Dancers from McKinley Elementary School
Images courtesy of The Kennedy Center and photographer Jati Lindsay
We were beaming with pride as students from three California partner schools took the stage at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ historic Eisenhower Theater on Sunday, April 7th, 2024. The National Turnaround Arts Student Showcase brought together 100 students from Turnaround Arts partner schools nationwide to celebrate their creativity and artistic achievements.
Willard Intermediate Jazz Band
Nearly 30 students from McKinley Elementary in Compton, Hoopa Valley Elementary in Humboldt County, and Willard Intermediate in Santa Ana performed to a packed audience. 6-8th grade students from Willard Intermediate’s jazz band performed Jammin’ with Charlie. Two students from Hoopa Valley Elementary performed original poems about their indigenous identities and cultural traditions. 6-8th grade dancers from McKinley Elementary performed an original routine to Cynthia Erivo’s Stand Up from the film Harriet about the life of Harriet Tubman. You can watch the full student showcase on The Kennedy Center’s YouTube.
Carmen (left) and Avery (right), student poets from Hoopa Valley Elementary School
The nerves and excitement were high leading up to the showcase. The rehearsals gave students and their teachers time to hone their performances, and the result was incredible! As Turnaround Arts: California’s Program Manager Chelsey Brunelles shared, “Seeing the journey from their audition tapes to the final performance was so special. The final show was the best version of their performances they had ever done!”
The weekend spent in D.C. brought many firsts for some of the participating students – their first time on an airplane, their first time outside of California, and their first time performing on a stage of that caliber. Students also had the opportunity to experience dance and hip-hop workshops and tour our nation’s capital. Music Teacher Dylan Aguilera shared, “Our students will cherish the memories made, learning garnered, and the feelings of support delivered through this trip for the rest of their lives. The arts are truly a vehicle for change.”
Students from Turnaround Arts: California partner schools
We extend a huge thanks to the many individuals who joined us and worked so hard to get these students across the country and onto the Kennedy Center stage, an unforgettable moment in their lives:
Dylan Aguilera, Willard Intermediate School
Dr. Alfonso Alvarez, Santa Ana Unified School District
Dr. Jerry Almendarez, Santa Ana Unified School District
Jacqueline Ball, McKinley Elementary School
Bertha Benavides, Willard Intermediate School
Dr. Darin Brawley, Compton Unified School District
Katelyn Brazer, Santa Ana Unified School District
Jeremy DelaCuadra, Willard Intermediate School
Lenora Hall, Hoopa Valley Elementary School
Stephanie L. Jackson, McKinley Elementary School
Dr. Jennifer Kang-Moon, Compton Unified School District
Naju Kim, McKinley Elementary School
Jennifer Lane, Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District
Robyn MacNair, Santa Ana Unified School District
Emilee Marshall, Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District
Chris Minev, Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation
Mayra Ordonez, Willard Intermediate School
Elizabeth Segerstrom, Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation
Stephanie Silvia, Hoopa Valley Elementary School
Takisha Spears, McKinley Elementary School
Tahasijan Taylor, McKinley Elementary School
Wendi Turk, Santa Ana Unified School District
