All year long, kids participating in an arts-focused after-school program at PS 56 have been sharpening their creative skills.

Organized by the nonprofit Community Works, 42 students worked with artists after school on various projects.

Artist Oriolla Maakheru worked with a group of kids from kindergarten through second grade, and helped them express concept of community. They pretended they were tour guides and created a tour of the neighborhood that focused on “what is special about Norwood.” They also created a mural highlighting their favorite parts of the community.

The older group – third through fifth graders — led by playwright Julia Grob, worked with kids on writing and poetry. They prepared for and conducted interviews with people they designated neighborhood heroes: Del Pilar, a park ranger in Van Cortlandt Park; Barbara Klein of the Bronx Dance Theatre, and Norwood News editor Jordan Moss.

A poet and drummer were also added to the program, as the organizers of the project determined what additional projects would interest the kids and keep their attention.

The program, which was funded by Council Member Oliver Koppell through the CASA (Cultural After-School Adventures) program, concluded with a performance in the school’s auditorium on May 10, where the children sang, rapped and danced, stressing their feelings about the community they live in.