By guest blogger and PMAC student Elliott Shoemaker
On January 27th, the Cub Scouts from the Tigers and Bears dens visited PMAC as part of their goal to complete the Paws for Action badge. Organized by PMAC piano and Rock 101 student Ike Greenberg, with help from his dad, Adam, the visit gave the Tigers and Bears a chance to learn about PMAC’s mission as a nonprofit, explore the building, and take part in an art class.
For most of the Cubs, this was their first time at PMAC. Even for Ike, who takes piano lessons at PMAC, it was an opportunity to see another side of the organization. Ike shared that they “learned what a nonprofit is and what PMAC tries to do in the community,” and that PMAC “helps everyone that needs help to take art and music classes and even helps pay some of the cost.” The scouts were particularly surprised to learn how many scholarships PMAC provides each year to make music and art accessible to everyone in the community.
Their experience at PMAC showed them the similarities between the values of Scouting and the values at PMAC. Just like PMAC works to support students in the arts, the Cub Scouts and Scouting America regularly participate in service projects to give back to the community. “In Cub Scouts, we also do good deeds, like collecting food for food drives and stocking shelves at a food pantry,” Ike explained. “We are also helping to make a community better, just like PMAC is.”
Adam Greenberg agreed with the similarities between the two organizations, saying “The Cub Scouts are very familiar with helping a community, such as through food drives and most recently handing out American flags and thanking people for voting back on Election Day.” He also said “I believe this was the first time for many of the scouts not only being at PMAC but also understanding the services PMAC strives to provide for everyone, regardless of financial status.”
After touring PMAC and asking questions, the scouts worked on an art project with PMAC teaching artist Sophie Rahilly. It was a fun way to experience PMAC’s visual arts programs firsthand. Ike was especially excited to discover something new; “I learned that there is an art room in the front of the building, and there is even a class on how to make comics! I have been a music student for two years and knew there was an art program but never knew where the art studio was.”
Overall, the visit was a meaningful experience for the scouts, connecting their scouting values of service and community with the arts. By learning how PMAC supports students, they saw firsthand how nonprofits can make a difference. And, of course, they had lots of fun creating art!
