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NEWS RELEASE
March 23, 2018
San Diego Unified Visual and Performing Arts Department Announces Spotlight Award Winners
SAN DIEGO – (March 23, 2018) The Visual and Performing Arts Department (VAPA) of the San Diego Unified School District is pleased to announce the winners of the district's first ever, VAPA Spotlight Awards. These awards are intended to shine a light on some of the many successes happening across our district, at all levels and in all disciplines of the visual and performing arts. These awards highlight outcomes that are aligned with the goals of VAPA's strategic plan, adopted by the Board of Education in 2016. Awardees were nominated by the SDUSD VAPA stakeholder community including teachers, parents, community arts partners, administrators, and students. The winners were selected by a committee that included representatives from the district's VAPA Advisory Council, VAPA Department, and the newly formed VAPA Foundation.
This year's VAPA Spotlight Award winners are:
· Artistic Achievement Award
o Jolie Dufresne, Student, Zamorano Elementary
· Artistic Growth Award
o Elijah Mack, Student, Creative Performing & Media Arts (CPMA) Middle School
o Grace Dessert, Student, La Jolla High School
o Magdalena Politis, Student, International Studies at San Diego High School
· Artistic Innovation Award
o Steve Luchs, Teacher, Crown Point Junior Music Academy
· Creative Community Engagement Award
o Jessica Curiel, Teacher, San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SDSCPA)
· Creative Leadership Award
o Timothy Farson, Principal, San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SDSCPA)
o Michael Fielder, Teacher, La Jolla High School
o Tamara Lewis, Principal, Dingeman Elementary
Awardees will be recognized at the Spotlight on VAPA Reception on April 29 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm at Copley Symphony Hall located at 750 B Street, San Diego, CA 92101 (preceding the High School Instrumental Music Honor Concert at 3:00).
In recognition of the artistic work of the four student awardees, for the first time the VAPA Foundation will award scholarships, presenting each student with a $250 award, totaling $1000 for these Spotlight Awards.
For more information, contact the San Diego Unified School District's Visual and Performing Arts Office
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Maureen Magee, Communications Director, phone (619) 381-7930, mmagee@sandi.net<mailto:mmagee@sandi.net>
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