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P
erforming Arts For Children, Inc.
was incorporated in August of 1999. Applications for tax exempt status were submitted
and granted in August (IRS) and December (FTB) of 1999. Through research we learned of
the "Free Bus" Program which allows City Council Members to provide bus
transportation for the field trips we envisioned. A letter describing our proposed
program was written to City Councilwoman Goldberg. The result was her placing in her 2000 budget one bus per month for our field trips. In May 2000 we learned children would be welcome at the Hollywood Bowl morning rehearsals.
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D on Doyle, Visual and Performing Arts Unit of the Los
Angeles School Unified District (LAUSD) agreed to
supply the students to attend the rehearsals. We conducted our first field trips as
mentioned above in 2000.We have concluded our 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Season, at the Hollywood Bowl. We conducted 18 trips to the Hollywood Bowl in 2005, 16 trips in 2006. In 2005 and 2006 we also conducted 16 trips to the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens (8 per year). 
We schedule and coordinate all elements of the
field trips. Performing Arts For Children, Inc. provides a morning snack and
participating schools prepare a picnic lunch for their students.
1st grade students require activity. That is
the reason tours of the Hollywood Bowl Museum were incorporated into our program
in its first year of operation. In 2002 and 2003 our access to tours employees
of the Museum conduct were limited. This restriction reduced the scheduled 15
trips to 8 in 2002. Prior to the first trip, 2003 We prepared a memo describing
the exhibits and their location so that teachers were able to do a "walk
through" the Museum in place of the tour.It was not until after the Hollywood Bowl Season 2003, when we learned that schools in low-income neighborhoods were offered field trip opportunities that schools in "at risk" disadvantaged neighborhoods were not. At that time we deleted all but one of those schools from our roster. In 2005 and 2006 we added 16 schools from "at risk" disadvantaged neighborhoods to our roll. These are the children "Who never get to go anywhere." This is due to the absence of the financial resources more affluent schools have. We currently work with 22 schools and hope to expand our horizon to exclude many more students in need of the services we offer. 
We have been advised by nonprofit counselors that charging a fee for the services
we provide "is just good business." We believe there must be another way. Children
most in need of the programs we direct would be precluded from them, if we charged a fee.
In 2003 picnic tables had been added in Cambrose Park and there were no safe open spaces for children to play after lunch. When we telephoned Hollywood Bowl Operations to ask them if some picnic tables could be moved to provide a safe place for students on our trips to play after lunch they told me about the gazebo. The gazebo has open spaces on three sides where there are no picnic tables.  Children can play on the grass in these areas. Each patch of grass
is large enough for one class to play a number of different games. The gazebo is
extraordinary. It holds about six or seven picnic tables and is covered with a
beautiful flowering vine. It is also located close to the restrooms so that children
can be clearly observed from the gazebo. When a child needs to go to the restroom,
they require no one to escort them.
Since
children have seen tablecloths only at holiday meals and an important part of our program
is encouraging children to feel special and loved. We decided to go to the 99-Cent Store
and see if we could find some colorful plastic tablecloths. We found a dozen beautiful
table clothes. The picnic tables are not particularly clean and this served as the
perfect solution.
Every field trip
we have conducted has enlightened us with a better understanding of the importance of the positive
experience we provide for children who attend them and our programs have evolved
accordingly. Exposing children to the performing arts, quite naturally, inspires
their own artistic expression.
 It is important to acknowledge and recognize
that without the support of the Los Angeles City Council Members, we could not have accomplished
what we have. The individuals who process the bus requests in each District office have
easily understood what we wanted to do. Their loving support of our programs and the
disadvantaged students we serve has been inspirational. We are forever in their debt.
It is also essential to acknowledge Ellen Waeland "Mother of the Hollywood Bowl" for allowing children to attend their morning rehearsals as well as the visit to the Museum and Park.
Being new to the nonprofit business we thought we had to prove the success of our program before we were entitled to public funding. We submitted our first proposals for funding in late 2001. We had exposed about 780 low-income and disadvantaged students to live performances of the performing arts. We felt our program had achieved a successful status. The most important financial support over the years has been from the B.C. McCabe Foundation and to a lesser degree the Wells Fargo Foundation. Without this financial support we could not have achieved what we have. In 2004 I was told by Angie English of City Councilwoman Jan Perry's office that schools in the 9th District no longer wanted to participate in our programs. Ms English was replaced by Brandy Chappel in 2006. Brandy was very enthusiastic about our programs and we were able to conduct four trips for schools in the 9th District this past Season. Through Suzi Muro we were able to add ten schools from Ed Reyes 1st District in 2005. Many "year-round" schools we have served changed to "Traditional Schedule." Only "rear-round" schools are able to attend the Hollywood Bowl rehearsals. Sofia Alday replaced Suzi Muro in 2006. Brandy and Sofia were immediately added to Performing Arts For Children's long list of angels. 
The Los Angeles Zoo granted Performing Arts For Children Application for School scholarship Program (free admission to the Zoo) in 2002. Due to a sizable reduction in their budget the Zoo could not give us free admission in 2003. January 12, 2004, Tanzi Cole, Los Angeles Zoo, Education Division, informed us that "they found some money" and would be able to award our program free admission in 2004. We have conducted 8 field trips to the Zoo from February 17, 2004, through April 27, 2004, and 8 trips, January 13 through March 3, 2005.
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens granted our application to their new program "Zoo Pals." Zoo Pals not only gave students, their teachers and volunteers (family members of the children) free admission they also paid for the bus transportation for 6 trips in January and February, 2006. We conducted an additional 2 trips in March, 2006.
 Through the Zoo Pals Program We were able to give an additional trip to the largest schools we serve. These schools have 12 or more 1st grade classes. City Council Members through the "free bus program" are able to award our program two large buses or two trips per school each year. We added another element to our field trips in 2006. Last summer a "Special Needs" school brought 5th grade students to help on the trip. We learned how 5th grade students communicate with 1st grade students more easily than adults do. We have added 10 5th grade students per trip this year and we have enjoyed the most successful trips to date. 
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association currently supports Performing Arts For Children, Inc. and its work with children. Please see Jessica Balboni, Director, Educational Initiatives Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, letter of support. The Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens continues to fund raise for the benefit of Performing Arts For Children, Inc. As mentioned above, in 2006 the Zoo awarded our program six field trips through their new program "Zoo Pals." Zoo Pals not only gave us free admission for students, their teachers, volunteers (family members) they provided the bus transportation. To confirm our non-profit status please click here. |
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