PCC Artist-Scholars were on the ground in Alaska in December 2021

One of the exciting educational ventures Ping Chong and Company undertook in the past year was the development of a brand-new 9th grade social studies curriculum entitled 

, rooted in our interdisciplinary theatrical production of 

. This curriculum explores the stories, histories, cultures, and contemporary identities of Alaska, and integrates with interdisciplinary arts activities.

Created in partnership with the Lower Kuskokwim School District in Bethel, Alaska, the course has been piloted in November and December 2021 by educators and students in three 9th grade classrooms in Bethel as well as two remote village schools in Napaskiak and Tuntutuliak.


The nine-week course fulfills Alaska History content standards, Alaska Arts Standards, and Alaska Cultural Standards through an arts-based approach. Each unit features video excerpts from ALAXSXA | ALASKA, provided as part of curriculum materials, and the course invites learners to explore their own personal stories, and the stories of their families and communities, in response to cultural and academic content, ultimately creating artistic expressions that acknowledge and celebrate their lived experiences as integral parts of Alaska history. The journey of the course culminates with a viewing of the full production of ALAXSXA | ALASKA, followed by dialogue and reflection. The curriculum is also linked to EncountersAlaska.org, a web archive of real contemporary Alaska stories created by Ryan Conarro and Ping Chong.

In December 2021, members of our curriculum development team and the cast/creators of ALAXSXA | ALASKA were on the ground (in -19 degree weather!) for a curriculum revision retreat, gathering feedback from participating educators and students, and working together to revise and refine the curriculum for future wider use in Alaskan high schools. One partner teacher shared that "The connections this course makes to modern-day concerns in Alaska are really strong…and the art projects demand deeper critical thinking of our students. The course has already changed how I teach history!”

Throughout the week, our team has been visiting each participating pilot classroom to meet students and teachers, and to help students workshop their final course projects. In addition, a recording of our production of ALAXSXA | ALASKA was screened for school and public audiences on Wednesday and Thursday nights, followed by vigorous Q&A sessions with the cast and creative team members. Ping Chong and Company is grateful for the opportunity to engage in such meaningful community-based education work at the intersection of place, partnership, and pedagogy.

Passages Alaska was created in partnership with the Lower Kuskokwim School District by Ping Chong and Company artist-scholars Ryan Conarro, Asia Freeman, Nita Yurrliq Rearden, and Jennifer Tungatuq Romer, with review by Gary Upaayuilnguq Beaver, Christina Bixland, Nadia Kim, and Justin Perkins.

Passages Alaska: A new educational curriculum inspired by ALAXSXA | ALASKA


With summer well underway, we take a moment to reflect back on the 2020-21 school year. The year demanded massive amounts of flexibility in navigating shifts in virtual learning, hybrid schedules, and in-person cohorts. We’ve been inspired by the adaptability, resourcefulness, and dedication with which students, teachers, administrators, and PCC’s 20 innovative teaching artists responded to the circumstances, creating meaningful forums for expression, creativity, and connection in a time of isolation for NYC’s students!

Ping Chong and Company’s education team rose to the challenge, reimagining our 

Secret Histories theatrical storytelling residencies 

across 16 classrooms to match the unique circumstances of each partner school.  As a result, 3rd-8th grade students at PS191, PS84, MS247, PS102Q, and PS91 worked virtually with teams of inspiring teaching artists to explore identity, culture, and sense of belonging and connection.  Whether at home or in the classroom, students built bonds and collaborated to transform their stories into original visual, film, audio, and virtual theater performances.

 Secret Histories Program Highlights 


This spring our education team piloted Ping Chong and Company’s first-ever Creative Aging program - a theatrical storytelling workshop series for older adults entitled 

Artful Storytelling: Our Meaningful Histories

 Offered in collaboration with the NYC Educational Alliance and three senior centers on the Lower East Side, and made possible by the Catalyzing Creative Aging Seed Grant from the National Guild for Community Arts Education, the program was designed to enhance quality of life for elders 55+ through creative expression, social connectivity, and making meaning of our personal & community histories.  Participants mounted a moving and meaningful live virtual performance on May 22, and the pilot’s success will be shared as a case study nationally during this July’s 

 hosted by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.

Artful Storytelling: Our Meaningful Histories - "Fromings and Goings"


Our education team developed two unique theatrical storytelling curricula for educators this year:

, was created in partnership with New 42/New Victory Theater, inspired by our production of Generation NYZ which premiered there in 2018.  The resource guide, fully adaptable to virtual or in-person learning spaces, offers educators and caregivers tools for inspiring youth to develop community and unleash their powerful voices to the world!  Request access to the guide 

A second curriculum is in development inspired by our 2017  interdisciplinary theater production 

.  Created by PCC creative team members and Alaskan educators and culture bearers, in collaboration with the Lower Kuskokwim School District, the curriculum will offer social studies educators in Alaska a unique approach to studying the region’s histories through student creation of artistic expressions that acknowledge and celebrate their lived experiences as integral parts of Alaska’s evolving history.

As we grapple with recovery and re-emergence from COVID-19,  we look ahead to 21-22 and ask ourselves what role we can play in meeting school and community needs for healing, expression, and reconnection, no matter the age of our students.

Through these and other Ping Chong and Company programs, we remain committed to amplifying learner voices, holding space for community building, and using the tools of arts education to work toward more justice and equity in our learning and community spaces.

2020-21 Education Program Round Up

Ping Chong and Company & New Victory Education teamed up to create Generation YOU - a free, practical, hands-on resource guide full of theater-based tools for educators, parents, & caregivers! Check out this blog post by PCC's Education Director Christina Bixland & New Vic's Sr. Education Programs Manager Christopher Totten to learn more about why our teams joined forces to create this guide, and why now is such an important moment for amplifying young voices. 