The Fine Arts Booster Group, an affiliate of IPEI, announced that the community has rallied to support arts extra-curricular and co-curricular activities by matching an anonymous challenge donor. With the incentive of $10,000 in matching funds, over $30,000 was raised to restore secondary school activities at Ithaca High School, Boynton and DeWitt Middle Schools, and Lehman Alternative Community School. “With the help of this generous donor, the community rallied in this extraordinarily difficult time.

School of Rock a unique after-school program performs, Fall Creek Elementary School. Photo: Lauren Comly

The Boosters established the Arts Alive Fund while believing that these activities will be restored in future budgets. The community responded overwhelmingly recognizing the important role after-school arts activities play in student academic and social development,” states Martha Frommelt, president of the Fine Arts Boosters.

Allison Mollenkamp, a rising Ithaca High School ninth grader, noted that “Drama has connected me with a larger world of people in the schools and the community. Without the arts, the schools lose the sense of friendship and connection that comes from the artistic exploration school arts programs allow.”

Students will now be able to participate in fall arts activities that are usually offered including pep band, before and after school choirs, jazz band, chamber orchestra and middle school musicals. The high school musicals are the only activities that still need additional funding. Since the high schools musicals take place in the spring, time remains for additional donations and fundraising events. Check the Arts Alive post below for giving options to the Arts Alive Fund.

For more information about the booster group, contact president@fabgithaca.org. If you want to stay informed about what is happening with the fine and performing arts in the Ithaca City School District (ICSD), consider joining the Ithaca Community Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG) listserv by emailing FineArtsBoosters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

The Fine Arts Booster Group’s mission is to support the fine and performing arts throughout the ICSD. The all-volunteer group is committed to supporting all the arts for all students in the district. FABG is an affiliate of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI). IPEI is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that works to develop supportive community and private sector relationships with the ICSD.