VOA标准英语2011--'Porch Art' Brings Baltimore Neighborhoo

'Porch Art' Brings Baltimore Neighborhood Together

 Four years ago, Beth Barbush, an artist and community activist¹ in Baltimore, Maryland, started gathering² neighborhood children on her porch to do arts and crafts projects. The occasional meetings soon turned into a weekly get-together³ called “Porch Art”. Today the program is one of the largest and longest-running art programs in Remington - one of Baltimore’s historic but crime-ridden neighborhoods.
Porch Art started in the summer of 2007, with just a few art supplies from Beth Barbush’s basement … several children bored with summer vacation … and a lot of enthusiasm.
“I started by doing it one night a week, an hour-and-a-half a week, just hanging out with kids and it really benefited me because I got to know the people here and I think it benefited them because it gave the kids something to do,” Barbush said.
The meetings soon moved from Beth’s porch to the sidewalk near her Baltimore home - where the children explore a new art form every week. This day’s project is print calligraphy⁴ - but they have also dabbled⁵ in painting, sculpture and drawing. Anyone who does not feel “artsy” can do sidewalk chalk or play with a hula hoop⁶.
“Every week we do something cool and interesting that I want to do," said middle school student Toha Mohamed. "We do arts and crafts; we put things together, glue stuff so that’s why I want to come.”
The art projects are taught by various guest artists and local volunteers. Among them, many parents who join soon after their children do. Catherine Bear is the mother of a Porch Art child and says the program is about community building and trust.
“My child gets to do something one day out of the week, something that she wouldn’t do any other day and she gets to spend time with other kids and do art," she said.
Today’s meeting is also the kick-off of a music tour. Local musicians volunteer to play instruments while the children do their art projects. Jason Reed says the program makes a difference in the neighborhood.
“Having a bunch of houses crammed⁷ together, close doesn’t make a community and its things like this that do," he said. "I am not going to say this reduces crime and saves life but none of these people would steal from each other, none of these people would hurt each other, so there is a sense of caring and responsibility and that can’t be underestimated.”
The program is run without any outside financial support; most of the art supplies are donated or bought by local volunteers.
“Anyone can do this. You can do it with whatever skills you have," Beth Barbush. "If you want to do it with music, cooking, if you want to do it with theater or art or gardening. I think it’s an example for others that anyone can start a program like this."
Beth Barbush says “Porch Art” changed her whole life in Baltimore. This is the first time she has known all her neighbors by name and the only time she has truly felt part of a community.

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 get-together   

n.(使)聚集；(使)集合

参考例句：

• Well,Miss Huang,we are planning to have a casual get-together.嗯，黄小姐，我们打算大家小聚一番。
• Will you help me prepare for the get- together of the old classmates?你能否帮我为这次老同学聚会做好准备工作？

4 calligraphy   

n.书法

参考例句：

• At the calligraphy competition,people asked him to write a few characters.书法比赛会上，人们请他留字。
• His calligraphy is vigorous and forceful.他的书法苍劲有力。

5 dabbled   

v.涉猎( dabble的过去式和过去分词 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资

参考例句：

• He dabbled in business. 他搞过一点生意。 来自辞典例句
• His vesture was dabbled in blood. 他穿的衣服上溅满了鲜血。 来自辞典例句

6 hoop   

n.（篮球）篮圈，篮

参考例句：

• The child was rolling a hoop.那个孩子在滚铁环。
• The wooden tub is fitted with the iron hoop.木盆都用铁箍箍紧。

7 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。