18 minute read
ARTS & EDUCATION
Leadership Culver City
Local program seeks applicants for third annual program
By Kamala Kirk
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Leadership Culver City has announced that it is seeking applicants for its third annual program, which will begin in September. Leadership Culver City, which aims to encourage greater participation in civic affairs, is a joint project of the City of Culver City, the Culver City Chamber of Commerce, the Exchange Club of Culver City, West Los Angeles College, and the Center for Nonprofit Management. The program provides training in leadership and communications skills. In addition, outside speakers make presentations about and discuss issues facing Culver City. Graduates of the program have gone on to run for public office and to serve as commissioners and as directors on the boards of nonprofit organizations. It entails a monthly meeting from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the third Friday of each month, from September through May. The first meeting will be held on Sept. 16, 2022. A graduation ceremony will be held in June 2023. The program is open to anyone 18 years of age or older who lives or works in Culver City. Participants must be available to attend all sessions, which are held at various locations throughout Culver City. In addition to the information sharing that occurs at each session, participants will work in teams on a group project and will prepare personal statements of commitment to civic engagement, which they will present at the graduation ceremony. The fee to participate is $900, which covers presentation materials, a continental breakfast and lunch at each session, and the graduation dinner. A limited number of scholarships of as much as $300 are available to those in need of financial aid. The class is limited to 24 participants to ensure maximum interaction with speakers and each other. Those interested in developing leadership and communication skills, and in learning more about Culver City and ways in which they can become more engaged in civic affairs, are encouraged to apply at the website. The application deadline is Sept. 2, but interested individuals are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as participation in the program is limited.
Leadership Culver City leadershipculvercity.org
Building lifelong learners through exploration
The educational theory called social constructivism empowers children to learn through independent exploration, reflection, and group discussion. Children make meaning through play, while teachers, rather than instructing from the front of the classroom, guide the conversation alongside students, encouraging children to make their own conclusions. Westside Neighborhood School brings this theory to life at the Early Childhood Center where the environment is considered the “third teacher.” Joyful exploration is scaffolded through play and discovery in “The Wilds” - an outdoor oasis with a stream, plants, and climbing structures. As students move up in grade level, these building blocks evolve into project-based learning, and are interwoven into the curriculum. The idea is that students construct their own knowledge through experiences and reflection. From a scientific perspective, this approach helps to create new neural pathways in children’s brains. As they reach Middle School, students engage in authentic social entrepreneurship projects involving real world issues, proposing solutions through research, ideation development, and critical evaluation launch. Social constructivism in the classroom is centered around activities that encourage thinking, feeling, and doing. Students are given tools to explore, test, and question their world, developing into lifelong critical thinkers with a natural curiosity and love for learning. To learn more about Westside Neighborhood School, visit wns-la.org.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER FOCUS: NONPROFIT SHOWCASE
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Vistamar School, El Segundo, CA
Vistamar believes there’s a better way to do high school. Founded in 2005, Vistamar is a college-prep day school serving 260 students in grades 9-12. Vistamar’s academic curriculum combines best practices of American independent schools with leading-edge methods drawn from top educational systems around the world. Focus is on teaching students how to think, not what to think. An average class size of 14 allows faculty to interact closely with individual students to support them through the challenges this rigorous program entails. The wide range of extracurricular activities includes 20 athletic teams, 30 student-led clubs and affinity groups, and an active performing arts department. The colleges and universities our graduates attend reflect the selectivity and variety expected from one of L.A.’s finest independent schools. Our four-year college prep process and 24:1 student to counselor ratio allows students to find a school where they can thrive and excel -- one that is worthy of their achievements. Alumni report the collaboration, creativity, and communication skills acquired at Vistamar have given them a distinct advantage in college. Not only do they feel fully prepared academically, they have the confidence to engage fully and even lead class discussions and pursue conversations and relationships with their professors. They have the skills needed in the 21st-century workforce.
