The NYCHA Journal

The NYCHA Journal has informed and inspired residents since 1970, covering the news, contributions, and uplifting stories of the NYCHA community while providing the latest information on Authority initiatives.

Program Partners The Arts Top Story 

‘Teens Take The Met’ Showcases Work of NYCHA Art and Culture Scholars 

Vincent Echavaria

After living in New York City for several years without visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Dre’yonna Ross took full advantage of her first explorations of the world-renowned museum. 

As one of the two dozen NYCHA youth participating in the inaugural Met-NYCHA Art and Culture Scholars program, the 10th grader received unique access to The Met’s space and various exhibitions during a 40-hour internship from January through the end of May. Working alongside museum staff and teaching artists, the high school juniors and sophomores from NYCHA were exposed to artworks and culture from around the globe, learned leadership development skills, and networked – all while interacting with other youth from across the city.  

A resident of Manhattan’s Chelsea Houses, Ms. Ross said she learned about the new program from her mother and believed it was a chance to build on her passion for arts and activism. The young artist enjoys sculpting and creating digital art inspired by the theme of animal rights.  

“I’d never been to The Met before and I thought it would be a really good experience,” she said. “It really got me excited because most of the work we did was related to art, culture, and activism. It’s really fun to help out with that type of thing because it makes me feel like I’m doing something that matters.” 

A partnership between NYCHA, The Met, and the Public Housing Community Fund, the free scholars program is funded by Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies. In addition to expanding interest in arts and culture, the initiative is focused on professional development for youth who may want to pursue careers in the arts or museum services. Interns receive a $1,100 stipend as part of the program.  

Showcasing their monthslong efforts as a group, the NYCHA high schoolers presented their final project as one of the featured highlights at the 10th anniversary of “Teens Take The Met” on May 31. The event welcomed students from across New York City for an evening filled with more than 70 programs throughout the galleries, including art making, writing, music, and demonstrations. The first cohort of The Met-NYCHA Art and Culture Scholars program were also celebrated during a ceremony presented by the Public Housing Community Fund and its partners at the museum on June 13.  

The first cohort of NYCHA art and culture scholars concluded their 40-hour internship with a final presentation at “Teens Take The Met.”
The final group project comprised individual canvasses representing the scholars’ “Freedom Dreams.”

Chandanie Orgias, an educator who helped facilitate the inaugural scholars program, noted that The Met provided a rare learning experience for the young residents, who were able to use the contents of the over 150-year-old museum as inspiration for their student projects. During their visits, the interns toured a diversity of period rooms and exhibitions, learning about historic events and cultural movements, such as the Black settlement of Seneca Village at present-day Central Park and the Harlem Renaissance. 

“The Met was essentially our classroom; it was our learning space,” Ms. Orgias said. “We wanted [participants] to be able to explore the different exhibits and then decide as a group what social justice issues were important to them and how they wanted to speak to those in the creation of their final project.” 

Recalling the scholars’ deep dive into museum displays, NYCHA resident and high school junior Ryiah Rene told NY1: “It was really amazing to have that alone time with the art and really be immersed in the experience. It’s truly an inclusive environment that allows you to be yourself and be fully creative.”    

As part of the curriculum, the young scholars examined “artivism,” including how the arts and activism connect in New York City from past to present, as well as the role of art in their own lives. The final project, which featured a large collage of individual canvasses created by the students, posed the question “What Is Your Freedom Dream?”, focusing on the theme of their community in the present as well as the future.  

“They did a really good job of articulating the vision of the project,” Ms. Orgias said.  

Chelsea Houses resident Dre’yonna Ross shows one of her completed artworks.
The Met-NYCHA Art and Culture Scholars project was among the featured highlights at the 10th anniversary of “Teens Take The Met.”

Participating scholars relished the opportunity to express their creativity with fellow NYCHA youth throughout the internship and finally show off the results of their work at “Teens Take The Met.”  

“There are so many teens that are extremely talented, hard working, and ambitious, so it was really amazing to see everything we’ve been doing put forward,” Ms. Rene told NY1. 

Ms. Ross added: “It was an amazing experience to get to meet all of them, and I made a whole bunch of friends along the way. This internship opened up my eyes, and I think my experience at The Met really gave me the influence to pursue the arts even more.”