VISION
ARCK’s vision is to re-imagine education to ensure all learners flourish and realize their creative potential.
MISSION
ARCK’s mission is to empower diverse learners of all backgrounds to develop character, wellbeing, creativity, and social awareness through our holistic education framework.
ARCK, a forward-thinking and innovative education nonprofit, has been working to improve the educational experiences and outcomes for students from marginalized communities since 2012. Our mission is to transform education by integrating well-being, social awareness, and creativity into learning. ARCK’s programs focus on developing positive character by cultivating empathy, confidence, critical thinking, and creative expression. We also train and coach educators to instill these essential skills in their students. Ultimately, our programs prepare students to lead social innovation and empower diverse learners to drive social impact.
CORE VALUES
➔ CREATIVITY We believe in nurturing creativity, imagination, and expression through safe and supportive learning environments.
➔ ADVOCACY We seek to promote creative education and its role in fostering critical thinking, empathy, and social awareness.
➔ WELLBEING We center wellbeing through mindful practices and amplify diverse voices through Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).
➔ INNOVATION We embrace innovation, adaptability, and continuous learning for all stakeholders.
➔ COMMUNITY We value collaboration, working closely with schools, families, and partners to create meaningful and holistic creative education experiences.
HISTORY
“It’s not only about visual art experiences. It’s about opening a dialogue between students and the outside world. Through an investigation of culture and the promotion of acceptance, we are able to expand on the idea of respect, self-expression, and support the development of informed, proactive citizens of the world.”
- Sara Mraish Demeter, ARCK Founder and CEO
ARCK is the brainchild of an immigrant mom on a mission. When ARCK founder Sara Mraish Demeter saw her son’s school lose its art program, she was compelled to act. Sara knew first-hand how important the arts are to young people. As a refugee and immigrant to the United States, Sara used arts and creativity to help bring stability, expression, and healing to her new life in a new place. Years later, raising her family in Boston, she could not stand by and watch kids have this life-altering tool taken away from them. And so, ARCK was born. What started in 2011 as a pilot program in one classroom of the Josiah Quincy Elementary School quickly expanded to the entire school. Over a decade later, ARCK has engaged close to 7,000 students, and is bringing arts education back to under-resourced public schools through its unique and interdisciplinary teaching model for educators - providing students with the creative thinking and social skills that advance their classroom learning and are crucial to their future success.