Advertorial “I feel the real kind of happy in my heart!” This is the exclamation of an Elemental Music student overflowing with joy after performing in his very first orchestra concert. As a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to celebrating music-making and building community through exceptional youth education programs, we create magical moments like this all season long! Since 2004, Elemental Music has provided over 2,800 young musicians with high-quality music education experiences. Every week, we harness the transformative power of music to change the lives of students across the Westside. Our high-quality programs for strings, choir, band, guitar, full orchestra, and chamber music give students the tools that they need to develop their musical skills and their self-confidence. Students of all ages - elementary, middle, and even high school - can find a home in our programs. We love helping students “find their voice” through music! Auditions for our Chamber Music Institute (grades 6–12) are on September 10. Ensemble placements and auditions for all of our large ensemble string, choir, band, guitar, and full orchestra programs (grades 3–8) are on September 17. For more information on how to join our extracurricular music programs, please visit www.elementalmusic.org or espanol.elementalmusic.org!
Advertorial
New Executive Director
By Kamala Kirk
The Santa Monica Education Foundation Board of Directors has completed a nationwide search for the Foundation’s next executive director with the appointment of veteran fundraising professional, Mikko Sperber, to the role. The search was initiated in April when incumbent executive director, Linda Greenberg, announced her plans to retire after 28 years of service. Sperber comes to the Ed Foundation after serving most recently as the managing partner of Fundamental Strategy, a nonprofit management and fundraising advisory firm he founded. He has more than two decades of experience working with nonprofit organizations in the performing arts and education in Los Angeles and New York. “The Santa Monica Education Foundation is lucky to have found Mikko,” said Ed Foundation board president John Baracy. “His distinct passion, personality and thoughtfulness for fundraising over his career will translate immediately to benefit the students of the Santa Monica public schools. We look forward to the community getting to know Mikko in the very near The Santa Monica Education Foundation Board of Directors has completed a nationwide search for the Foundation's next executive director with the appointment of veteran fundraising professional Mikko Sperber.
COURTESY PHOTO
future.” Sperber is an active leader in the greater LA nonprofit community. He has been heavily involved as a member of the LA County Equity in County Contracting Project Team for the past two years, working to streamline and improve contracting policies and practices for the benefit of all nonprofits who do business with the county. He currently serves on the boards of directors of the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, Levitt Pavilion in LA, and the Claremont Courier. Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Board of Angel City Sports. Before founding Fundamental Strategy, Sperber’s career in the nonprofit sector included work with the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, UCLA Anderson School of Management, and MPTF. He holds a master’s in leadership, with an emphasis in nonprofit management and philanthropy, from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy; an executive program certificate in general management from the UCLA Anderson School of Management; and a bachelor of science in organizational leadership from Azusa Pacific University. “I’m excited to join a community of people who are aligned in their desire to ensure that all students in Santa Monica’s public schools receive a vibrant education rich with opportunities in and out of the classroom,” Sperber said. “I know that requires our philanthropy to supplement the District’s funds so they can hire the staff and fund the programs that impact all students in Santa Monica’s public schools. My family and I are so excite to get more deeply involved in the Santa Monica community and enjoy this incredible city.”
Santa Monica Education Foundation
smedfoundation.org
Welcome to Paseo del Rey Natural Science Magnet, home of the Stingrays! Paseo is a campus rich with a diverse student body, highly committed and skilled teachers, and a rigorous curriculum. The relationship among teachers, families, students, and our community partners allows us to attend to each student’s academic and social needs. Paseo del Rey is proud to offer enrichment programs such as:
• Planet Bravo • Chess • Science Mobile STEM Lab • Dedicated Science Lab • Dedicated Computer Lab • Musical Instruments and Orchestra • Yoga led by Westchester YMCA • Gardening
In the 2022-2023 school year, there will be exciting new changes at Paseo del Rey! We will offer the following three quality instructional programs: • Residential Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program: This program will be available to Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten students. Parents may apply at apply.lausd.net • Residential Programs ETK, Kindergarten and First grades: These programs are designed for residents in Playa del Rey and the surrounding communities for students as young as 4 years old. • Residential Magnet Program in grades 2-5: Our residential magnet program has a natural science focus and includes transportation. Parents may apply at: https://echoices.lausd.net/ For more information, please call our main office at (310) 823-2356.
