LEARNInspiring & Supporting Venice High Musicians
The Venice High music department is rebuilding its programs after years of neglect. In its heyday the program was considered one of the best in LAUSD. As a non-charter, public school, VHS is challenged in providing arts programming, due to diminished LAUSD funding. The VHS Arts teachers are relegated to subsidizing expenses out of their own pockets to create opportunities for their primarily low income students including the recreation of the Jazz Band (Crescendos), expanding the marching band, and reestablishing a full orchestra.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
K-12 STEAM education
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
The Venice High Arts Guild wants to reinvigorate today’s curriculum to the thriving program it once was by inspiring current and future music programs. Founded in 2019, the VHAG is a sub-committee of the Venice High School Alumni Association (VHSAA), a 501-(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization, composed of Venice High School Alumni--performers, musicians, art, costume department, stage and tech crew. The committee fondly remembers the vibrant music and performing programs at VHS and is committed to providing those opportunities to the current and future students in the Venice and West Los Angeles community.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
We are looking to support the expansion of all areas of the music program at VHS (Jazz Band, Marching Band, Orchestra & Wind Ensemble) by providing much needed instruments, music scores and tutoring programs. Our student body, primarily Hispanic low income families, don't have the resources to rent, much less purchase musical instruments. One can't expand the music programs without providing the basic tools. The grant money would be used to purchase instruments including: violins, cellos, double basses, oboes, French horns, tubas, alto, tenor and baritone, saxes, flutes and piccolos. Even one of each of these instruments would be a monumental addition to their current program.
Venice High Arts Guild is committed to supporting these devoted public school heroes (teachers) and the inspiring work they do by providing the necessary resources to accomplish their intended goals.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
In addition to introducing, educating and entertaining other schools throughout the LAUSD system, the Venice High performing groups produced professional musicians who matriculated into professional careers. Many of these musicians are still working as studio musicians for movies, TV and record production in Los Angeles today. These include Grammy winners, Academy Award winning movie scores and award winning pop music bands. Los Angeles is know as the heart of entertainment when it come to movies and music. Venice High’s music program was and can be again, a driving force of music in the city to contribute to those industries. Music is not only inspiration as an art, but as a source of creativity in all other aspects of the entertainment industry.
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
When VHAG started supporting the music program in 2019, the Mighty Gondolier Marching Band had 15 members. Instruments were old and in disrepair and interested students wanting to join the band had limited instrument choices. Under the direction of the extraordinary music teacher, Scott Sutherland who came to VHS in 2022 the marching band has grown to 50 members, along with creation of the Wind Ensemble and the just reestablished Jazz Band "The Crescendos." With more available instruments and instrument choices, Mr. Sutherland can offer more students the opportunity to participate in the music program and grow all the various music groups, especially the creation of a full orchestra to support the Drama program in their plays and musicals. The measurement of success will be the growth in the number of participating students in each of the music groups. There is already a plan in place for this growth but the missing element is more available quality instruments.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 150.0
Indirect Impact: 3,000.0