Federal grant expands arts programs at Suitland elementary school

Dozens of students at William Beanes Elementary School in Suitland will get more than an arts class after the 1:40 p.m. bell. A federal grant is expanding in-school, after-school and summer programming for pre-K through second grade students at 5108 Dianna Drive, with the goal of keeping children on campus until as late as 5 p.m. and giving families a safe place for them to go.

The money, included in a 2026 appropriations package, is tied to a larger push for literacy, communication and attendance through arts-based learning. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks visited the school Monday with other officials on a four-stop tour in Prince George’s County to highlight federal investments in community programs, including the Latin American Youth Center, Attick Towers Apartments and Ivy Community Charities of Prince George’s County.

At William Beanes, the program will weave visual arts and performing arts into the school day and after-school hours. Students will paint, draw and work in sculpture, while also taking part in dance, music, theater and poetry, all with an emphasis on reading and literature. Officials said the point is not only better test scores and stronger attendance, but also more access to enrichment for children in Greater Suitland who often lose structured options when school lets out.

Alsobrooks said the investment was personal, saying childhood theater helped build her confidence. Van Hollen described the funding as seed money that could help good things grow. For a school that serves a largely economically disadvantaged student population, the new programming is meant to meet an unmet need: reliable, supervised enrichment that connects learning with the arts instead of forcing families to piece together care after dismissal.

Joe’s Movement Emporium, the Mount Rainier arts nonprofit running the program, was established in 1995 and says it serves more than 70,000 visitors each year. Based in the Prince George’s Gateway Arts District, Joe’s has long run youth offerings such as Camp Joe’s, Club Joe’s, CreativeWorks, Partnering Artists with Classroom Teachers and The Ability Project. Its PACT program has served pre-K through first grade in Prince George’s County for 26 years, using literacy and language units taught by a master dance specialist on-site at local schools.

William Beanes itself is a large neighborhood school with a deep need for support. NCES lists 424 students and 31 classroom teachers for the 2024-25 school year, while U.S. News lists enrollment at 379 students and says 92% of students are economically disadvantaged. Prince George’s County Public Schools lists Nyree Smith as principal and Tyauna Reed as assistant principal, and Smith has said the school is working closely with families to build strong attendance habits and address learning gaps early. The test now is whether the grant translates into better attendance, stronger engagement and more access to arts-rich learning for the children who need it most.