Arts Academy At Benjamin Rush - Philadelphia, PA

The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush has excelled in our ability to help students find balance between their academic success and their social emotional well-being. The School District of Philadelphia has adopted Relationships First which is a restorative justice framework based on a human-centered philosophy and prevention/intervention strategy aligned to the MTSS framework. Rush students have mastered it and became the model school for student coaches.

Because this is a school of the arts, our students have been able to use their gifts as a means to overcome many of their obstacles. This was especially beneficial after they returned from the pandemic back to in-person learning. Student agency is explicitly taught and encouraged at Rush so that students take ownership of their success and experience by selecting their path and course of action. We place a heavy emphasis on positive student leadership through student voice and ownership. One example is when they create and lead their own student interest clubs. In this way, we continually show our commitment to supporting students becoming change agents and active participants in their own artistic, academic, social-emotional, and political world visions. Through this model, we have empowered our students to become social justice and equity leaders, lifelong learners, and productive citizens.

Rush Arts was founded on the principle of building academic rigor through long-lasting and supportive relationships.As we forge our future through commitment to service, social justice, and the healing power of the arts, our student voices will continue to remain unwavering.