Delivering for the Children of Los Angeles
Joel Rubin of the LA Times reports on today’s vote by the LAUSD on whether to partner with Discovering the Arts, a non-profit chaired by my wife, Araceli Ruano, in the ongoing development of a public arts high school. The school will be located at the northern end of Grand Avenue, walking distance away from the Music Center, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Disney Concert Hall.
Araceli has been working with LAUSD, DTA and The Broad Foundation on the school for a long time now and I can say that if it happens as planned, it will be a beautiful thing. New York City has the best-known of these types of school, the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts featured in the movie “Fame.” But many cities with less people and less artistically-based industries also have public arts high schools, like Cincinnati and Houston.
The value of an arts education is undeniable. In the words of YouthArts:
…arts programs really can have an impact on youth. Not only can such programs enhance young peoples’ attitudes about themselves and their futures, but the programs also can increase academic achievement and decrease delinquent behavior.
Closer to home, Tony Plana of the innovative East L.A. Classic Theatre says:
The investigation of art and drama is not an “enrichment” activity; rather, it is a core strategy for students progressing towards an active, relevant interaction with text and language.
Today, the neighborhoods around the site for the school do not have enough school seats for the children that live there. But, as Rubin notes, three schools in addition to the arts high school are slated for construction. Until neighborhood kids have the seats they need, the arts high school will primarily serve the local community. But once the other schools are in operation, the arts high school will be open to children from every corner of Los Angeles.
As Araceli, a Los Angeles County Arts Commissioner, looks out over the Discovering the Arts board filled with artistic leaders like Tony Bennett (who started a similar school, the Sinatra School of the Arts, in Queens), Placido Domingo and Quincy Jones as well as community leaders like John Emerson and Cynthia Telles, she sees a diverse group of people with one goal in mind: building and maintaining a world-class public arts high school for the children of Los Angeles.
Hopefully, with today’s vote, the children of LA will be one step closer to having that school.
[Update (11/22 12 pm):] LAUSD passed the grant agreement! The school moves forward…
February 4th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
Los Angeles does have an arts high and has had one for 20 years. I’m very surprised, given how involved both you and your wife are in LA cultural affairs that you’ve never heard of it. It’s called LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS. You should check it out. It’s amazing and the students are talented, interesting and accomplished people many of whom probably live in your neighborhood.
Gail Mackenzie-Smith
February 4th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
We know! Araceli’s boss’ son just got accepted there.
February 9th, 2006 at 8:12 am
Then why the omission of LACHSA in this article?
February 21st, 2006 at 5:12 pm
Because the post was about my wife and what she had going that November day! But LACHSA is on the page now…
March 17th, 2006 at 6:37 pm
Maybe, just maybe, the LACHSA community will one day
figure out how things work in the LA education system.
As an “involved,” therefore shunned for refusing to rubber stamp
policies which affected our students negatively,
alumni parent of the LACHSA, I will not be
holding my breath.
Watching it all unfold with GREAT interest,
Annie Harvey
Former LACHSA VA Parent