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Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2008 > February > 11 > Entry
A good day for Stivers
The same day that the city school district celebrated the formal opening of Stivers School for the Arts students and staff were learning that the their jazz orchestra won the prestigious Berklee Jazz Festival competition in Boston.
The national competition, which Stivers won previously five years ago, is considered the Super Bowl of high school jazz competitions. Last year, Stivers’ kids never made it to the competition because they were trapped in the Charlotte airport by bad weather.
Seems things went a little better for them this year.
Stivers is on a bit of a roll lately. It’s funding support group, the Seedling Foundation, was at the open house wearing “Got Adjuncts?” T-shirts in an effort to raise money to keep adjunct arts instructors. Ajduncts were cut deeply during the budget woes of last summer but restored temorarily thanks to contributions from Seedling.
They were touting a silent auction on March 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Dayton Art Institute. The auction includes donated jewelry and gems from famous Daytonians including Martin Sheen, Allison Janney and Tony Hall. Later in the spring the school is planning a big 100th year celebration.
And they’ve just about said goodbye to the ever-present construction crews. After some touch up work, construction chief John Carr said he wants to close the books on Stivers by month’s end.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Mary
February 11, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
Daddy dearest, why don’t you make a trip to Boston, visit the historical sites,and get fired up on allowing others free expression of their own opinions. Would you rather I throw tea in the Harbor? Or maybe you would rather do that?By Oldprof
February 11, 2008 10:32 PM | Link to this
Let an old theatre-music major weigh in here. The Stivers building is itself a paragon of architectural art. When I first saw the plans, I knew that they had gotten it right in terms of essential facilities—but the realization is fabulously good looking as well as functional. John Carr and Jeff Wray ought to be in line for several awards of their own; this building is like the Fallingwater of urban arts schools. A champion building to house champion musicians (and dancers, and writers, and visual artists)—suddenly Dayton has something to be proud of, and no one more so than the Seedling Foundation for picking up the substantial slack that our legislators have created.By Concerned Mom of 3
February 11, 2008 8:16 PM | Link to this
The trip to Boston was an incredible learning opportunity for the Jazz students. The students gained valuable performance experience, their confidence improved, and they experienced the culture of another city in the USA. (They got out of little old Dayton, Ohio.) The memories of this experience will remain with them forever. Some of the students were able to audition for scholarships to Berklee College of Music. (These are kids who might not otherwise attend college.)For some of the musicians, this was a trip of a lifetime. When I weigh the expenses of the trip against the educational return- I say it was money well spent! (Not even a dime of taxpayer money either! The jazz parents organized and executed fund-raisers, and each family contributed a fair share.) This experience is what a quality education is about. Way to go Stivers Jazz Orchestra! I am so proud of you! You worked so hard to prepare for the performance- and you WOWed everyone. The standing ovation from your peers was very telling! They were truly impressed with your presenation!By daddy dearest
February 11, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this
Oh, for goodness sake Mary. Give it a break. School trips are positive and educational experiences for children who may not normally have a chance to go somewhere like Boston. Having kids is expensive and I am sure having their children attend such a trip was worth their investments. Your continual negativity is old and rarely adds to any meaningful discussion on this forum.By Mary
February 11, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
Good for them, and I like jazz. However, I think competitions are overblown and overemphasized in the education system. The main winners for school competitions seem to be the trophy vendors, the hotel, restaurant, and transportation industry, and a myriad of other adult pocketbooks.