AiNYC Volunteers

AiNYC Volunteers, more

AiNNYC & New York Cares!

Under the leadership of Assistant Director of Admissions, Janegila Wright, a group of twelve Art Institute of New York City volunteers helped revitalize Drew Gardens, a two-acre community site in West Farms on the Bronx River. Volunteer efforts were conducted under the auspices of New York Cares. Art Institute of New York City volunteers included Melanie Clarke and Geneva White from Admissions, Luis Acosta from the Copy Center, and a cadre of eager students.

Drew Gardens was once a dumping site, but activist and founder Drew Hyde transformed the area into a peaceful refuge for people in the community. It has been in operation since the mid 1990’s, with Jennifer Plewka overseeing the activities.

The garden has become a “living classroom” for students of all ages to study the Bronx River, the urban forest, the pollinator garden, and the interdependency of the plants and animals inhabiting the site.

Art Institute of New York City volunteers painted borders for the educational garden beds for Jennifer’s pre-school students; they made signs for the composting area, the pollinator garden, and the harvest areas.

Christopher Pineda, Web Design and Interactive Media student enjoyed the painting projects so much he asked Jennifer if he could return to paint more signs. She was delighted with this offer, saying she could definitely use his help.

James Barrett, Digital Filmmaking student, brought along his camera to record the events of the day. He interviewed Jennifer and Site Captain Peter Doherty from New York Cares, discovering enough additional information about the gardens and the surrounding communities to inspire him to create a documentary.

According to Janegila Wright, “our student volunteers were so amazing. They went above and beyond what was asked of them. We received nothing but great compliments from Peter Doherty and Jennifer Plewka. I look forward to heading up another New York Cares project in October.”

AiNYC Students Give Back to the Community

The Art Institute of New York City has “adopted” the Hearts of Gold charitable organization as a focus of the school’s community involvement. Hearts of Gold (HoG) is an organization which benefits mothers and children while they are in shelters, helping them to prepare for independent lives.

At the end of April, a group of nineteen Interior Design students under the guidance of instructor Tory Jones visited the space destined to become a new thrift shop whose profits will support the organization. Preparations were underway for a fundraiser in early May. Students studied the still-empty space, brainstorming to come up with a design concept mirroring the evening’s colorful logo.

There were two Project Managers, Jonathan Cheng and Alexandra Winokur, President and Vice President, respectively, of the Student Chapter of NSID. They listed the needed materials and had them purchased with help from Rebekah Chow, Roz Palmer, and Dilys Shiao in the Education Department. The team worked through the weekend, doing prefabrication work. They were in classrooms and in hallways, anywhere they could spread out their materials. They designed, drew, cut out foam core, and created tissue paper collages, all inspired by the vivid multicolored logo.

On the day of the event, they transported the material in a student’s truck. They worked feverishly to install their designs before guests arrived.

The results of their efforts were awesome. The organization founder, Deborah Koenigsberger, was delighted. Comments were heard all evening about the beautiful designs adorning the walls, and hanging from the ceiling.

According to Project Manager Jonathan Cheng, “It’s very rewarding to work for a non-profit, especially one for homeless families. It’s also rewarding to be part of a project for the real world, especially working as a team with fellow students. We had a great flow. Everyone multitasked and was proud of the outcome.”

From Alex Winoker, “I was extremely excited to work with a great organization like Hearts of Gold to help raise awareness and support for homeless mothers and their children in the city. It was great to collaborate with the Interior Design students to create an Installation piece for the opening event of “Thrifty HoG,” whose proceeds will support this charity and also will provide job training for these struggling women. The experience not only gave me a real world opportunity but also allowed me to lend a hand for this wonderful cause.”

Students who participated in the Hearts of Gold project:
Alex Winokur
Jonathan Cheng
Zachary Vitelli
Ryan Fleming
Tamara Belgrave
Lauren Perez
Ronald Guardado
Maritza Hevia
Elif Ozturk
Erlita Berisha
Terressa Maisonet
Angely Alvarez
Chattele Pinelle
Sara Simpson
Sandy Thevenim
Renee Riddick
Brian DiPaolo
Glori Ovalle

A Trip to Carnegie Hall!

Susi Graf's class is partnering with The New York Pops Orchestra to produce videos showcasing the Orchestra's valuable work. The NY Pops provides education programs to underserved New York public school children.

On May 3, The entire class was invited to attend a special concert at Carnegie Hall on the occasion of the organization's major fund raiser. The show,"The Best is Yet to Come" celebrated the legacy of Frank Sinatra.

Advanced Lighting Techniques

On April 29, a rep from Arri/B&H photo demonstrated how to obtain the best performance from lighting gear. The workshop took place in the TV studio, and was well-attended by Digital Filmmaking students. The event was arranged by Department Chair Eve Okupniak.

Career Services Week

Under the leadership of Director of Career Services Marc Scoleri, Career Services Week was held in the gallery on five successive days. Each day at the noon hour, a Career Service Advisor (CSA) was responsible for an hour of information and tips – career focused seminars, workshops, and visits from industry professionals. Our students find these quarterly Career Services Weeks most helpful and informative.

Donna Holder, CSA for Graphic Design and Web Design & Interactive Media, invited a high-powered guest, A&M Octone Records head of Creative Services and Online Media, Roi Hernandez.

Marifrances Boccia, Alumni Coordinator invited Graphic Design alumnus Rob Roan, who brought with him members of the Rosetta Marketing design team. The subject was Freelancing Tips form the Pros.

Donny Bridgemohan, CSA for Digital Filmmaking, introduced Peter Cascone, an Executive Producer, who gave a 4-D creative media presentation.

Carmen Reynal, CSA for Interior Design, and Jason Matthews, Student Employment Advisor gave a most timely presentation on Social Networking Your Job Search.

Regina Polidaylo, CSA for Fashion Design, introduced her special guest, Nozomi Kikuta of J. Press, for a Fashion Grand Prix.