Las Vegas Academy hopes to win $50,000 from ‘Glee’

By Paul Takahashi

Published Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011 | 2 a.m.

Updated Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 | 10:40 a.m.

Amid budget cuts to arts education throughout Clark County, one Las Vegas high school is getting creative.

Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts is seeking the public’s help to win $50,000 from the hit TV show “Glee” to help fund its music department.

Glee Give a Note Foundation is a partnership between Fox, the show’s creator Ryan Murphy and the National Association for Music Education. The group is awarding $1 million through an online contest to music programs in need throughout the nation.

More than 400 schools across the country submitted videos to entice online visitors to the Glee website to vote for their school. In addition to Las Vegas Academy, three valley middle schools – Escobedo, Hyde Park and Rogich – are vying for the top prize of $50,000.

Recent budget cuts have decimated some music and visual arts programs in the Clark County School District. Some middle schools have no visual arts classes. Other schools have limited or no vocal music programs and some schools have eliminated drama classes, said Rick McEnaney, coordinator of the School District’s secondary fine arts program.

The principal at each school determines how much to fund its visual art and music classes from a pot of money it receives from the School District. However, all too often, arts programs are the first to be cut when overall education funding is slashed.

That’s because principals are expected to raise test scores in the classroom – not so much artistic expression in the choir room, McEnaney said.

“Principals have been put in a tough position,” he said. “Arts is not a frill, it’s not an add on. It’s a fundamental part of a modern education system.”

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The music programs at Las Vegas Academy – a magnet high school located in downtown Las Vegas – are woefully under-funded, said music department chair Bill Swick.

During the economic boom, the band and orchestra would each receive about $10,000 to purchase sheet music, reeds for wind instruments and metal strings for violins and cellos. This year, they were each allocated just $500, Swick said.

“That is not enough,” he said. “Not when a tuba costs $7,000. Not when running a guitar program (with half the students of band or orchestra) costs $16,000 a year.”

More than 900 music students share six practice rooms at Las Vegas Academy. Until last year, the school lacked a wireless microphone system. At a school whose focus and draw is performing arts, there is no recording studio to help students create college audition tapes.

Last year, the school lost a music theory and technology teacher. Some classes, such as an advanced conducting class, are no longer offered. Other classes are overcrowded with multiple sections.

Winning the $50,000 would mean a lot to these students, all of whom auditioned to attend the academy, said Megan Franke, a choir, opera and vocal jazz teacher.

The five-year educator has volunteered countless hours to help fundraise for her students. Franke organizes paying gigs for students throughout the year – but especially during the holiday caroling season – to raise money for school trips and equipment.

Despite all her efforts, it took her four years to save enough money to purchase 24 wireless microphones for her choir students, Franke said. Still, there are not enough microphones to go around her choir classes.

On a recent morning, students in one of Franke’s choir classes practiced in the school auditorium for their upcoming concert. The class of 45 has two choir groups, each forced to alternate working with Franke.

“It’s nice we get to see what the other group is doing, but it’d be nice to get to work on our own music,” said 17-year-old senior Marissa Arnold. “Sometimes, it would be nice to have another Mrs. Franke. If we could split her in half…”

Franke looks to the bright side however. Some schools don’t have a choir program at all, she said.

“We’re blessed to still have so many things going on, but we have to work together and not step on each other’s toes,” Franke said of sharing equipment among different departments. “It’s heartbreaking to see programs cut last year. Once they’re gone, it’s hard to bring them back.”

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Research has shown arts programs help students develop academically and socially, said McEnaney, whose three-person department oversees and advocates for art and music curricula in the School District’s 357 schools. For some students, the arts are the only reason they come to school every day, he said.

Senior Malia Civetz is one of those students passionate about the arts. She has spent many hours in after-school theater rehearsals and now calls Las Vegas Academy “my second home.”

“I live for music,” she said. “I love my vocal jazz class and choir is the highlight of my day. The music just keeps be going.”

Franke agreed: “Students are happier, whole people when they have that human connection,” she said. “Kids feel helpless when they don’t have a place where they feel safe to express themselves and connect with others.”

It’s a theme that serves as the undercurrent for the TV show Glee, which follows a band of show choir misfits from all walks of life. There’s a football jock who is insecure with his artistic side, a gay teenager facing harassment, and a popular cheerleader who deals with an unexpected pregnancy.

Many members of the all-female Radiance and mixed Oasis choir groups at the Las Vegas Academy follow the show religiously, and were excited when Glee announced the contest.

“We’re like a family,” said 17-year-old Xandra Schultz, a choir member. “We have some healthy competition, but we’re accepting of everyone.”

Students have created Facebook announcements to remind friends and family to vote online every day. Swick edited a video to inform the public about the budget woes facing the School District and teachers have made daily morning announcements to spread the word out about the online contest.

The top 73 schools will win cash prizes ranging from $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000. Schools have until November 7 to collect their votes.

Las Vegas Academy is one of the smaller schools vying for three grant prizes, each worth $50,000, Swick said. Still, over the past several weeks, the school has managed to garner more than 10,000 votes, reaching the No. 14 spot as of Tuesday night.

The school with the most votes as of Tuesday is Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago, with more than 35,000 votes.

Any money from the Glee music contest would go a long way, Swick said. It would help pay for elective classes – such as music theory, music technology and hand bells – that aren’t supported by the School District, he said.

The rest of the money would go toward a “big ticket” item that would benefit the entire music department, such as acoustic shells to amplify the sound made by music groups. In the past, the school has used money it won from its nine Grammy awards to buy a system of three video cameras to record concerts, Swick said.

“It would be tremendous if we won $50,000,” he said.