IXL Funds Scholarships For NYC Public School Students In Creative Arts

Four students from New York City public schools have been awarded scholarships to attend Buck's Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp for one month this summer. The scholarship recipients are Alexia Stewart, Fordham High School for the Arts; Isabel Paulino, The High School of Art and Design; Adonai Fletcher-Jones, Talent Unlimited High School; and KyMoy Phillip, Brooklyn High School of the Arts.

The scholarship winners were selected by the Office of Arts and Special Projects based on their outstanding display of character, leadership qualities, compassion and ability to work with others, strong family values and other criteria. Each student is also currently attending a school of the arts and has participated in the Middle School Arts Audition Boot Camp. IXL Learning, a K-12 personalized learning program used by over 97,000 NYC public school students, funded the scholarships.

About the scholarship recipients:

• Alexia Stewart: Alexia is a dance major at Fordham High School for the Arts, and her hobbies include acting, singing and track. She also attends Harlem School of the Arts and was recently cast in a musical production, In the Heights.
• Isabel Paulino: Isabel attends The High School of Art and Design, where she is majoring in fashion as well as studying cartooning and graphic design. Her other interests include drawing, storytelling, sewing, ceramics and pottery.
• Adonai Fletcher-Jones: Adonai is a drama major at Talent Unlimited High School. He has a passion for movies and plays, as well as meditation and self-care-which he credits with helping his creative energy flow.
• KyMoy Phillip: KyMoy is studying dance at Brooklyn High School of the Arts. His other interests include music, track and field, playing video games and spending time with his friends and twin brother.

"We are very proud of our four scholarship recipients and their creative accomplishments," said Paul L. King, executive director of the Office of Arts and Special Projects. "The arts are a valuable part of a well-rounded education, and we are thrilled that these talented students have been given this opportunity to take a deeper dive into their artistic interests."

"IXL is dedicated to creating educational products that nurture students' innate curiosity and desire to learn," said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning. "We're delighted to be able to provide these students with an immersive arts education experience this summer so that they can explore their passions, cultivate their creativity and discover new perspectives."

IXL covers K-12 English language arts, science, social studies and Spanish, and is aligned to the Common Core and all state standards. Additional tools, such as personalized guidance, the Continuous Diagnostic and actionable analytics help teachers effectively differentiate instruction in their classrooms. And research shows that students across New York state are succeeding with the help of IXL. A statewide study found that schools using IXL outperformed non-IXL schools by as much as 18 points on the New York State Testing Program exams.