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Twenty years and 20,000 children
later, City Hearts continues to
create and implement innovative programs that help children grow and
heal through the magic of the Arts. We invite you to join our donors
in supporting City Hearts’ important
work.
Prologue – 1977
New Public Defender Sherry Jason, taking her
first tour of Central Juvenile Hall, meets a boy having his first piano
lesson. A prodigy,
playing Mozart by ear, he is 13, incarcerated for murder, awaiting
placement in the Youth Authority. Sherry walks away wondering what
this young man’s case history would have been if he had met the
piano before he met guns and gangs
Over the next five years,
former-ballerina-turned-criminal-defense-attorney Sherry Jason and
her husband, Bob, also a Los Angeles County Public Defender, become
convinced that utilizing the Arts in prevention is crucial to solving
the devastating problems of delinquency, crime and violence.
1982
The Jasons begin renovations on what will become the City
Hearts studio with $150,000 of their own funds, borrowing on small
assets and depleting their personal equity to capitalize their vision.
1983
Finally, the center of the new studio is completed: a
specially-constructed, professional, solid oak dance floor on which
the children will dance and sing, create and dream.
1984
City Hearts is officially founded.
1985
First City Hearts class held on January 18th, beginning
with three weekly classes for 60 Ninth Street School children, still
funded from the Jason’s
private funds.
The first performance: City Hearts children perform to
enthusiastic crowds
at the Street Scene Festival in downtown Los Angeles.
City Hearts receives an award from Mayor Tom Bradley and the City of
L.A.
1986
CBS airs An American Portrait celebrating the centennial of the
Statue of Liberty and featuring a spot about City Hearts.
1988
Jane Seymour becomes City Hearts Honorary National Chairperson.
1989
Donations grow, but the Jasons must continue to use their own funds
to provide a continuum for the City Hearts children – their total contribution
reaches $195,000.
1992
The Jasons meet with law enforcement and juvenile justice officials
to launch Sentenced To The Stage, a program giving youthful offenders the opportunity
to attend City Hearts classes as a condition of probation.
1993
From Gangs to the Stage, a City Hearts program serving incarcerated
youth in Los Angeles County, is begun.
Production of Slippin’ Into Darkness premieres at L.A. County Probation
Camp Miller in Malibu and is lauded by Pulitzer Prize winning Los Angeles Times
columnist Al Martinez.
1994
City Hearts Youth Arts Diversion program continues work with at-risk
youth.
City Hearts psychologist, Dr. Holly Barrett, Ph.D. begins a comprehensive
study on the effect of the arts as a diversion for at-risk youth.
City Hearts Goes Transcontinental: The Myhalen Art Center in Hackettstown,
New Jersey invites City Hearts to create an exhibit of childrens’ art depicting
what it is like to grow up in Los Angeles. These works are displayed at the City
Hearts studio as part of the Second Chances on Second Street II: Love & Hope
performance.
Johnny Sandoval, the first Sentenced to the Stage graduate and first
City Hearts Youth Arts mentor, goes to New Jersey along with Dr. Barrett, and
one other boy. The two students travel across the country to curate, present,
recite poetry
and perform monologues at the Gala New Jersey show.
1996
City Hearts is named in the President’s Committee on The Arts
and Humanities Report, Coming Up Taller (one of only 200 organizations listed
nationwide).
City Hearts is recognized by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency
and honored with their annual Prevention for a Safer Society (PASS) Award.
1997
City Hearts creates and implements ALITE (Arts and Literacy for
Tomorrow’s Education) which serves multiple learning styles.
1998
City Hearts receives the inaugural Sunny Days Award presented by
the Sesame Street Parent’s Magazine and Children’s Television Network – one
of eight national recipients and the only arts organization honored.
City Hearts profiled on CNN Classroom and the Oprah Winfrey Show.
City Hearts continues free Summer Camp of the Arts for 1000 children
ages 5-11.
1999
The Shakespeare Challenge begins as a part of the ALITE program.
Fresh Focus: A New Shot at Life photography program begins for youth
on probation in Van Nuys and downtown Los Angeles.
2000
One year anniversary of highly successful Expanding Horizons
Shakespeare Challenge program in Oxnard.
2001
Oxnard Shakespeare students featured on Channel 3 News.
2002
Students’ performance of The Tempest premieres.
Service Learning projects piloted in Oxnard.
Oxnard students debut at the Ventura County Fair.
City Hearts 18th Annual Summer Camp of the Arts takes place
throughout Los Angeles County.
ALITE students’ state testing scores increase!
2003
First City Hearts Fun Day with children from Los Angeles and Oxnard
in a major collaboration at the City Hearts studio.
New darkroom completed and dedicated in memory of founder Sherry Jason’s
parents, both photographers.
City Hearts Oxnard program increases to six schools and students perform in the
first Oxnard Festival of Shakespeare.
2004
City Hearts receives the Getty Museum Fountain Fund.
Photography/Literacy project based on the work of Edmund Teske is piloted.
City Hearts 20th Annual Summer Camp of the Arts is held. |
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