Published on September 1, 2020
On September 2, Varsity Tutors will host its first free Center for Puppetry Arts virtual puppet class, “Adventures in Puppetry,” as part of its Creativity Club. With the launch of this interactive class, the Center for Puppetry Arts joins a unique group of content providers under the Varsity Tutors Virtual School Day offering.
Since launching Virtual School Day in March 2020, Varsity Tutors has provided K-12 families with millions of hours of live, online classes. The Creativity Club enables students to participate in large and small group classes across a variety of enrichment topics.
Its partnership with the Center for Puppetry Arts will allow Varsity Tutors to enhance its virtual enrichment offerings for its youngest customers. Class participants will learn about different puppetry styles, create a puppet of their own, and have the chance to watch a short puppet show from the comfort of their homes. While Adventures in Puppetry is best for students in grades K-3, all ages are welcome to attend.
In addition to the free offering in September and a second on October 14, families will have the option to upgrade their experience in puppetry through paid small group offerings.
“We are excited to start this partnership with Varsity Tutors during a time when parents require virtual school experiences of the highest quality,” said Center for Puppetry Arts Executive Director Beth Schiavo. “With many school systems reducing their budgets for arts enriched curriculum opportunities, Center for Puppetry Arts with Varsity Tutors can bridge this gap for students, providing creative expression and entertainment for young students across the country.”
“Two extremely valuable components of the educational process—components that have been restricted somewhat in the era of distance learning—are hands-on projects and inspirational field trips,” said Varsity Tutors’ Chief Academic Officer Brian Galvin. “We’re thrilled to partner with the Center for Puppetry Arts to deliver engaging classes that strike exactly those necessary notes this back-to-school season.”
For over 20 years, the Center for Puppetry Arts Digital Learning Department has provided interactive puppetry workshops and puppet shows from its digital studios at the Center, located in Atlanta, Georgia. As a pioneer in the field of distance learning, the Center’s Digital Learning team has honed its skills and refined its ability to develop and deliver purpose-built, curriculum-based educational programing, programming that has been presented in all 50 states and more than 75 countries.
This year the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration honored the Center for Puppetry Arts Digital Learning team with its prestigious Hall of Fame Award. Only content providers who have consistently presented award-winning programming for at least 10 years are eligible for this honor.
Center for Puppetry Arts was founded in 1978 by Vince Anthony, award-winning puppeteer and arts leader, with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting by Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog. Each year, the Center welcomes over 160,000 visitors. The Center’s programming includes full-scale puppetry theatrical productions, Create-A-Puppet Workshops where children can extend their theater experience by building a theme-based puppet of their own, and the World of Puppetry Museum with galleries that showcase the largest collection of Jim Henson puppets in the world, as well as one of the largest collections of international puppets in the U.S.
To register for Adventures in Puppetry, visit Varsity Tutors.
Varsity Tutors is a Live Learning Platform that seamlessly connects experts and learners in more than 2,500 subjects. Our mission as a company is simple—we help people learn. Since 2007, we’ve invested in online learning technology, built new-to-the-world capabilities, and assembled some of the most talented educators across the U.S. to help deliver on that mission for hundreds of thousands of students. Amidst the potential for a prolonged amount of time out of the classroom due to COVID-19, our mission has become more important than ever. As a company we feel it is critical that these resources be readily and freely available at this time of great need.
Center for Puppetry Arts® is a unique cultural treasure – a magical place where children and adults are educated, enlightened, and entertained. Since 1978, the Center has introduced millions of visitors to the wonder and art of puppetry and has touched the lives of many through enchanting performances, curriculum-based workshops, and the hands-on Museum as well as Digital Learning and Outreach programs. Center for Puppetry Arts is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization and is supported in part by contributions from corporations, foundations, government agencies, and individuals. Major funding is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. These programs are also supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA is a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Center is a member of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA/USA/ASSITEJ).The Center also serves as headquarters of UNIMA-USA, the American branch of Union Internationale de la Marionnette, the international puppetry organization.
