To date, Situation Project has delivered over 50,000 student experiences to world class arts and cultural organizations, over 100 career readiness events, and awarded over 50 scholarships to students seeking to reinvest in their local communities.
The experiences speak for themselves...
An Unforgettable Experience at The Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Over 900 NYC public schools students from across the city came together for a very special “all students” performance of the Broadway hit SIX The Musical. For most students, this was their first school trip since the pandemic which made the event that much more special.
Cast member Brittney Mack encapsulated the day best when during an amazing talk back after the show with the students she said, “This is the most important audience we’ve had so far,” representing the next generation of Broadway artists and audiences.
Situation Project Welcomes Boston University Ascend Fellows
With our friends at Town Hall, we welcomed thirty first generation students from Boston University’s Ascend Fellowship program to Situation Project’s office for a career workshop. These incredible scholars spent the day with the Situation Group staff for a behind the scenes view of the world of experiential marketing. They learned the importance of leveraging their unique skills and experiences as they enter the first phase of their careers. This showcase highlighted some of our BIPOC and first generation staff as a panel of experts, providing advice on transferable skills, using your identities as your superpowers, and navigating this post-university chapter. We are proud to be part of their networks and plan to welcome them back soon!
Situation Project Awards Prizes to Student Change Makers
Established in 2016 by Situation Project Founder, Damian Bazadona, the University at Albany Impact Award goes to nine undergraduate UAlbany students annually in an effort to jumpstart research in advocacy, cause, and community development. To date, this Impact Award has been awarded to over 50 students. These recipients are dedicated change-makers demonstrating a commitment to community impact. Let's congratulate the 2023 winners! Check out their amazing work below:
- Anezka - Working to improve recycling systems & resources in lower socioeconomic communities
- Aroobah - Using EMDR to examine differences in musical expertise across skill level
- Dennis - Bridging the digital divide for under-resourced communities
- Grace - Narrowing the educational gap in Kenya
- Jaclyn - Providing improved Mental Health Assessments in Schools
- Jessica - Designing trauma-informed care trainings for pre-hospital setting
- Mitchell - Building a resilient BK through community-driven emergency preparedness
- Oliver - Securing Rug Tufting supplies for MakersSpace to increase access to creative mediums
- Sabrina - Studying DNA Nanostructure to deliver medications and interact with caffeine
Situation Project Students Visit The Play That Goes Wrong
300 Situation Project students attended The Play That Goes Wrong. In addition to attending the show, students from MS 343 took over running the theater for the day. Students shadowed crew members before, during and after the show to see what it takes to make a Broadway show run.
According to a 2014 report released by the office of the city comptroller, 28 percent of schools in New York City do not have a full-time certified arts teacher, while an additional 20 percent of schools have neither a full- nor part-time certified arts teacher. More than 42 percent of schools without these teachers are located in the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn, despite these neighborhoods only having 31 percent of all NYC schools.
By providing our partner schools’ students with exclusive access to experiences like these, we aim to close this opportunity gap.
Situation Project Students Visit Sirius XM
25 Situation Project students had the opportunity to visit the SiriusXM studios for a Q&A session, studio tour, and lunch with their staff. In addition to all that, SiriusXM surprised them by letting them go live on air during a show with Sway Calloway of “Sway in the Morning” on SiriusXM’s Shade45 channel!
Americans for the Arts President and CEO, Robert Lynch has expressed, “today’s most innovative businesses are partnering with arts organizations and artists to help solve issues that impact their businesses and communities.” This may include strengthening neighborhoods, improving education, fostering employee engagement, and improving brand perception. (Partnership Movement)
Ultimately, by partnering with businesses like SiriusXM, both Situation Project students and the volunteer staff profit from their engagement. The students learn about the various career paths that could be open to them, and corporations are provided with a highly structured path for incredible corporate social responsibility giving programs. The very nature of arts and cultural brand integrations creates a canvas of exciting pathways for corporations to be a significant support partner in advancing the cause of arts and cultural access to all students.
