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SPOTLIGHT

Irvine bands together to reach $500k goal to support local schools Young the Giant helps raise 30,000 for IPSF's Annual Campaign Nicole LyonsPublished: January, 2012

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For a short time many parents found it hard to believe that the state could no longer fund arts and other programs at their child's school.  Well, now parents are stepping up in many communities to start educational foundations to ensure the next generation's learning needs are met. The Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) is an example of a an organization rallying its community to work together to support programs being cut due to state and federal budget trimming.     "Parents won't let the system break," says IPSF Development Director Kim Strohm, "They want their children to succeed." The Foundation in mid-October started an Annual Campaign with the goal to raise $500,000 by the end of 2011. The organization came up $50,000 short of its target, but decided to extend the deadline to January 31, 2012 in order to reach the ambitious mark. And every dollar counts through the city of Irvine's challenge grant, which will match all donations up to $500,000, to possibly bring $1 million to the Irvine school district. "Our main goal is to spread awareness. We need to let people know we are raising funds that have a direct impact on their family, " adds Strohm. The Irvine School District supports 28,000 students, so there is much to accomplish with the raised funds.  IPSF representatives say donations have two purposes: First, to bring more teachers to the classroom, in the means of instructional assistants, as well as adding a course section in high school and middle school to reduce the student to teacher ratio. Second, to keep elementary music programs alive. Young the Giant, an alternative rock band made up of former Irvine students, who is now headlining with bands like Incubus, members met in middle school band, shares an IPSF representative. In mid-December the band along with  Irvine-based VIZIO put on two Hometown Holiday shows and raised over $30,000 for the Annual Campaign.   As part of the fundraiser, VIZIO and Young the Giant held a contest, where four Irvine high schools submitted a public service announcement (PSA) video set to Young the Giant's "Cough Syrup" song. The PSA is to promote the preservation of school music programs. Northwood High School won. The winning video details boy with a passion to learn the guitar. Lead singer of Young the Giants, Sameer Gadhia, realizes how lucky he was to grow up in the master-planned city, and shares on behalf of the band their hopes for up-and-coming Irvine students. "Irvine is a great place to grow up. We know we were fortunate to have a great education and enrichment in the arts and music…and we hope that future generations have the same opportunities, " said Gadhia.

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