able to talk about things going on that are affecting our communities.Our voices can be heard. Everyone is a leader. Everyone’s voice is heard. ~ Bille, age 17, first year”Student AmbassadorEnrichment & Community In order to provide a rich • Los Angeles Poverty Involvement curriculum based on student Department interests, youTHink leadership works closely with other • Los Angeles Unified School community partners: District • Autry Museum • “Magic Fruit” Play • Coastal Clean Up Day • Mendez High School College • Compton Unified School Fair District • Moonlight Hike • Culver City Unified School • Sabiduria Justicia Tabling District Event • Heal the Bay • Self Help Graphics • Inglewood Unified School • Southern California Library District These partners helped create • L.A. City of Immigrants Camp and implement the following • LAMP Community events for youth: • Living Newspaper Theater • Torres High School Club Fair Camp • TreePeople • Los Angeles County Libraries • Voice Fest 2017 • Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation 21

Youth in Action During the spring semester, an issue that they selected youTHink hosted “Youth in as a group. This year, the Action.” Over three consecutive participating youth chose to Saturdays, youth came together support stakeholders in the to learn about grassroots Skid Row neighborhood who organizing and to advocate are working to form a Skid Row to make positive change on Neighborhood Council. Neighborhood Programs Students in underserved an artistic work, a community neighborhoods work with a celebration and/or community teaching artist to explore the dialogue. Current programs are assets and challenges in their offered in East Los Angeles, community, and through a South Central Los Angeles and creative process, work to make Huntington Park and are held positive change. Each program, in area public libraries and consisting of ten sessions, recreation centers. culminates in the production of22

youTHink participants came from 89 different Los Angeles area schoolsAlliance Susan & Eric Smidt Technology High School Johnnie Cochran, Jr. Middle SchoolAdams Middle School King Drew Magnet High School of MedicineAnahuacalmecac International University Preparatory/ and Science Semillas Community Schools Legacy High School ComplexÁnimo Phillis Wheatley Charter Middle School (APW)Audubon Middle School (International Studies Learning Center)Augustus F. Hawkins High School Linda Esperanza Marquez High SchoolBell High School Logan Span SchoolBelvedere Middle School Los Angeles High SchoolCamino Nuevo Charter Academy - Miramar Campus Loyola Village Elementary School Lynwood High School (Miramar HS) Madison Middle SchoolCamino Nuevo/Sandra Cisneros Learning Academy Math and Science College PreparatoryCentennial High School McKinley Elementary SchoolCharnock Road Elementary School Miguel Contreras Learning ComplexChatsworth High School Miles Avenue Elementary SchoolChester W. Nimitz Middle School Narbonne High SchoolChildren of Promise Preparatory Academy (COPPA) New LA CharterCity High School Normandie Christian School (NCS)Compton Avenue Elementary School North High SchoolCrenshaw Arts/Tech Charter High School Nueva Vista Elementary School Oak Street Elementary School (Catch Charter) Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet High SchoolCrenshaw High SchoolCulver City High School (OHMMHS)Dana Middle School Pacific Boulevard Elementary SchoolDavid Starr Jordan High School PBSHA or PBS-HSA (Alliance Piera BarbagliaDiego Rivera Learning ComplexDowntown Magnets High School   Shaheen Health Services Academy)Dr. Julian Nava Learning Academy Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual andEarly College Academy (at LA Trade Tech College)Edward R. Roybal Learning Center Performing ArtsEnvironmental Charter Middle School - Inglewood Renaissance Arts Academy Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools (ECMS-I) Robert Louis Stevenson Middle SchoolEsteban E. Torres High School Sal Castro Middle SchoolFelicitas and Gonzalo Mendez High School Santee Education ComplexFKCP School (Frederick K.C. Price III Christian Sherman Indian High School (SIHS) Stephen M. White Middle School Schools) Summitview WestFrancisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School Susan Miller Dorsey High SchoolGage Middle School TEACH Tech Charter High SchoolGirls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) Thomas Jefferson High SchoolGriffith Middle School Thomas Starr King Middle SchoolHenry T. Gage Middle School Toluca Lake Elementary SchoolHollywood High School Transfiguration Elementary Catholic SchoolHuntington Park High School University High SchoolInglewood High School Valley Christian Middle SchoolJames A. Foshay Learning Center West Athens Elementary SchoolJohn Adams Middle School Westchester Enriched Sciences MagnetsJohn C. Fremont High School William R. Anton Elementary SchoolJohn Marshall High School Woodcrest Elementary SchoolJohn Muir Middle School Woodrow Wilson High School 23

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jennifer E. Cohen Community Leader Andy Kaplan, Chairperson Entertainment Industry Executive Choiwan Hin Essey Financial Office Director, Essey Construction Jean Friedman, Founding Chair Company, Inc. Community Leader Vanessa Frank Heather Lindsey, Vice Chair Community Leader Strategic Business Consultant Carl Freed James Mandelbaum, Vice Chair CEO, Trevanna Entertainment Partner, Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein Rodney Freeman President and CEO, Freeman Construction Courtney Mizel, Vice Chair Founding Director, Counterterrorism Rob Goldenberg Education Learning Lab Creative Director, Advertising, Native Advertising, Startups and Small Businesses David Straus, Vice Chair CEO, Critical Mass Studios Scott Greenberg Co-Founder and Principal, Bento Box Entertainment Fernando Szew, Vice Chair CEO, MarVista Entertainment Amy Kestenbaum Attorney, Community Leader Sheryl Wachtel, Vice Chair SW Photography Pauline Malcolm-Thornton Head of Brand Partnerships, Fashion and Beauty, Disney Aryeh Goldberg, Treasurer Consumer Products Interactive (DCPI) Director of Corporate Strategy, S&F Management Company, LLC Andy Meyers President, M3 Creative Matt Hanover, Secretary President, Hanover Group, Inc. Dana Pachulski Community Leader, Banker Susan Amster Managing Director, Andersen Tax Kerry Phelan Nathaniel Bach EVP Global Franchise Management & Strategic Associate Attorney, Gibson Dunn Partnerships, Lionsgate Kevin Beggs Chairman, LIONSGATE Television Benyamin Ross Kendra Bracken-Ferguson Partner, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP Chief Digital Officer, CAA-CBG Tamara S. Brandt Alon Shtruzman Chief Legal Officer, Dreamscape CEO, Keshet International Immersive, Inc. Karey Burke Richard A. Smith EVP Programming and Development, Freeform Director, Private Bank of America24 Eileen Stringer Talent Manager, Rain Management Group Rayni Romito Williams Co-Founder, Williams & Williams Estates Grant Withers Senior Vice President, The Capital Group

OUR FUTURE HOME - SANTA MONICA PLACE In November, 2018, the Zimmer Children’s Museum will close its doors in the Jewish Federation Building on Museum Row. The new museum will be located where the EXPO line meets the Santa Monica Pier, and where the Third Street Promenade meets the Pacific Ocean, and will expand our footprint from 14,000 to more than 21,000 square-feet. The new museum will continue to provide everything our families love plus more classroom space, a curated gift shop, stroller parking, lockers, access to ample parking, public transportation, shopping, restaurants and more. Our exhibits and programs will be expanded and modernized, while continuing to focus on values of social justice, civic engagement, diversity, and contributing to the greater good of society. We will be sharing updates on this exciting move through emails and social media channels. If you would like to learn more now, or to schedule a personal site visit, please contact Hannah Edwards at [email protected]