By Eric Hankin, DASH teacher, architect & trip organizer

Earlier this summer, 30 DASH students traveled to New York City, many for their first time leaving their Miami neighborhoods, to participate in a one-month program sponsored by Knight Foundation. The students spent one week with their teachers discovering Manhattan. Day trips included walks through Union Square, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Ground Zero and Wall Street. Students enjoyed the Manhattan sunset from atop the Empire State Building, Madison Square Park under the giant Plensa Sculpture, Central Park’s Boat House and the High Line Park in Chelsea. They beat the crowds by arriving early to the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum and had an overview of  the perfectly-planned Central Park design from the roof of the museum.

After seeing Roosevelt’s birthplace, the Flatiron Building and Fifth Avenue’s St. Patrick’s and Plaza Hotel, they are now able to compare historic Manhattan with the modern city structures of Lever House and the Seagrams Building. Other museum stops included MOMA, The Guggenheim, the Museum of the City of New York, Museo del Barrio and the Museum of Natural History. Days did not end early, since they experienced theater including the ABT performing Sleeping Beauty at the Met and Blue Man Group at the Historic Astor.

All students are now completing a three week pre-college program at SVA (School of Visual Arts), with partial scholarship from SVA, and will receive college credit for their participation. The rising senior and junior students will have a new perspective as they return in a few weeks to begin their new school year.

Carlos and Rosa de la Cruz, The Braman Family Foundation and Craig Robins also provided funding for the young designers’ experience.