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Sustainable Santa Monica Poster Contest Winners
Local students honored in ceremony at Annenberg Community Beach House
By Kamala Kirk
Recently, 16 local Santa Monica students were named winners in the 14th Annual Sustainable Santa Monica Student Poster Contest. This year’s theme, “Do Your Part, Be Water Smart,” educated students on the importance of water conservation and inspired them to use art to express their ideas while raising awareness about the drought. The contest was open to all kindergarten through 12th grade students who either live in or attend school in Santa Monica. Winners were selected in four categories: K to 2nd grade, 3rd to 4th grade, 6th to 8th grade, and 9th to 12th grade. This year’s contest educated over 1,160 students in 33 virtual or video presentations at public and private schools in Santa Monica, resulting in 600 poster submissions. The judges included representatives from the City of Santa Monica and Sustainable Works. All contest winners were honored at a celebration at Annenberg Community Beach House on May 11. The winning posters were displayed at the students’ schools from April 26 until May 6. “Santa Monica students have wonderfully captured the essence of water conservation in this year’s posters,” said Thomas Fleming from City of Santa Monica (Water Resources). “I was impressed with how the students’ artwork creatively communicated their deep concern and the necessity for saving water along with informative calls to action. The posters convey hope and inspire us to ‘do our part, be water smart.’ This is especially relevant now as our severe drought continues to intensify. Congratulations to all the students for once again creating amazing posters.”
K - 2nd Grade
Grand Prize: Ellie Chapman, 2nd Grade, Grant Elementary 2nd Place: Madeleine Zapien, 2nd Grade, Grant Elementary
3rd Place: Keshav Srivastava, 2nd Grade, Grant Elementary Honorable Mention: Micaela Gimeno, 2nd Grade, Grant Elementary 3-5th Grade
Grand Prize: Maddy Forrer, 5th Grade, Grant Elementary 2nd Place: Irene Lee, 5th Grade, Grant Elementary
Grand Prize: Sahana Lindsey, 8th Grade, John Adams Middle School
3rd Place: Zoey Sadrieh, 7th Grade, Lincoln Middle School
6-8th Grade
2nd Place: Alisa Fox, 6th Grade, John Adams Middle School
Honorable Mention: Ruby Krekelberg, 6th Grade, John Adams Middle School
9-12th Grade
Grand Prize: Keira Yanez, 11th Grade, Santa Monica High School 2nd Place: Soraya de Leon, 10th Grade, Santa Monica High School
Season Reveal
BroadStage blazes a bold new look and name
By Bridgette M. Redman
The world has changed and performing arts organizations are finding new ways to respond to the social concerns of their communities. Those that have survived the long, unexpected shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic often find themselves transformed. In its 15th year, The Broad Stage has rebranded itself to BroadStage—a new name, color and logo to go along with a renewed commitment to the community and a fresh infusion of funds from founding sponsor, The Broad Foundation. All these announcements were made along with the reveal of its upcoming 2022-2023 season. “The changes that have come through the social uprising of the past couple of years have transformed the landscape of the performing arts, profoundly, and I think much to the good,” said Rob Bailis, artistic and executive director of BroadStage. “Live performing art has always been a place that our most robust and complicated social concerns are discussed and made available for public discourse.” He places the arts amid a rich and complex time, one of a global pandemic and a social and cultural uprising. Those events have opened the door to voluminous and intense dialog. “That is where artists thrive,” Bailis said. “They thrive in a place where they’re able to rise to meet the challenge of our day and to help us talk about the tough stuff. It’s been an opportunity for us to really think about how to give voice to the questions and concerns that are right here in our community.” In addition to a new name, they came up with a new color and a new logo—all ways to put forward a value proposition of boldness. “It was much more than just a cosmetic process,” Bailis said. “We really were digging deep to understand what we wanted to put forward. We’re here to be energizing and we’re here to be close to home. We selected the magenta color because it is so energizing and because it suggests the kind of electricity that we want everyone to feel.” The B logo invites audiences to bring their authentic selves and myriad interests to the theater. Combining their name into one word was, Bailis said, a way of inviting people backstage, directly into conversations with the artists. “That’s how the brand was designed and devised—with this idea of energizing, personal and bold,” Bailis said. “It is where we felt we could do our best work. At a programmatic level, the boldness will be seen in