The DEA Youth Dance Programs in Los Angeles gathered on April 13th to showcase their work at Peary Middle School in Gardena, CA. Four Los Angeles schools performed eagerly for parents, family members, school administration and other DEA Youth Dancers. DEA Youth Dance Program local dance company partner, Culture Shock Los Angeles hosted the lively event and impressed the audience with performances by their youth and adult troupe. A Los Angeles DEA agent spoke passionately to the audience and educated attendees about the dangers of drugs and how the DEA helps to provide safety through their national and international efforts. The kids were enthralled and their questions for the agent were endless! It was a moving event and a day filled with dedication, talent, emotion and gratitude.
Nationally the DEA Youth Dance Program continues to grow and has now reached 20 cities nationwide. The program goal is to reach 30 cities by 2014 so that hundreds more students will turn to the healthy outlet of dance instead of drugs and negative behaviors.
In December, DEA Youth Dance Program students were proud to put on a special event for Carthay Elementary after-care children, parents, grandparents, DEA Educational Foundation Board Members, DEA field office representatives and special guests from the Dizzy Feet Foundation and community. Over 30 children showcased their weekly classes, choreography and testimonials about the program. The audience was truly moved watching how dance has changed the lives of these children and how the children danced with pure joy, excitment and energy. Audience members were also entertained by program partner, Culture Shock Los Angeles and were touched when hearing personal stories about the children from the DEA Youth Dance Program instructor at Carthay. Each week, the DEA Youth Dance Program inspires children all over the United States.
The 2012 year ended with a strong committment from the DEA Educational Foundation to continue and expand the DEA Youth Dance Program in 2013. Because of the generous contributions of individuals on Global Giving, corporate sponsors and foundations, the program is expanding and will reach thousands of students in 20 cities this year. The DEA Educational Foundation is thrilled that children in so many of our communities will be turning to the healthy activity of dance instead of drugs and negative behaviors.
Thank you for all you have done to make this important program possible!
The DEA Youth Dance Program (YDP) has had a busy and successful fall! In September and early October, all YDP instructors went through a formal training program, we launched full programs in 15 cities and YDP students performed in their very first special event, the DEA Red Ribbon Rally at DEA headquarters. The initial feedback regarding our school kick-off assemblies and dance classes, from prinicipals, parents and students alike, has been remarkable. And, because of you, as well as our corporate and foundation contributors, we will be able to further expand to our waitlist in 2013.
The attached pictures represent students from Carthay Elementary School in Los Angeles participating in their weekly classes and students from Drew Elementary School performing at the Red Ribbon Rally at DEA headquarters.
We are thrilled to be in the classroom working with such eager students and feel fortunate to have such dedicated dance company partners. For a full list of locations, dance company partners and contributors, please visit our website at: www.deaeducationalfoundation.org.
Links:
After formally launching The DEA Youth Dance Program in Washington, D.C., ten schools in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles followed and the spring and early summer programs were highly successful! Classes in schools filled with excited students, dance company partners demonstrated the most professional and dedicated efforts and parents and administrators were thrilled with the outcomes of the programs. This was a fabulous introduction to the new DEA Youth Dance Program under the DEA Educational Foundation, and the fall program will grow significantly.
Due to a high success from our initial evaluation, as well as new, committed donors, we are preparing to launch programs in Arlington, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Houston, Jersey City, Los Angeles, Monterey, New York, Port Huron, Shepardstown and Washington, D.C. this September 2012. New donors such as Dizzy Feet Foundation, Target Foundation and more have signed on to assist with our community efforts.
The programs this fall will begin with regional teacher training sessions, individual school kick-off assemblies and dance classes for the students in each of our designated schools. The DEA Youth Dance Program will provide a much needed after-school program and outlet to hundreds of at-risk students this fall, helping kids to turn to the arts instead of drugs and negative behaviors. We are thankful to you, our individual donors, for helping The DEA Educational Foundation to make this possible. THANK YOU for helping us to reach so many children!
Links:
We are thrilled to announce that the May 16th DEA Youth Dance Program Launch at Payne Elementary in Washington, D.C. was a tremendous success! DEA Administrator (Michele Leonhart), the U.S. Attorney's Office, and members of The DEA Educational Foundation were all in attendance. Please see our attached press release and photos. A sincere thank you for your support and helping us to make this happen! Programs are now up and running in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
Make a monthly donation & get 