Situation Project Hosts Career Day for Middle Schoolers
In collaboration with our Situation Group partners, we hosted 40 seventh graders in our office for MS 278's bi-annual Career Day. This group took over our space for the day, making our home theirs. Starting the day with a giant competitive game of rock, paper, scissors, followed by an office-wide scavenger hunt, and a group workshop developing mock pitches for an immersive ticketed event, these middle schoolers were an incredible group of future marketing leaders. Their creativity was boundless! Their collaboration was infectious! And we are all equally excited for another visit this fall!
Situation Project Joins Think Big for Kids and the Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County for a Creative Workshop
Situation Project staff joined our partners at Think Big for Kids for a spring Career Showcase at the Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County in Trenton, NJ. Think Big for Kids is a national nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by helping middle and high school students discover their potential and prepare for a fulfilling career in today’s workforce.
This group of students was beyond creative! They researched, collaborated, and challenged one another to design some stellar event advertisements. With only one hour to complete their group work, and given a tight set of design criteria, the results were beyond our expectations. In one word, spectacular! Thanks to our friends at Think Big, we have a new generation of creatives on our hands!
Situation Project Students Participate in a Virtual Artistic Experience
In October 2021, Situation Project was excited to partner with Casita Maria: Center for Arts & Education again to provide a virtual artistic experience for over 800 New York City public middle school students. Situation Project’s three partner schools were introduced to the art of storytelling through musical poetry by Baba Israel and comic book imagery by graphic novelist, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. Through a Zoom webinar, students were virtually introduced to these artists’ latest collaborative work: creating a BronX BandA coloring book. The middle schoolers witnessed a live performance of the poetry that inspired the coloring book and a first look at the comic book imagery. In addition, they received a lesson on the history of freestyle and spoken word poetry that inspired this artistic partnership, as well as a beatboxing tutorial. Lastly, students had the opportunity to ask the artists questions directly to learn more about their process, influences, and the industry. Each student also received a custom coloring book and box of colored pencils.
During the event, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez shared, “Art should always be used and always be remembered to uplift and to inspire.”
A Situation Project “Arts Centered” Career Day
Students from all three grades at M.S. 278 are enrolled in a special elective course that focuses on the analysis of positive song lyrics. These students visited Situation’s office to talk about music, lyrics, and how both tie into advertising. They heard from Situation’s Stephanie Sciandra (Associate Creative Director), Monica Byrnes (Senior Copywriter), Meghan Bartley (Account Supervisor), and Ann Zhu (Human Resources Generalist), about what it’s like to work in a digital agency. They also saw examples featuring music from Situation’s work for clients like Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, The Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and more.
Casita Maria Welcomes Situation Project Students Through a Virtual Exhibition
In partnership with the Casita Maria: Center for Arts & Education, Situation Project invited our 3 partner schools to embark on a guided virtual journey exploring the Casita Maria graffiti exhibition, Graffitera, which showcased 30 pieces created by Bronx-based female artists, Olga Correa and Missy “MRS” Caz. Students were virtually led through the exhibit and then given the opportunity to create their own artwork inspired by graffiti and collage techniques. Lastly, students participated in an interactive Q&A, asking questions about being a professional artist, different processes and techniques, and how to improve their own artistic skills.
By providing this interactive experience in May of 2021, our students were introduced to the arts as an avenue for expression.
Ballet Hispánico Welcomes Situation Project Students
In January 2021, Situation Project invited 900 middle school students to embark on a guided virtual journey with the nation’s renowned Latinx dance organization, Ballet Hispánico. With a viewing of prerecorded performances, these students were not only introduced to the dance community, but also got a turn to get up and move in a dance workshop featuring some familiar faces...their teachers! Concluding the event was an interactive Q&A with the professional dancers with questions submitted by the students.
According to the National Education Association (NEA), students who are highly engaged in the arts are twice as likely to proceed to graduate from college as their peers with no arts education. Especially during a pandemic, it was essential for Situation Project to continue to connect our partner schools to arts and cultural experiences to provide inspiration, entertainment, and education for the students.
The Longacre Theatre Welcomes Situation Project Students
300 Situation Project students attended The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. Students from PSMS 278 got a behind the scenes look at how this beloved novel was transformed into a hit Broadway musical. For students that had previously read the book series in class, this experience directly connected their class curriculum to an exciting Broadway performance.