a lot of original work, a lot of new work, a lot of work that is having its world premiere or Los Angeles premiere on our stage.” The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced a $10 million gift to BroadStage, a contribution to their endowment that will support operations and programming and propel the arts organization into the future. “We have emerged from the chrysalis of the last two years with a new set of wings—a beautiful new color, a brand new shape—our story of transformation is ready to be shared,” Bailis said. “All of it inspired by and profoundly supported by this transformational gift to our endowment from the Broad Foundation.” However, he said it won’t alter the ambition of their annual fundraising because they have an obligation and responsibility to raise the money for their annual production budgets. “In many respects, it raises the level of ambition and asks us to really invite our community to step up with us and to meet this gift as best we can with equal vigor and to be able to really inspire the creativity of the artists we’d like to invite,” Bailis said. The Broad Foundation gift, Bailis said, is transformational. It has effectively doubled the size of their operating endowment. This will secure their operating platform and give them the confidence to take more risks at a time when the cultural environment demands risk-taking and platforms for new voices. “This is a moment where risk taking changes these norms,” Bailis said. “Looking for ways to let a different set of ideas come into the mix requires resources that require you to have some risk capital. This really is both a tremendous vote of confidence from the Broad Foundation to support us in our risk taking and in creating that future for the performing arts that we are seeking. It also gives us the certainty that our operating platform is secure enough to take those chances.” The risk-taking and commitment to new voices is evidenced in their 20222023 season. It has 33 offerings that
BroadStage (formerly known as The Broad Stage) in Santa Monica recently revealed its new season, website/rebrand, and announced a $10 million endowment gift from The Broad Foundation.
include three world premieres and two West Coast premieres. It is a mix of music, dance and creative forms of performing art. The world premieres are:
• “Being Future Being” by Emily Johnson/Catalyst (Sept. 8-10) • Mark Morris Dance Group, “The Look of Love to Music of Burt Bacharach” (Oct. 20-23) • Barak Ballet “Memoryhouse” (June 15-17)
“The three world premieres are all in the realm of dance, which is a great for us because we’re a wonderful space for dance,” Bailis said. “Being Future Being” is a work that has been developed by choreographer and performance maker, Emily Johnson, and her company, Catalyst. It imagines a future of human beings on this planet that considers a possibility of a much more symbiotic between humans and the natural world. The Mark Morris piece works with the songbook of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Bailis said Morris takes music
PHOTO COURTESY OF COMPANY CHALIWATÉ & FOCUS
The 2022/23 season features 33 offerings that include three world premieres— Mark Morris Dance Group’s “The Look of Love, An Evening of Dance to the Music of Burt Bacharach;” “Being Future Being,” a multi-disciplinary work by choreographer of Yup’ik descent Emily Johnson/Catalyst; and Barak Ballet’s first full evening ballet “Memoryhouse,” set to composer Max Richter’s album of the same name.
that celebrates an era and turns it into a remarkable evening of dance. It explores why these songs are so deeply embedded in the American psyche. “It will be fun and uplifting and humorous and heartbreaking,” Bailis said. Barak Ballet is, Bailis said, a Santa Monica favorite and this piece delves into the memory of the Holocaust. “It will come forward with quite a bit of power,” Bailis said. “As we sit at the brink of war, it is a remarkable time to be considering those elements and in that way.” Other works this season include: • “seven methods of killing kylie jenner” by Jasmine Lee-Jones, The Royal Court Theatre production presented in association with Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company (March 23-26) • “Dimanche” from Company Chaliwate & Focus (April 13-16) • Ashwini Ramaswamy’s “Let the Crows Come” (April 7-8) • Jazz and blues performers including Herb Alpert & Lani Hall (Dec. 17), Hiromi: The Piano Quintet (Sept 17), Ravi Coltrane (Sept. 23), Maria Schneider Orchestra (March 4), Bria Skonberg (March 10) and Jason Moran (June 3) • Classical music • National Geographic Live performances “These are really interesting works that I think will speak to the sensibility that we’re trying to bring,” Bailis said. “It’s really establishing BroadStage on the west side as a place for incredibly rich and creative ideas. What you see at our theater, you won’t soon forget.”
BroadStage
1310 11th Street, Santa Monica 310-434-3200 broadstage.org
