/EINPresswire.com/ -- TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 29, 2017) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

Twenty-seven teens from 15 Toronto schools will take on the issues of bullying, negativity and hopelessness with public performances of their original music, dance and drama, at the Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor Street West, on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. Many coming from challenging situations in society, they will demonstrate the confidence, courage and leadership they have developed through participation in real-life workshops provided by the charity, DAREarts. They demand excellence of themselves and us as their supporters. Families, TDSB teachers, principals, trustees and superintendents will cheer them on. Everyone is welcome to attend.

This showcase will also see the presentation to a youth of the DAREarts William Stevenson Award for Excellence in Writing. Presenting the award is Monika Jensen-Stevenson, Emmy-winning producer of 60 Minutes and spouse of the late internationally renowned author, William Stevenson, best known for A Man Called Intrepid.

Over 150 students from 26 schools spanning Toronto's downtown core to east Scarborough have attended the spring program as DAREarts "delegates". They were then entrusted with the job of going back to their respective schools after each DAREarts Day to peer-teach their classmates what they had learned.

Toronto participating schools this spring include: Brock PS, Cedarbrook PS, Chine Drive PS, Corvette JS, Cosburn MS, Earl Haig PS, Eastview PS, Equinox Holistic Alternative, Fairbank Memorial CS, George Webster ES, Gordon A. Brown MS, Jesse Ketchum PS, Joseph Brant PS, Niagara Street JPS, Pauline JPS, Queen Victoria PS, RH McGregor ES, Regent Heights PS, Roden PS, Samuel Hearne MS, Sloane PS, St. Andrew's PS, Westwood MS, Willow Park JS & Winchester PS

Backgrounder:

DAREarts is a Canadian charity which stands for "Discipline, Action, Respect, Responsibility and Excellence in Education". DAREarts' 5-year program works with 9-14 year olds from schools in high-priority neighbourhoods, across Canada, empowering them to become leaders. Visit www.darearts.com

Each year in Toronto, DAREarts students are selected by their schools: two from each grade 4 to 8 who are most in need of the opportunity provided by DAREarts to see a wider world and become leaders. DAREarts lead teacher, Laura MacKinnon, then takes these children to a number of arts venues including the AGO, the Gardiner Museum, Ballet Jorgen and the Aga Khan Museum to expand their artistic horizons. She is joined by a number of accomplished Canadian artists including Emmy-winning producer of 60 Minutes, Monika Jensen-Stevenson; Juno-nominated songwriter Glenn Marais; Dora-winning actor Jamie Robinson; co-artistic director of Opera Atelier Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg; award-winning visual artist Ricky Schaede; and renowned choreographer Fly Lady Di.

These visits ware just the beginning of their experience. With the DARE values of Discipline, Action, Responsibility and Excellence, DAREarts kids are given an opportunity to opt out of destructive behaviour and expectations of failure. They dare themselves to succeed by diving into the programming that DAREarts provides. The kids create their own mandate for a bright future. Words from a grade five student, "I feel different because I had so many things that were bad in my life, then DAREarts made me let go of it in a good way. At DAREarts we are a family!"

DAREarts thanks all its supporters, including Local Education Partner, the TDSB, its Grade 8 Class Sponsor, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Lead Supporters: Northbridge Insurance, Scotiabank, TD Bank Group and the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

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