About Us
Why we do what we do…
We know that art and science are interrelated. Researchers at Michigan State University know this too, according to the following article from MSU Today:
Good news for parents: Those piano lessons or random toy parts littering your floors may one day lead to the next scientific breakthrough.
That’s according to new Michigan State University research linking childhood participation in arts and crafts activities to patents generated and businesses launched as adults.
In the study, which is published in the most recent edition of the journal Economic Development Quarterly, the researchers defined “childhood” as up to 14 years old.
The team of multidisciplinary researchers studied a group of MSU Honors College graduates from 1990 to 1995 who majored in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM. They found of that group, those who own businesses or patents received up to eight times more exposure to the arts as children than the general public.
“The most interesting finding was the importance of sustained participation in those activities,” said Rex LaMore, director of MSU’s Center for Community and Economic Development. “If you started as a young child and continued in your adult years, you’re more likely to be an inventor as measured by the number of patents generated, businesses formed or articles published. And that was something we were surprised to discover.”
Musical training seems to be important. The researchers found 93 percent of the STEM graduates reported musical training at some point in their lives, as compared to only 34 percent of average adults, as reported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The STEM graduates also reported higher-than-average involvement in the visual arts, acting, dance and creative writing.
In addition, those who had been exposed to metal work and electronics during childhood were 42 percent more likely to own a patent than those without exposure, while those involved in architecture were 87.5 percent more likely to form a company. And children with a photography background were 30 percent more likely to have a patent.
Why?
Such activity fosters out-of-the-box thinking, the researchers said. In fact, the group reported using artistic skills – such as analogies, playing, intuition and imagination – to solve complex problems.
“The skills you learn from taking things apart and putting them back together translate into how you look at a product and how it can be improved,” said Eileen Ror
aback, of MSU’s Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities. “And there’s creative writing. In our study, a biologist working in the cancer field, who created a business, said her writing skills helped her to write business plans and win competitions.”
The results of the study could be crucial to rebuilding the U.S. economy, the researchers said.
“Inventors are more likely to create high-growth, high-paying jobs in our state, and that’s the kind of target we think we should be looking for,” LaMore said. “So we better think about how we support artistic capacity, as well as science and math activity, so that we have these outcomes.”
In addition to LaMore and Roraback, the research team included Robert Root-Bernstein, professor of physiology; John Schweitzer, professor in the Center for Community and Economic Development; James Lawton, professor of sculpture; two undergraduate students and one graduate student.
Good news for parents: Those piano lessons or random toy parts littering your floors may one day lead to the next scientific breakthrough.
That’s according to new Michigan State University research linking childhood participation in arts and crafts activities to patents generated and businesses launched as adults.
In the study, which is published in the most recent edition of the journal Economic Development Quarterly, the researchers defined “childhood” as up to 14 years old.
The team of multidisciplinary researchers studied a group of MSU Honors College graduates from 1990 to 1995 who majored in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM. They found of that group, those who own businesses or patents received up to eight times more exposure to the arts as children than the general public.
“The most interesting finding was the importance of sustained participation in those activities,” said Rex LaMore, director of MSU’s Center for Community and Economic Development. “If you started as a young child and continued in your adult years, you’re more likely to be an inventor as measured by the number of patents generated, businesses formed or articles published. And that was something we were surprised to discover.”
Musical training seems to be important. The researchers found 93 percent of the STEM graduates reported musical training at some point in their lives, as compared to only 34 percent of average adults, as reported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The STEM graduates also reported higher-than-average involvement in the visual arts, acting, dance and creative writing.
In addition, those who had been exposed to metal work and electronics during childhood were 42 percent more likely to own a patent than those without exposure, while those involved in architecture were 87.5 percent more likely to form a company. And children with a photography background were 30 percent more likely to have a patent.
Why?
Such activity fosters out-of-the-box thinking, the researchers said. In fact, the group reported using artistic skills – such as analogies, playing, intuition and imagination – to solve complex problems.
“The skills you learn from taking things apart and putting them back together translate into how you look at a product and how it can be improved,” said Eileen Roraback, of MSU’s Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities. “And there’s creative writing. In our study, a biologist working in the cancer field, who created a business, said her writing skills helped her to write business plans and win competitions.”
The results of the study could be crucial to rebuilding the U.S. economy, the researchers said.
“Inventors are more likely to create high-growth, high-paying jobs in our state, and that’s the kind of target we think we should be looking for,” LaMore said. “So we better think about how we support artistic capacity, as well as science and math activity, so that we have these outcomes.”
In addition to LaMore and Roraback, the research team included Robert Root-Bernstein, professor of physiology; John Schweitzer, professor in the Center for Community and Economic Development; James Lawton, professor of sculpture; two undergraduate students and one graduate student.
– See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/a-young-picasso-or-beethoven-could-be-the-next-edison/#sthash.R9HIuVYz.dpuf
Good news for parents: Those piano lessons or random toy parts littering your floors may one day lead to the next scientific breakthrough.
That’s according to new Michigan State University research linking childhood participation in arts and crafts activities to patents generated and businesses launched as adults.
In the study, which is published in the most recent edition of the journal Economic Development Quarterly, the researchers defined “childhood” as up to 14 years old.
