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Doral Academy, Fire Mesa Campus Selected to Participate in The Kennedy Center’s CETA National Pilot Program

Doral Academy, Fire Mesa Campus, a tuition-free public charter school, is delighted to announce its selection as one of only four esteemed institutions to partake in the prestigious Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) National Pilot Program, facilitated by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

LAS VEGAS, NV (May 2, 2024)

Doral Academy, Fire Mesa Campus, is delighted to announce its designation as one of only four distinguished institutions nationwide chosen to participate in the prestigious Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) National Pilot Program, facilitated by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Rodney Saunders, the Executive Director of Doral Academy of Nevada, expresses enthusiasm: "Doral Academy of Nevada is honored to further solidify our partnership with the esteemed Kennedy Center for the Arts through our involvement in the collaborative journey of the Changing Education Through the Arts Schools initiative. This exciting endeavor will furnish us with an array of innovative strategies to enhance learning through the integration of arts, fostering renewed enthusiasm among our students and perpetuating academic excellence."

The Kennedy Center's CETA program, established in 1999, aims to support and provide professional development opportunities for educators keen on incorporating arts into their teaching practices. This initiative seeks to merge national, state, and local educational standards with arts education to explore the impact of collaborative professional development models in arts integration on school culture and academic advancement. Since its inception, the CETA program has grown substantially, having served over 400 teachers in 16 schools along the East Coast by 2011.

At Doral Academy, Fire Mesa Campus, the integration of arts has always been a cornerstone. The institution's vision statement emphasizes fostering ownership of goals and achievements through rigorous, engaging curriculum and arts integration strategies encompassing visual, performing, and digital arts. The CETA program's objectives align seamlessly with Doral's ongoing efforts, reinforcing the commitment to enhance educators' capacity to design, implement, and evaluate high-quality arts integration practices to elevate student learning outcomes and motivation.

Principal Kelly Gerdes expresses her excitement about bringing this initiative to the campus: "The Doral Academy, Fire Mesa staff is genuinely privileged to have been chosen for the Kennedy Center Changing Education Through the Arts National Pilot Program. This presents a remarkable opportunity to deepen our understanding and influence the future of education through arts integration, creativity, and problem-solving. We eagerly anticipate the professional growth and collaboration opportunities with the Kennedy Center teaching artists and the other selected schools."

The collaboration between Doral Academy, Fire Mesa, and The Kennedy Center is slated to commence in June in Washington, D.C.