Artists 4 Kidz

High school students involved in the Public Education Foundation's newest initiative, Artists 4 Kidz, will have a rare opportunity to see firsthand how a production team and group of artists put on a performance from start to finish. Five students will join the Las Vegas Philharmonic production team and performers to help produce a concert.

Selected students will help organize sheet music and undertake other behind-the-scenes projects. They'll also get to sit side-by-side with the Philharmonic's professional musicians for an intimate view of how the artists practice and prepare for a concert. The internship will culminate with the chance for each student to attend the actual orchestra performance.

The Philharmonic's Associate Conductor Dick McGee and the Public Education Foundation's Artists 4 Kidz program and Ron McEnaney from the School District picked the schools to pilot the program. This unique experience gives students interested in pursuing a career in the arts a real-life perspective of the industry and the life of an artist.

The Public Education Foundation's Artists 4 Kidz initiative is designed to strengthen the arts by connecting entertainers and community arts leaders from the "entertainment capital of the world" with children in need of this exposure. The program's mission is to help children develop an appreciation for the arts, expose them to the arts, and encourage and inspire them to find their voice and express themselves through the arts.

Studies have shown that students who participate in the arts are:
• Four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement;
• Three times more likely to be elected to a class office in their schools;
• Four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair;
• Three times more likely to win an award for school attendance.

The Public Education Foundation is partnering with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Clark County School District to leverage existing resources. The Foundation is also partnering with internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Clint Holmes through The Clint Holmes Foundation on this important initiative.