Burbank Elementary School in Logan Heights was selected as one of ten schools statewide to participate in Turnaround Arts, a signature affiliate program of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, education officials announced Tuesday.
San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten was scheduled to be in Washington for the announcement with First Lady Michelle Obama.
Turnaround Arts is a public-private partnership launched by the White House in 2012 to help failing schools develop and implement high-quality arts education to turn around the pervasive and persistent problems found in high-poverty, chronically under-performing schools.
Each school in the program will have a celebrity artist mentor who will work with superintendents and principals to maximize support and awareness for their efforts.
Among the celebrities involved nationally are Chuck Close, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kerry Washington, Forest Whitaker, Yo-Yo Ma, Damian Woetzel and Alfre Woodard.
“Through Turnaround Arts we hope to expand our successes in and out of the classroom by adding more opportunities for our students, families, and teachers to learn through dance, art, drama, and music,” said Burbank Principal Rachel Messineo.
“The arts are a proven way to boost student achievement, keep kids interested in school, and help schools connect with their communities. We are thrilled to have been chosen to participate in this cutting-edge program.”
Education experts say there is a growing body of research that demonstrates the positive effect of arts engagement on students. This is particularly important in a state like California where the arts play a significant role in the “creative economy” in Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
“This isn’t about bringing painting or music lessons to an already failing school and hoping for new and improved outcomes,” said Dr. James Catterall, Professor Emeritus, UCLA and Director of the Centers for Research on Creativity. “This is about the arts as ways of thinking, problem solving, and creative design.”
