The Sea Island Breezes Project addressed the need to preserve culturally and historically significant forms of art on the South Carolina sea islands and to engage an at-risk, basically minority student population in researching and developing an original production based on those art forms. Johns and Wadmalaw Islands have a strong heritage of music, dance, language, and folklore. The islands are undergoing a transition from a rural-agricultural lifestyle to a service-resort economy that threatens the preservation of culturally significant traditions in art. The project addressed this preservation effort and also provided a way for at risk but talented students to develop an appreciation for the cultural and historical contributions made by island inhabitants. According to recent findings published in the October 28, 1996 issue of Business Week, "a quality education in the arts develops the habits of thought and the skills needed in the new Information Age economy." Haut Gap Middle School students developed much needed research, creative problem-solving and thinking skills, and cooperative learning skills through participation in the program. Additionally, the program addressed the need for a venue to communicate the value of the artistic and historic contributions of the islands to the community at-large and to the world through the video taping and broadcasting of the production via Internet.

Approximately 100 seventh and eighth grade students were selected for participation in the project. They were scheduled into an exploratory skills class (visual arts, music, dance, creative writing, drama, or technology) according to their strengths and interests.

The Sea Island Breezes Project was designed to develop a collaborative arts currriculum that would integrate the goals of researching and preserving culturally significant forms of art and language of the South Carolina sea islands with that of developing aesthetic appreciation of ethnic art forms and island history and folklore. In a partnership with Our Lady of Mercy Outreach Center representative Jakki Jefferson, who sponsors a Cultural Experience Dance Troupe, and Sharon Murray, a dramatist and local Gullah language expert, the school acted as a community focus for preserving the culturally rich heritage of Johns and Wadmalaw Islands A task force made up of Ms. Jefferson (dance), Ms. Murray (drama and Gullah consultant), Haut Gap's art instructor, music instructor, and a language arts instructor developed a collaborative arts curriculum in which arts students researched island folklore and culture.

Under the direction of the language arts teacher and the drama/Gullah consultant, the students developed an original production based on a story derived from their research. The music instructor and students researched Negro spirituals and music forms and developed scores for the production. Ms. Jefferson worked with dance students to choreograph original dances to compliment the production. The visual arts instructor and students researched and designed the costuming and painted a mural depicting the production's cultural theme. Initially used as the stage backdrop, the mural has been permanently mounted in the cafetorium of the school.

The media specialist worked with a task force of students to record the activities of the other groups, videotape the final production, and develop this web site to showcase the project.

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