Disney Theatrical Group Delivers The Magic to Situation Project Students
Representatives from Disney Theatrical Group visited our founding school, M.S. 343, in April to lead a workshop about the many off-stage careers in the theatre industry. Nearly one hundred 8th graders got to participate in this interactive workshop where they explored roles in marketing, sales & ticketing, creative development, and more, right in their own auditorium.
Walt Disney said it himself: “When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.”
BroadwayCon Welcomes Situation Project!
Situation Project volunteers attended BroadwayCon to shine a spotlight on the 2 million seats that go empty on Broadway every year and the organizations on a mission to fill those seats with new audiences. We asked BroadwayCon attendees to imagine that they could invite any person or group that doesn’t typically have access to live theatre to see a Broadway show. We then asked them to share the name of that person or group on our seating chart. Two of the lucky participants who shared their answers on our wall and on Instagram, with #SaveASeat, won a pair of tickets to a spring performance of Hamilton on Broadway. Now they will have the chance to make our mission a reality by sharing an unforgettable theatre experience with someone new.
Situation Project Students Get an Inside Look at Surprising Career Trajectories
In the winter months, all three Situation Project partner schools hosted career days attended by Situation staff and professional friends of the agency. Through panels and Q&A sessions, students got a first-hand look at the day-to-day realities of professions in the arts and media and the surprising career trajectories that led our speakers to them.
It has been reported that 79% of companies believe arts improve the quality of life in their community and 63% of companies believe that the arts contribute to the economy. By participating in career days, we are proud to show our students a wide range of possibilities for pursuing a profession connected to the arts.
Art Meets Math - Situation Project Students Hear Real-Life Perspectives
7th graders from P.S.M.S. 278 taking an elective course focused on math and its real-world connections visited Situation’s office in Midtown Manhattan. During their visit, they heard from our Finance Manager, a Senior Media Planner, and a Creative Strategist about how they use math in their jobs every day and took a tour to see what a typical day looks like at a digital-first marketing agency.
According to the University of Pennsylvania, students with access to cultural resources score higher in English and Math. As a result, it is important to show how both artistic experiences and academic subjects can translate to careers.
Sing For Hope Brings The Power of Music to Situation Project Students
Situation Project students collaborated with Sing For Hope, a nonprofit organization on a mission to increase access to the arts for everyone in New York City. Members of both the Sing For Hope and Situation teams traveled to the Bronx to share their love of music with incoming 6th graders at M.S. 223. The talent and enthusiasm that these students demonstrated in their first Situation Project experience gave us so much hope for how much they will accomplish over their next few years with us.
A Situation Project & Cirque Du Soleil Public Speaking Experience
625 Situation Project students attended Cirque du Soleil’s newest Broadway show, Paramour. The performance was followed by a media junket where students from M.S. 278’s Public Speaking Enrichment Class interviewed members of the cast and crew. Students honed their public speaking skills, experienced a media event firsthand, and learned how these accomplished artists achieved success.
According to the University of Pennsylvania, students with a high level of arts experience in school are more likely to attend college, vote, and volunteer in their community.
A Situation Project & Cirque Du Soleil Student Short Film Festival
At the start of the school year, Situation Interactive agency staff volunteers began a long-term project with students from M.S. 278. The students learned about filmmaking by developing and producing short films based on the themes and styles presented in Paramour. Agency mentors met with the students weekly at their school. They attended a performance in mid-November, and later visited the agency’s offices in midtown to edit footage. We premiered the films at the end of the spring semester.
With mentorship programs and volunteer support, students are encouraged to explore the arts from a different lens — emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving.
A Metropolitan Museum of Art Private Tour for Situation Project Students
We arranged an #EmptyMet Tour—a private, pre-hours tour of the renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art—for the eighth-grade photography class of M.S. 343. During this experience, the students were given a tour of the galleries before they opened to the public.
By diversifying the type of artistic experiences the students are exposed to, it encourages the students to see and embrace different perspectives, cultures, and histories.
