ecarroll

TMers (and especially California high schoolers),

Herb Alpert has done it again. If you're an 11th or 12th grader you might be VERY interested in reading the announcement below.

Best,
EC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Herb Alpert Scholarships for Emerging Young Artists
Open New Doors for Teens at
California State Summer School for the Arts (InnerSpark)

Summer 2008 Applications Must be Postmarked Fri., Feb. 29

Sacramento and Santa Monica, Calif – Feb. 25, 2008 – For 22 years, the California State Summer School for the Arts (InnerSpark) has offered a remarkable summer arts institute to more than 10,000 of the most talented high school-aged visual, literary, media and performing artists in California. Beginning this summer, InnerSpark will also be able to help some of its students with college aid through the distribution of Herb Alpert Scholarships for Emerging Young Artists.

The new agreement between InnerSpark and the Herb Alpert Foundation, which has committed $1.2 million in funds for this project, means that 18 students each year will be designated Scholarship recipients. The Scholarships include three awards in each of six categories: Animation and Film/Video, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theater, and the Visual Arts.
In each category, one outstanding student will receive up to $40,000 to be awarded over the course of four years, and two students will receive single-year awards of $2,500.

Starting in August 2008, InnerSpark department faculties will choose award winners from enrolled 11th and 12th grade InnerSpark students during the final week of the month-long program. The selection criteria will include a balanced assessment of artistic talent, character and motivation, likeliness of success in a collegiate or professional training program, and financial need.

“The Herb Alpert Foundation has been providing talented high school students with the opportunity to pursue their dreams of becoming professional artists since 1998 through its partnership with the California Alliance for Arts Education - Emerging Young Artist Awards (EYAA),” said Rona Sebastian, President of the Herb Alpert Foundation. “In 2006, the Foundation took a one year hiatus to evaluate the program. We determined the need for these awards to be even greater, and therefore the new Scholarships have been more than doubled in size.”

Sebastian went on to state that “the selection of InnerSpark as our new partner is essential to the evolution and success of our Scholarships. InnerSpark was chosen because it is an exceptional example of an organization that has leveraged a public and private partnership successfully. Our partnership will give committed young artists the opportunity to achieve their goals and ease the financial burden of attending college.”

Robert M. Jaffe, Director of InnerSpark, noted that “this school has provided the highest quality professional artistic training to the most deserving teenagers regardless of their economic situations. On average, 40 percent of our students receive financial aid. We are indebted to the Herb Alpert Foundation for these new Scholarships which extend the services of the InnerSpark program, by creating a link to institutions of higher learning. The value of our program will hopefully not only impact these motivated students well into their college years, but into their professional lives.”

For the 520 students accepted each year, InnerSpark represents a unique opportunity to spend four weeks studying and working with professional artists, writers and performers of national stature. The talented teenagers who successfully complete the program will receive three units of California State University course credit.

Applications to InnerSpark are due by Feb. 29, 2008, for the summer 2008 program. Those wishing to learn more about InnerSpark should visit www.innerspark.us on the web, or by calling the Sacramento headquarters at (916)274-5815.

About the Herb Alpert Foundation

The Herb Alpert Foundation, a non-profit, private foundation established in the early 1980’s, makes significant annual contributions to a range of programs in the fields of Arts, Arts Education and Compassion and Well Being. Its funding is directed toward projects in which Herb and Lani Alpert and Foundation President Rona Sebastian play an active role. [Please note: the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.]

About California State Summer School for the Arts

Since 1987, the California State Summer School for the Arts, known colloquially as InnerSpark, has offered instruction in the fields of animation, music, dance, film and video, theatre, creative writing and the visual arts. More than 10,000 young Californians have attended since the program’s inception. For many, it was the first step to important and successful careers in the arts and related industries.

Alumni of the program include actor James Franco, featured in the Spiderman movies and the films Annapolis, Flyboys, and City by the Seas; Craig McCracken, the Emmy Award-winning animator and creator of The Powerpuff Girls; creative writer Dakila Davina, now managing editor of Parade Magazine; dancer Sharon Grimsley Teague, principal soloist for the Houston Ballet; award-winning fashion designer Sophie Buhai; 2006 American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee; and actress Kirsten Vangsness, seen as Penelope Garcia on the CBS series Criminal Minds.

Vulgano Brother

Bravo!!! This is sooooo cool!




I didn't see any trumpet players on the alumni list though....

ecarroll

Vulg,

True, but one is chair of the music program and he (sorta) knows what he's doing. He also picks (with backup) the winners. Cool, eh"

Best,
EC

rowuk

A true "Taste of Honey"!

What a guy!

ecarroll

Robin,

The music chair or Herb? (suspects the latter) :)

Best,
EC

rowuk

The guy who played "A Taste of Honey". HA!