GAC Student Docent Program to Offer
Training in Art and Leadership

A new youth program to train school-age docents in conducting tours of exhibits at The Bendheim Gallery offers opportunities to learn about art and develop skills in leadership and public speaking.

The program, to be started in September under the guidance of two Arts Council volunteers, Carol Sarabun, newly retired principal at Hamilton Avenue School, and Linda James Carroll, an art teacher at Greenwich High School, has the support of Jeff Spector, coordinator for art and music at the Greenwich Board of Education. Ms. Carroll was involved with the development of the Aldrich Museum’s student docent program, the model on which the GAC’s program will be based.

Ms. Sarabun said she has already spoken to two middle schools and one elementary school about participating in the start-up program, but eventually the student docent training is expected to be available throughout the school system. The program foresees the training of six to eight student docents in each school. The students would be brought to The Bendheim Gallery to learn about the works on display and would then guide their own classes and possibly other groups on tours of the exhibit.

In addition to enhancing knowledge of art for all students, the program would build self-esteem and confidence as public speakers for the young docents and help meet the school system’s oral speaking goals.

The Art Council’s new student docent program will fall under the GAC’s Youth@Art committee headed by Janet Clausi, and The Bendheim Gallery’s staff curator, Tatiana Mori will serve as one of the docent trainers.

Refer to the Press Release for more information.