The team of multidisciplinary researchers studied a group of MSU Honors College graduates from 1990 to 1995 who majored in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM. They found of that group, those who own businesses or patents received up to eight times more exposure to the arts as children than the general public.
“The most interesting finding was the importance of sustained participation in those activities,” said Rex LaMore, director of MSU’s Center for Community and Economic Development. “If you started as a young child and continued in your adult years, you’re more likely to be an inventor as measured by the number of patents generated, businesses formed or articles published. And that was something we were surprised to discover.”
Musical training seems to be important. The researchers found 93 percent of the STEM graduates reported musical training at some point in their lives, as compared to only 34 percent of average adults, as reported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The STEM graduates also reported higher-than-average involvement in the visual arts, acting, dance and creative writing.
In addition, those who had been exposed to metal work and electronics during childhood were 42 percent more likely to own a patent than those without exposure, while those involved in architecture were 87.5 percent more likely to form a company. And children with a photography background were 30 percent more likely to have a patent.
Why?
Such activity fosters out-of-the-box thinking, the researchers said. In fact, the group reported using artistic skills – such as analogies, playing, intuition and imagination – to solve complex problems.
“The skills you learn from taking things apart and putting them back together translate into how you look at a product and how it can be improved,” said Eileen Roraback, of MSU’s Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities. “And there’s creative writing. In our study, a biologist working in the cancer field, who created a business, said her writing skills helped her to write business plans and win competitions.”
The results of the study could be crucial to rebuilding the U.S. economy, the researchers said.
“Inventors are more likely to create high-growth, high-paying jobs in our state, and that’s the kind of target we think we should be looking for,” LaMore said. “So we better think about how we support artistic capacity, as well as science and math activity, so that we have these outcomes.”
In addition to LaMore and Roraback, the research team included Robert Root-Bernstein, professor of physiology; John Schweitzer, professor in the Center for Community and Economic Development; James Lawton, professor of sculpture; two undergraduate students and one graduate student.
– See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/a-young-picasso-or-beethoven-could-be-the-next-edison/#sthash.R9HIuVYz.dpuf
See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/a-young-picasso-or-beethoven-could-be-the-next-edison/#sthash.R9HIuVYz.dpuf
How we started…
In 2009, Next Young Phenom Foundation Founders Harold Ford of Miami, Florida and LaShawn Sithole of Waco, Texas met via the social networking site LinkedIn.com. After several email conversations, the two decided and agreed to begin the process of developing a project to highlight student talent, but wanted it to do more than to merely entertain, they wanted it to educate and empower.
In addition, the conversations about their mutual passion of serving and inspiring youth led to the birth of a not-for-profit corporation established to increase awareness and garner support for Arts and Technology education.
The goal of the Next Young Phenom Foundation is to reform education and reverse the current trends plaguing school district officials who seek to eliminate and remove arts and technology programs from their curricula despite the research showing art and technology programs address two major issues in education: ‘the enhancement of critical thinking skills [in students] and [reverse the position of] the US lagging in its worldwide competitiveness in STEM careers.’ Nonetheless, these issues served as the catalyst and in 2010, the Next Young Phenom Foundation, Inc. became a reality.
President/Co-founder
Mr. Harold Ford is a native of Miami, Florida and currently serves as an Assistant Principal in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools District. He holds an MBA and Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Florida International University and is pursuing a Doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership at Nova Southeastern University.His research focuses on identifying weaknesses in education policy, operations and implementation, while developing plausible solutions which eliminate waste, improve and increase productivity resulting in the execution of a fundamental change for all children.His memberships and affiliations include: Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors – Sickle Cell Disease Association-Miami-Dade Chapter, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American Association of School Administrators, National Black MBA Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and National Association of Recording Artists and Songwriters (The Grammy Organization).
Vice President/Co-founder
LaShawn Erby Sithole is a graduate of Baylor University’s School of Social Work in Waco, TX. In addition to being an entrepreneur (One in a Billion Consulting), she has worked in various capacities with youth including: Instructor, Kid’s College at McLennan Community College, after school teacher for the Waco Independent School District, Camp Fire Club Leader, Youth Ministry leader, Upward Bound Speaker/Mentor, a college readiness program, just to name a few. She is the author of four books that stress the importance of continual learning and just completed the fifth book written especially for students from migrant families. LaFamilia Migrante/The Migrant Family is the first in a series for unique populations and was written to encourage migrant students through the challenges of constant moving and changing schools by stressing the importance of continuing to learn, read and practice writing even on days of travel. The goals of each book in the series are to foster high self esteem and feelings of self worth as they persevere toward the goals of graduating from both high school and college.
Ms. Erby-Sithole also serves on the three member technology affirming BiTWiSE Advisory Board which just hosted its first event at Microsoft South Central Office in Austin,TX. The keynote speaker was NASA Headquarters’ top information technology person, Linda Cureton Chief Information Officer of Washington DC (Retired). The two other members of the BiTWiSE Advisory Board, Kevin Williams and Kai Dupé, have joined the NYP Foundation Board of Directors as well.
“Miss LaShawn,” as young people affectionately call her, is also the Executive Director of The Greater Lansing Clergy Forum.
