|
A Look Back at Pledge to the Arts' Success
In June 2003, it looked as though state budget
cuts would force the elimination of two elementary
art and music teaching positions in the El Segundo
Unified School District (ESUSD). The El Segundo
Educational Foundation (ESEF) undertook its Pledge
to the Arts campaign to ensure that didn't
occur.
Once the campaign was announced the Foundation
was ecstatic to receive contributions in amounts
ranging from $10 to $20,000. In just six short
months the El Segundo community came together
to declare that it would not allow arts education
to be a thing of the past for its elementary school
students. Because of the outstanding community
support of this campaign, the full amount of $140,000
was raised and the teaching positions were spared
for the 2003-2004 school year. Richard Lundquist,
Foundation Chairman, affirmed that this grassroots
campaign was an effort everyone could support
from parents and teachers to community members
and local businesses. "Everyone generously
pulled together to help the Foundation reach our
goal."
The realization of that goal becomes even more
significant when you talk to Kara Hubbard Baldino,
the elementary music teacher whose position would
have been eliminated last year, because there
was no funding. She explains what the Pledge
to the Arts meant to the elementary school
children, "It has made a huge difference!
Both elementary schools have a great interest
in music, based largely on years of quality classroom
music education provided by Diane Simons, who
taught music in El Segundo for approximately 40
years. Music is such a big part of the spirit
of our schools here, that the district would have
definitely felt the loss! Taking music out of
our schools would have taken a lot of joy and
beauty, too. The children love to sing. The absence
of a music teacher would not only mean the elimination
of music education, but also the choir and the
all-school children's winter and spring concerts
that the El Segundo community thoroughly enjoys."
Ms. Baldino also explained that the elimination
of a music program at the elementary level would
mean a lack of children who could feed into the
middle school and high school music programs.
"It would affect the entire district. It
takes years and years to build a quality music
program district-wide, but it would only take
a couple of years to destroy the music programs
at all three levels."
El Segundo is one of those rare school districts
that has supported music and the arts over the
years, through all the ups and downs, even when
surrounding districts made the decision to cut
arts programs. Ms. Baldino says she feels "blessed
to be part of a community that understands the
value music has in its children's development.
I am very thankful to the ESUSD, the ESEF and
the community of El Segundo for working together
to make sure music education is a priority in
our town year after year."
|
