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January 2016 Lamorinda Arts Council By Fran Miller
In an area where youth sports reign supreme, artistic pursuits can sometimes get lost in the competitive shuffle. Making sure that artistic expression and appreciation receive equal billing in Lafayette, Orinda, and Moraga is the Lamorinda Arts Council (LAC), a group of passionate volunteers and donors who develop and produce events, partner with professional organizations and artists, provide financial support and awards, and advocate for a vibrant, local culture of visual and performing arts. Originally founded in 1950 as the Orinda Arts Council, the LAC recently expanded to include support for all three Photo by Dale Kang towns. Its key contributions to the schools and community include programs such as Lamorinda Idol, the high school Visual Arts Competition, Art in Public Places, Orinda Library Gallery, school musicals, and much more. Lafayette resident Casey Sasner’s daughter Michaela has participated for several years in the Lamorinda Idol competition, and Sasner has long been impressed with LAC’s devotion to local students. “Being involved with Lamorinda Idol over the past several years, we have an up-close view of the passionate commitment the Lamorinda Arts Council brings to promoting arts in the community,” says Sasner. “I love that they bring the message to so many kids that visual and performing arts are not only valued, but treasured in Lamorinda.” LAC president Lawrence Kohl, whose day job is conductor of the Pacific Chamber Symphony, oversees the 22-person volunteer LAC board. “We emphasize people and their personal contributions, and not money,” says Kohl. “Board members and supporters participate as artists, patrons, volunteers, or as financial supporters. All are essential to what we do. We find where the artistic holes are in the community, and we fill them up. We find ways for the three towns to work together to promote the arts.” LAC is perhaps best known for its popular Lamorinda Idol singing competition – a multi-month collection of auditions, performance workshops, community performances, and a final competition with cash prizes. Participants learn to choose music that highlights their talent, present themselves creatively, connect with an audience, and meet like-minded young. LAC’s high school visual arts competition is another marquee event showcasing 2D, 3D, photography, and digital design. This competition also features cash awards, merit citations, and a month long public exhibit of entries at the Orinda Library Art Gallery. Deborah Hovey-LaCour, Miramonte High School’s visual arts teacher, appreciates the role that LAC plays in her students’ lives. “Our communities are so focused on sports, and it’s great that such an organization exists to celebrate artistic expression with varied exhibitions and contests.”
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Serving the Lafayette Community Teen Esteem: Engaging the Empowering Effects of Self-Respect By Jody Morgan
Teen Esteem was established in 1994 to equip adolescents and their parents with tools essential to making intelligent, well-informed, and often courageous choices when confronted with the plethora of pressures that can make being or raising a teenager intensely stressful. By encouraging each student to recognize his or her unique qualities as admirable attributes, Teen Esteem effectively builds a platform of self-
Dedicated Teen Esteem Volunteers like Adam, Tim, and Jill have presented tools for making informed and beneficial choices to over 150,000 local students.
respect and respect for others from which young adults, pre-teens, and even elementary school students can evaluate enticements to engage in harmful behaviors. Committed to addressing the lures proffered and the distress potentially produced by each emerging trend, the non-profit
See Teen continued on page 19
Lafayette Youth Commission Tri City Dances
The Lafayette Youth Commission will be holding three Tri City Dances for 7th and 8th grade students in the brand new Jennifer Russell Building at the Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary’s Road. The Lafayette Youth Commission (LYC) is a group of youth from 7th to 12th grade, appointed by Lafayette City Council to represent youth and address their concerns by creating safe and healthy options and community s e r v i c e opportunities. They put on the annual haunted house at the Community Center, the Tri City dances, and high school rock concerts. Volume X - Number 1 One of LYC’s big goals is to provide 3000F Danville Blvd #117 safe and fun Friday nights for youth in Alamo, CA 94507 the community, and the Tri City dances Telephone (925) 405-6397 have been part of that for well over a Fax (925) 406-0547 decade. editor@yourmonthlypaper.com The new building at the community Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher center was designed with events like The opinions expressed herein belong to the and do not necessarily reflect that of Lathis in mind. The old facility did not writers, fayette Today. Lafayette Today is not responsible have attached restrooms, so students for the content of any of the advertising herein,
See Dances continued on page 16
nor does publication imply endorsement.