About Us
Our Mission
Our mission at ARTZ4BIGHEARTZ is to use THE ARTS as a tool to build emotionally intelligent children who care about their community.
Our Vision
ARTZ4BIGHEARTZ is a CREATIVE ARTS program that serves children in South Florida. We are committed to keeping students in grades K-5 engaged in projects that develop artistic expression, literacy skills, and strong community ties.
We work alongside your local after school program not only to nourish budding artists, but to empower them with strategies that help them shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. We teach our kiddos to be lifelong learners with happy hearts and happy minds.
At ARTZ4BIGHEARTZ , we believe that we can grow hearts exponentially if children are given the opportunity to tell their stories through dance, drama, and other art modalities.
We are hopeful that the impact of our program will go beyond the children and families we serve and into society at large to counter the wave of violence that is presently affecting our society. We are convinced that young people who identify as talented and are equipped with strategies that help them bounce back from setbacks , will work to create a more peaceful society. At ARTZ4BIGHEARTZ , we envision a world led by inspired, bighearted creatives.
Our Team
Ana Zenon-Derrick
Hello! I am the FOUNDER & DIRECTOR of Artz4BigHeartz , a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the ARTS alive for children. Besides being an advocate for the arts, I am an educator and the creative mind behind FUNTUNING, a small business which provides educational services to families.
Although building children’s literacy skills is my passion and I obtained my National Board Teaching Certification in Literacy, I am what some may call a “closet dancer”. Seriously though, taking dance classes makes the little girl in me happy and keeps me reaching for growth. As a matter of fact, the positive ripple effects of bringing dance & drama into the classroom is precisely what inspired me to begin Artz4Big💖z.
I am committed to creating a safe space for kids to develop their artistic talents. In addition, I know just how difficult learning can be with poor coping skills. Therefore, every week, our program will be dedicating time to building our grittiness in order to raise our emotional intelligence . As a lifelong learner, I know that happy minds and happy hearts lead to a happy life.
But of course, it takes a village to raise a child. So please meet the people that help me create a loving dynamic community for our little creatives.
President/ Director : Ana Zenon-Derrick
CFO : Robert Derrick
Project Manager : Julie Cepeda
Secretary : Yari Felix
Media Specialist: Efrain Rosario