POW! Foundation Announces New School Arts Programs

The Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation has long been known for booking professional concerts, theater and family programming at the City-owned performing arts center. But the Foundation also hosts an "Arts in Education" initiative, a series of programs designed to give local students hand-on experiences with working artists. The POW! Foundation's "Arts in Education" initiative, aided by a generous grant from the Parker Foundation, announced a pair of new programs designed to shore up losses in arts programs at local schools.

Radio Drama in Schools:

On February 25, the POW! Foundation partnered with Young Audiences of San Diego to present "Stand and Deliver" at Mesa Verde Middle School in Poway. The program allows students to write, develop and perform their own radio drama. Two professional teaching artists, Jerry Hager, assisted by James Cota, began working with 30 sixth grade students in teacher Krista Earle's class on Feb. 25. The program will encourage students to explore vocal techniques and body movement to express themselves and will culminate in an April 22 performance by the students.

Young Audiences is San Diego's oldest and largest nonprofit whose sole mission is arts education, encompassing the four art forms of music, dance, theater and visual arts. Now in its 46th year, Young Audiences of San Diego works with professional artists in order to uplift and inspire young people to achieve their full potential.

Missoula Children's Theater:

Additionally, the POW! Foundation will be presenting the nationally renowned Missoula Children's Theatre company from March 16 to March 21. For ten years, the POW! Foundation has hosted MCT for a one-week, all inclusive theater camp that is presented free of charge to more than 50 area youth. MCT will hold open auditions for children age 5 - 18 on Monday March 16 at 4pm. MCT's artist/educators will host a week-long theater camp that will introduce students to voice and movement techniques as well as stage craft. The program will culminate in two performances of the musical "The Princess and the Pea" on March 21 at 3pm and 7pm.

In addition to the theater camp, artist/educators from MCT will host a series of workshops in local schools. The first will be held Tuesday, March 17th at Westwood Elementary and the second will be held Wednesday, March 18th at Rolling Hills Elementary. More than 150 third, forth and fifth grade students will learn ‘The Actors Tools," a workshop dedicated to observation, memorization, concentration, and imagination. These tools are presented and explored in a fun and interactive manner, and students learn to apply these tools to performance art and everyday life.

The POW! Foundation's Arts in Education initiative is presented through generous support from the Betsy Dam Fund for Arts Education and the Theodore and Elizabeth Schmidt Foundation

About the Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation: The Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation functions through a special partnership with the City of Poway and the Poway Unified School District. The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and advised by a Business Council that reads like a "Who's Who" of Inland North County civic leaders. The Foundation offers a variety of professional performing arts events including concerts, dance performances, theater productions; and a children's theatre series which includes workshops and study guides. Visit our website at www.PowayArts.org.

The 2008-2009 Professional Performance Season is made possible by City of Poway, Suzanne and Mike Kropf, Echo Pacific, San Diego National Bank, Jane & Tim McCarthy, Betsy Dam Fund for Arts in Education, Theodore & Elizabeth Schmidt Foundation, McCarthy-Goldsmith Theatre Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, JP Morgan Chase Foundation, AEG Live, The Parker Foundation, MetLife Foundation, County of San Diego, Sempra Energy, Penny & Harold Dokmo, Pentair Electronic Packaging Foundation, Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust, Samuel I & John Henry Fox Foundation, Pratt Memorial Fund, Sosin-Stratton Pettit Foundation, Carol and Bill Stensrud Family Foundation, Rancho Financial, Winton Larson LLP, Wells Fargo Foundation, Replica, Grins 2 Go, KSDS Jazz88, North County Times, ER Management, US Bank, CITI-Smith Barney, Marriott Courtyard and Anonymous.

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