The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently ran an article on MCG Youth & Arts:
Thanks to the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild after-school arts program, Yan Yang has made friends with whom she feels comfortable practicing English.
“Because class is so fast, I can’t talk to a lot of people,” said Yang, 20, an Allderdice High School student whose family immigrated about three years ago. “Here I can be with friends and improve my English.”
Knowing that many other current and former students have benefited from Pittsburgh Public Schools’ 30-year partnership with the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, school board members last month questioned a proposed $45,000 cut to the district’s annual contract with the North Side nonprofit.
Board member Thomas Sumpter said the planned reduction is “inconsistent” with the district’s plans to improve and expand arts education.
“Why would we cut this program when our overall budget for the district wasn’t reduced?” Sumpter said. “I think we need to look at the programs on a program-by-program basis and look at the ones that aren’t working.”
