STUDENTS LAUNCH GO-FUND-ME CAMPAIGN TO SAVE PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM AT NEW YORK’S FAMED PROFESSIONAL PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL

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By Chip Deffaa

Budget cuts are taking their tolls on New York public schools.  But young students at the Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS)—one of New York’s three top performing-arts-centered public schools—have launched a Go-Fund-Me campaign, hoping to save their school’s renowned performing-arts program.  The school, whose notable alumni include Alicia Keyes, Britney Spears, Clare Danes, and Jesse Eisenberg, says that budget cuts will force them to curtail their performing-arts  program, as of early April.

A group of seventh-grade students, working together in-person and via ZOOM, have decided to take action, striving to raise $100,000 within days, to save the program for the rest of the school year, so they can continue with their productions and instruction, working with top theater professionals.  And within hours—this is a developing story—they’ve already raised more than  $40,000 in their campaign.

Their pitch begins:    “Hi! We are the 7th grade students at The Professional Performing Arts School in NYC. Due to unfortunate budget cuts our performing arts program was cut short and will be ending early in April for both middle school and high school! This affects hundreds of students and we are heartbroken to have such a horrible thing happen. Please help donate to bring back our program that brought so many students joy, and made their dreams come true!”

If I can add a personal note, I think the city’s top performing-arts schools—Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts, and the Performing Arts; PPAS; and the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts—are among the crowning glories of the school system.  For many years, I’ve enjoyed watching productions at all three schools; in any given year you will see some youths who will go on to careers on stage, screen, and television.  Students and teachers from those schools have recorded for me or worked in shows I’ve directed.  And they’ve often told me how much they love their schools.  These schools are famous.  (I know one family who moved to New York from out-of-state in the hopes that their talented child could go to one of those renowned schools.)  The schools are competitive; you have to audition to get in.  But  if you get in, you are getting conservatory-type training for free.  And PPAS brings in working professionals as guest artists, so students can learn from top talents.

Here’s the link to the students’ Go-Fund-Me campaign, if you’d like more info or would like to donate: https://gofund.me/e4253414