Harlem: As It Was, is Now and Will Be.Project at Wadleigh wins Kodak Grant

The Wadleigh Secondary School and The Photographic Center of Harlem each received a grant from the Kodak Corporation, and were honored at a press conference at Wadleigh on Oct. 16th.

Wadleigh's grant proposal for $35,000, was written by Gloria McNair, director of Wadleigh's Science and Technology Middle School, Delcena Sledge, teacher of writing and publishing, and Barbara Wilson, retired assistant principal of Wadleigh's Writing and Publishing Middle School.

For Wadleigh, the goal of their project, "Looking Through the Lens: A Documentation of Harlem As It Was, Is Now and Can Be" is to use the technology of digital cameras and computers to involve the students in their community of Central Harlem culminating in a photo journal and a multimedia web page.

The Photographic Center of Harlem, established in 1988, is a not-for-profit membership hands on learning environment to develop an understanding and an appreciation for photography as a recreational activity and as a career option. The center will use the grant money to "further our workshops with schools and community organizations and to look at photography as a career option," said Jim Belfon, executive director.

....

The Wadleigh project will allow students hands on experience in taking pictures, scanning them into the computer, editing, sharpening and merging details, communicating ideas through the use of the camera. Parents and other family members will be able to participate by providing the history of the neighborhood and by collaborating on the environmental and social changes for its design for the future.

The students will develop portfolios with examples of their work. HarlemLive will update our readers as progress is made with Wadleigh's grant project.