A One-of-a-Kind Career Day at Situation
Eighty graduating students from M.S. 343 joined a group of industry experts at Situation Interactive’s agency office for “Before You Go”—the ultimate career day. As the first graduating class to participate in the Situation Project, the students took mini workshops in video, photography, and improvisation, and participated in a panel discussion led by a group of creatives who spoke about their experiences working in the industry to prepare for graduation.
MS343 principal Vincent Gassetto says the effect of the program was profound. The students are becoming comfortable being in a theater and being part of a theater audience—an experience that, just a few years ago, was foreign. “When some of these kids first come in, they don’t even know how to use a ticket,” says Gassetto. Despite going to school just a few subway stops from Times Square, some don’t know where ‘Broadway’ is. “Now, if they don’t get their playbill, they’ll go up to an usher and ask for it.”
“At first they thought, ‘I don’t fit in here.’ Now they don’t think about it. They belong." Read more here.
Canon & Finding Neverland Bring The Magic to Situation Project Students
In partnership with Canon U.S.A. Inc. and Finding Neverland at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, students from M.S. 343 were invited to a dress rehearsal of Finding Neverland to express their imaginations through the lens of a camera. With the help of special guest Broadway photographer Carol Rosegg and educators from Canon, students were given the unique opportunity to share the skills they learned in the classroom and get a behind-the-scenes look of a Broadway show in action.
Senior Marketing Specialist, Canon U.S.A., Inc. Paige Michaels explained, "The music and arts programs are the first to be cut in school districts. We [Canon] want to allow the students to explore their own creativity. They're the future generation and we want to show them how important photography is and all that you can do with it."
Read more here.
Andrew Lloyd Weber | Google
We visited M.S. 343’s 6th graders to share the School of Rock, The Musical 360º video on Google Cardboard, connecting Situation Project students with the power of music through technology.
According to CollegeBoard, students who take four years of arts and music classes score an average of over 150 points higher on the SAT than students who take only six months or less. As a result, increasing access to musical experiences can have a lasting impact for our partner schools’ students well into their high school education and beyond into adulthood.
Tony Danza | Honeymoon in Vegas
We facilitated a night to remember for the faculty, administrators, and staff of our partner schools by providing tickets to Broadway's Honeymoon in Vegas. Following the performance, they participated in a talk-back featuring the show's star Tony Danza.
By bringing the adults of our partner schools to experience a Broadway performance, we were able to reinforce for them the benefits the arts have to society by building culture, connection, and community.
TEDxBroadway
For the past several years, Damian Bazadona has presented a talk about Situation Project’s efforts and progress to a crowd of experts from a wide range of fields at TEDxBroadway. His first TEDx talk, which introduced Situation Project, was in February 2015. Each year, his presentation about our organization is met with support and excitement.
Overall, these talks educate the crowd on the impact of not just the arts for students, but also the importance of imagination. By providing access to artistic and cultural experiences, we are building confidence and fostering the imaginations of students that can be applied not only to a future in a creative field, but also to other disciplines.
Cast of Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark
Situation Project's first experience was in the fall of 2012 when we took the entire M.S. 343 school to see Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Until then, most of the students had never been on a field trip, much less to see a Broadway show. The Spider-Man company was so moved by the experience that they organized a day of Spider-Man at the school where members of the cast and creative team spoke to the students in small groups. The highlight came at the end of the day when the cast performed songs from the show in the auditorium.
From even this first experience, we saw how the arts matter to our partner school’s students: improving attendance, decreasing the number of student conflicts, and growing the number of 8th graders applying to specialized high schools.
Scratch Workshop at Situation
Situation Project students spent the day at the Situation Interactive midtown offices to learn about the intersection between art and technology through a hands-on workshop on Scratch. Through interactions with agency employees, they also explored career opportunities in the marketing and advertising world.
In a conversation with renowned scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, “The Importance of Arts Education,” musician David Byrne explained that in order to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), you have to be able to think critically, creatively, and outside of the box. Through hands-on workshops like this, Situation Project students can make the connection and see how creative thinking applies to business and other disciplines, leading to tangible benefits. Byrne shared, “To cut one discipline, or to separate them, would be to cripple and injure all of them.”