Jesse Tyler Ferguson Visits His Turnaround Arts School

On Thursday, October 27, Jesse Tyler Ferguson visited Avenal Elementary School in Avenal, California, to enjoy and participate in a day full of dancing, arts & crafts, and poetry. 

Avenal Elementary School, located 200 miles north of Los Angeles in the state's Central Valley, is one of 68 schools part of the Turnaround Arts Initiative, a public-private partnership led by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to help turn around America's struggling schools.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson is one of dozens of Turnaround Artists who adopt Turnaround Arts schools, working directly with students and teachers, engaging parents and the school community, and highlighting the positive impact of the arts on their school’s transformation. 

At his latest visit to Avenal Elementary School, Jesse was treated to special dance and poetry performances by two 2nd grade classes, after which he spoke to the students about the importance of arts education in his life. Jesse added his hand print to the school's Red Ribbon Week mural with the help of kindergartners dressed for pajama day and also had time to speak with cast members from last year's production of Alice in Wonderland. 

Jesse is proud to be working with Avenal Elementary School for a third year as part of the transformational Turnaround Arts Initiative.

The Turnaround Arts Initiative is making significant impact across the country by improving math and reading scores by double-digit percentage points and decreasing in-school and out-of-school suspensions, some by as much as 89%.

National Arts in Education Week

Theres no question about it: expanding arts education programs and integrating creativity into the classroom means students perform better, stay in school longer, and are better prepared for success.

This week is the 5th annual National Arts in Education Week. This great celebration was adopted by the United States Congress in 2010 to raise awareness of the importance of arts education and to support equitable access to the arts for all students.

We are proud to work with influencers like JESSE TYLER FERGUSON and JASON MRAZ who are committed to incorporating arts education in the classroom via their ambassadorships with the TURNAROUND ARTS INITIATIVE. 

Complimenting school curriculum with arts education not only yields academic success, but also improves the lives of students outside of the classroom. Students in arts programs are more likely to be involved with volunteer and community organizations and also are more accepting of diverse friend groups. 

It's a no-brainer: arts education is integral for a better future. Happy National Arts in Education Week!

Jason Mraz Visits Burbank Elementary

As part of his commitment to arts education and environmental sustainability, JASON MRAZ visited his TURNAROUND ARTS school - Burbank Elementary in San Diego - to continue his partnership with the school as they continue to integrate arts and hands-on environmental studies with their school work. 

Up and coming recording artist Cody Lovaas also joined Jason to perform for the students and visit their community garden.

Mraz has been an ambassador to Burbank Elementary since May 2014.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson Visits Avenal Elementary

Yesterday, JESSE TYLER FERGUSON visited his TURNAROUND ARTS school - Avenal Elementary - in Bakersfield, California to help the students prepare for their spring musical production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Jr. 

While visiting the school, Jesse was able to spend time in art class with some students and showcase his painting skills. 

A 2015 report found that between 2011 and 2014, 7 out of 8 TURNAROUND ARTS schools improved their reading scores and all schools improved 22.5% in math scores compared to an improvement rate of 16.2% in the federal School Improvement Grant program. Thus, 85% of teachers in TURNAROUND ARTS schools reported integrating arts into their curriculum whether the subject matter was artistic in nature or not.