Festival of Arts Foundation Awards Grants to Laguna Beach Schools

Submitted by the Laguna Beach Unified School District:

The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts Foundation awarded Laguna Beach Unified School District with generous grants that will enhance the visual and performing arts education programs at our District. The grants received are:

•       Laguna Beach High School Art Program

$15,000

•       Laguna Beach High School Band Boosters

5,000

•       Laguna Beach High School Dance Department

2,500

•       Laguna Beach High School Performing Arts

5,000

•       Laguna Beach Schools Performing Arts Boosters

2,500

Festival of Arts Foundation President Scott Moore elaborated, “The Festival of Arts Foundation is proud to help support the arts education of Laguna Beach High School students. Giving the opportunity for local youth to experience all the arts is a big part of our mission. Providing funds for all the various needs of the art, music, drama and dance departments not only helps fulfill our mission, it helps ensure the dreams of these promising young men and women.”

The Festival of Arts Foundation, which was established in 1989, was co-founded by John Rayment and David Young. Earnings and income from the endowment are distributed annually as grants to nonprofit art organizations and educational institutions in Laguna Beach and surrounding areas.

LBHS principal Joanne Culverhouse remarked, “Visual and Performing Arts are essential in the development of a well-rounded student. The generous grants from the Festival of Arts Foundation support our staff and students and allow them opportunities beyond a traditional high school experience. We are fortunate to live in a community where there is strong support to promote the Arts in our school.”

LBHS drama teacher Mark Dressler agreed, “For the last 20 years, the Festival of Arts Foundation has been our partner by helping the LBHS Performing Arts Department produce fantastic spring musicals. The Festival of Arts Foundation grant is a testament to this community's dedication to the artistic development of students in Laguna Beach public schools. Thousands of student actors, singers, dancers and audience members, have benefitted from Festival of Arts Foundation grants.”

On behalf of the Laguna Beach High School’s art department, teacher Scott Wittkop expressed gratitude for the Foundation’s generosity, “The LBHS Art Department would like to thank the Festival of Arts Foundation for their generous support of our programs. Thanks to their generosity, we will be able to supplement our important supplies, including clay, paint, mat board, ink, and paper.”

Dance teacher Lisa Jay concurred, "The LBHS dance department is indebted to the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts Foundation for their continual support of our dance program. Their generous grant supports our effort to offer excellent opportunities in dance and allows us to offer our students two amazing performance opportunities a year."

Chorus teacher Roxanna Ward agreed, “I'm thrilled the chorus has once again received this generous grant. We will be able to implement a new program that will include teaching students to improve their sight reading skills, as well as traveling to a vocal competition event in 2013-2014. We will also bring a vocal artist to our program to conduct a master class.”