The Target Cultural Experiences Program (TCEP) at CTC
TCEP provides tickets for every second grader in Minneapolis to attend a Children’s Theatre Company production!
In partnership with Target, CTC provides all second grade students in Minneapolis Public Schools with a field trip to attend one of our performances at no cost. Classroom teachers receive access to curriculum materials and professional development workshops designed to help teachers and students connect their theatre experience to other learning goals.
This year, CTC welcomes all 4,000 Minneapolis second graders to Last Stop on Market Street! We sat down with Ashley Rudolph, a second grade teacher at Whittier International Elementary School to ask her about the Target Cultural Experiences Program (TCEP) at CTC!
CTC: Tell us when and how you got started in the TCEP program at CTC.
Ashley Rudolph: I have been attending TCEP trainings and programs for the past four years during my time as a second grade teacher at Whittier International Elementary. As a Minneapolis Public School, we have been invited for many years for free to attend. Of course, being so close to our school, we could not pass up any opportunities to go to CTC!
CTC: What have been some of the ways this program has impacted you as a teacher?
AR: The trainings have sparked great ideas for learning experiences in our classrooms! During one of the trainings, they showed us an activity using setting, character, problem, and solution. Our whole team thought it was amazing, and now we use it every year when kicking off our storytelling unit.
We do not have many opportunities for field trips, so seeing my students outside the classroom setting really helps me understand them better.
CTC: What was the experience like for your class to attend Corduroy?
AR: My class loved Corduroy! They were so engaged, sitting on the edge of their seats at some moments. One of my tougher boys told me at the end of the show that he wishes he had a stuffed teddy bear like Corduroy and that he is going to save his money to get one. At the end of the school year, we always ask students what their favorite part of second grade was. Many say it was the CTC show.
CTC: What impact has this program had on your students?
AR: Even though CTC is blocks from our school, many students have never been. Giving our students these opportunities is so incredible powerful. They are amazed by the size of the theatre and its design. They talk about the sets and costumes with friends and family. They truly love the experience.
“Giving our students these opportunities is so incredibly powerful.” — Ashley Rudolph
CTC: If this program wasn’t available, would your class still be able to attend a show at CTC?
AR: We might be able to attend every once in a while, but definitely not every year! This year we were able to go to Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, because it ties in with one of our IB units, but even with the discounted rate and walking there, it was still really difficult to swing.
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