Doc Shaw of Tyler Perry's 'House of Payne' and Disney Channel sitcom 'Pair of Kings' to visit Northport Elementary School in Brooklyn Center April 17

Well-known actor Doc Shaw and his mother, Tammie Shaw, will visit Northport Elementary School on Friday, April 17, as part of Northport’s participation in Turnaround Arts: Minnesota. Doc has “adopted” Northport Elementary as a mentor in Turnarounrtd Arts, a signature program of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

Shaw is best known for playing Malik Payne in Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne,” for which he won a Young Artist Award in 2009 for best supporting performance in a TV series. He also starred as Marcus Little in Disney’s hit TV series “The Suite Life on Deck.” He left that role to work on a new show, “Pair of Kings.” Shaw recently starred in the movie “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” He is currently working and writing, and accepting appearances for Teen Talks, a teen forum talk show where youth get to discuss current events, issues, and collaborate on ways to connect and create solutions.

“I’m so happy to meet Northport for the first time,” Shaw said. “The arts are a key outlet in my life, helping me understand who I am and where I am headed. With early exposure to the arts, I was blessed to follow my dreams through television and movies. Anything in life is possible - it just starts with determination, the right tools, and a whole lot of imagination and creativity.”

“We are so excited to welcome Doc Shaw to our schools because it is important for our students to see positive role models of color,” said Northport Elementary Principal Leona Derden. “I believe his visit will help inspire and encourage our kids to pursue a lifelong passion for the arts and learning.”

Doc will be visiting classrooms, teaching students theater techniques, and coaching the cast of “Annie,” the school’s upcoming musical. Tammie will meet with parents and discuss Doc’s path in the arts and her role as a supportive parent.

Turnaround Arts: Minnesota is part of a national public-private partnership that leverages the arts to help turn around the nation’s lowest performing schools. Turnaround Arts: Minnesota is run by Perpich Center for Arts Education and is one of six localities from across the nation selected by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts and several private foundations.

As one of four schools participating in Turnaround Arts: Minnesota, Northport Elementary School is focusing on leveraging the arts to increase students’ literacy and higher-order thinking skills in order to reduce the achievement gap; increase student engagement in learning; improve school climate by infusing the physical space of the school with the arts; and increase avenues for families and the community to be involved in the school.

Schools in the program get access to expertise, support and materials from the Perpich Center, leading arts organizations and corporations such as Crayola, National Association of Music Merchants and Music Theater International. Teachers and principals receive strategic planning and implementation assistance, as well as professional development from the Perpich Center. The state legislature provided $750,000 for the Turnaround Arts: Minnesota initiative from its Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The Minnesota State Arts Board committed an additional $200,000 for grants to schools, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, to support the program and expand access to artists and arts organizations. Each school also receives approximately $25,000 in art supplies, musical instruments and play licenses through national Turnaround Arts.

WHAT: Turnaround Artist visits Northport Elementary School

WHO: Doc Shaw, actor

Tammie Shaw, Doc Shaw’s mother

Alina Campana, Local Program Director, Turnaround Arts: Minnesota, Perpich Center for Arts Education

Leona Derden, Principal, Northport Elementary

WHEN: 10:15 a.m. Friday, April 17, with an all-school assembly with Doc and Tammie Shaw

WHERE: Northport Elementary Gym

About Perpich Center for Arts Education

Perpich Center for Arts Education is a state agency serving all schools, students and educators in Minnesota. Created in 1985 by the Minnesota State Legislature, the agency seeks to advance K-12 education throughout the state by teaching in and through the arts. Perpich staff and faculty experts provide outreach, professional development, research, curriculum and standards development. Perpich is home to a public arts education library and an innovative two-year, statewide residential high school that serves as a living laboratory for creative development in the arts. Additional information about Perpich is at perpich.mn.gov.

About the President’s Committee on The Arts and The Humanities

Created in 1982 under President Reagan, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities is an advisory committee to the White House on cultural issues. The committee works directly with the three primary cultural agencies - National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services - as well as other federal partners and the private sector, to address policy questions in the arts and humanities, to initiate and support key programs in those disciplines and to recognize excellence in the field. The committee’s core areas of focus are education, cultural exchange and creative economy. Under the leadership of the first lady and honorary chairman, and through the efforts of its federal and private members, the committee has compiled an impressive legacy over its tenure, conducting major research and policy analysis, and catalyzing important federal cultural programs, both domestic and international.