"What BuildaBridge does is provide access to the arts and culture of people our children have never experienced before," proclaimed a staff member and public school teacher at Traveler's Aid, Philadelphia's largest transitional home.  Expanding world views is one of the outcomes of a semester's programs.  The outcomes also included teaching drama skills, a study of cultural images, the work of Shakespeare, and building a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem.

July 9, 2007 was another celebration of the work kids and the parents had completed after four months of arts and culture study. Artist Ben Volta  worked with kids and their parents to create a second mural at Traveler's Aid that was a study in the culture of Persian symbols.

Deanna Downes, her drama teaching team and students, presented children's drama exercises and an outdoor youth interpretation of Shakespear's MacBeth. 

Bill Kotsorous and members of Animus performed Middle Eastern music to an enthusiastic crowd of kids, parents, staff and guests as each child (and participating parents) recieved a certficate of particpation from BuildaBridge Community Director Charlene Melhorn.

The evening culminated in a feast of strawberry shortcake on one of the hottest Philadelphia nights of the summer.  And no one complained.

Additional pictures of the evening can be viewed on the website gallery.