Amplified Change Art Academy
ACEs in Maryland and Therapeutic Arts
Across Maryland, countless children carry the invisible weight of trauma. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)—including abuse, neglect, parental incarceration, and domestic violence—disrupt healthy development and significantly increase the risk of mental health disorders, chronic illness, substance use, and academic failure.
Children with four or more ACEs are especially vulnerable. Research shows that this level of trauma exposure dramatically increases the likelihood of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and long-term physical health complications.
Here in Frederick County, the reality is urgent.
Population estimates suggest that over 2,000 students are living with four or more ACEs, and the toll is devastating. Just one glimpse at the data reveals the depth of the crisis among middle and high school students in Frederick County:
- 47.8% reported seriously considered suicide
- 39.5% reported making a suicide plan
(2021–2022 Frederick County Youth Risk Behavior Survey)
These are not abstract numbers—they reflect children in our classrooms, neighborhoods, and communities who are struggling to feel safe, connected, and hopeful.
Why We’re Incorporating Therapeutic Arts
Children with four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) face significantly higher risks of mental health challenges, emotional dysregulation, chronic illness, and even early mortality. Without a way to safely process their trauma, these risks compound over time, often affecting learning, relationships, and long-term well-being.
Therapeutic arts provide a healing pathway by giving children a safe, creative space to make sense of what they’ve experienced. Through this process, they begin to regulate emotions, reduce internal stress, and develop healthier patterns of thinking and behavior, helping to lower the long-term risks associated with unresolved trauma.
Where Healing Meets Education
Our school will be built on a simple but powerful belief: children who have experienced trauma deserve an educational environment that prioritizes healing, creativity, and growth. The Art Academy Concept is a unique, healing-centered engagement model that integrates therapeutic arts into a fully accredited academic program—so students don’t have to choose between emotional healing and academic success.
Fully Aligned with Maryland Standards
Students will engage in a rigorous academic curriculum that meets Maryland state standards in reading, math, science, and social studies. But unlike traditional classrooms, our instruction is healing-centered and creatively delivered—designed to help students feel safe, seen, and supported.
Integrated Therapeutic Arts
Therapeutic art is central to our model, not an add-on. Students will regularly meet with licensed art therapists in structured sessions designed to help them process difficult emotions, develop healthy coping skills, and build resilience through creative expression.
Creative Curriculum Delivery
We incorporate art, movement, and mindfulness into daily lessons to help students stay engaged, regulate emotions, and access learning in ways that feel safe and empowering. This approach turns the classroom into a space for both discovery and healing.
Small Group Learning
With intentionally small class sizes, our educators can build meaningful relationships and tailor instruction to meet each child’s individual needs—academically and emotionally. This level of support is essential for students working through the effects of trauma.
Holistic Development
Our goal is to nurture the whole child. That means fostering not just academic achievement, but also emotional intelligence, self-awareness, creativity, and social skills. We believe healing and learning go hand-in-hand—and that when children feel safe and supported, they can truly thrive.
