For Immediate Release: August 12, 2014
Contact: Selina Ayala-Patlan, Valerie Martinez (909) 445-1001

MUSD Receives County Grant to Support Arts Education for Students

Arts for All Program Awards MUSD with Nearly $20,000 Grant

MONTEBELLO –In esteemed recognition of Montebello Unified School District’s commitment to quality arts education, the Los Angeles County Arts for All program recently awarded the District $19,800 in grant funding for continued support of the arts at MUSD.

“Providing quality arts education for our students has been a consistent goal within MUSD as we truly consider the arts vital in preparing students for the future,” MUSD Board of Education President David Vela. “Studies have shown that arts education in schools increases tests scores, lowers dropout rates, boosts attendance and helps close the achievement gap.”

In its first year merging arts education grants into one Advancement Grant Program, the Arts for All program received numerous applications across the county. MUSD was one of 28 applicants, selected for the award after a panel of review and scoring.

“This grant award is significant and very much appreciated,” said Leonard Narumi, Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator at MUSD. “Specifically, this award will help strengthen ongoing efforts to increase the delivery of quality creative arts instruction and staff professional development via our long-standing partnership with Bluepalm – a nationally recognized arts residency program provider.”

The grant offers financial support for school districts in addressing and achieving key action items that move forward long-term goals for arts education. Narumi will work closely with Arts for All staff to help oversee implementation of this year’s Bluepalm arts residency in all kindergarten and first grade classrooms throughout the MUSD.

The District has used Arts for All funding in the past to develop a program to help students establish listening and speaking skills, movement concepts, rhythmic skills, fitness concepts, self-responsibility, group dynamics, as well as principles and strategies that apply to physical activities  by incorporating dance and theater.

“Connecting our arts education to existing resources not only shows that we have a strong program worth investing in, but that we are proactively searching for grants and funding to help bolster our projects,” said Superintendent of Education Susanna Contreras Smith.

Established by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Arts for All is a dynamic, county-wide collaboration working to create vibrant classrooms, schools, communities and economies through the restoration of all arts disciplines into the core curriculum for 1.6 million public K-12 students.