Irvine once again was named among the best communities in the nation for its commitment to music education.
The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation awarded the designation to the Irvine Unified School District for the sixth straight year. Irvine Unified is the only district in Orange County to make the list in 2018. Part of the reason Irvine schools have been able to achieve such a feat is support from the community.
“I’ve traveled to different parts of the country, but this program is pretty phenomenal”
— Brad Van Patten, IUSD
One example of such efforts is the Excellence in Education Enrichment Fund. Irvine Company has committed to donate more than $45 million over 20 years toward hiring art, music and science teachers for fourth through sixth-grade students in the Irvine Unified School District. Since 2006, the program has allowed nearly 80,000 children to nurture their passion for the arts by creating original artwork and taking up string and wind Instruments.
“I don’t know if there’s a program like this anywhere,” said Brad Van Patten, Irvine Unified’s coordinator of visual and performing arts. “I’ve traveled to different parts of the country, but this program is pretty phenomenal.”
Excellent teachers
Nine Irvine Unified teachers were honored for making a difference in students’ lives through arts education at the 2018 Orange County Music and Arts Educators Awards.
SHARED COMMITMENT TO QUALITY EDUCATION
Irvine Company has committed $45 million over 20 years to the Excellence in Education Enrichment Fund that supports art, music and science programs for fourth- through sixth-grade students. This support has already allowed nearly 80,000 children to nurture their passion for the arts.
