[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7140-7141]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE CHICAGO ACADEMY FOR THE ARTS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 20, 2007

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today with the great 
privilege of honoring the Chicago Academy for the Arts. In September of 
2006, the Chicago Academy for the Arts received the Creative Ticket 
National Schools of Distinction Award from the Kennedy Center's 
Alliance for the Arts Education Network. In addition to this notable 
award, on Saturday, March 24, at 6 p.m., the students from this 
institution will have the rare honor and distinction of performing on 
the Millennium stage in the Kennedy Center. This is a great moment in 
these students' young lives, where all of their hard work has paid off 
so rewardingly.
  This award represents the culmination of 25 years of practical and 
academic training in the fine arts. The academy is the only independent 
secondary school in Illinois that offers specialized training in dance, 
music, theatre, musical theatre, and visual arts. Their mission is to 
prepare young artists for life through rigorous academic education and 
professional arts training. To anyone from Chicago, it comes as no 
surprise that this high school was among only two high schools in the 
Nation to receive the honor. The school was also named the State's top 
arts school in March 2006 by the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education, 
which is in the Kennedy Center Alliance. This prestigious institution 
has consistently produced outstanding students with an immense talent 
and commitment to the arts. Daily, the 160 students complete a 
rigorous, 5-hour academic day in English, mathematics, foreign

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language, history, science, and social studies. They then move on to 3 
hours of learning about the theory, history, and technique of the 
student's chosen art discipline, taught through intensive classroom and 
studio work under the direction of exemplary arts professionals. The 
academy supports a diverse population, with 46 percent of students 
coming from outside the city of Chicago and 5 percent from outside the 
State. Nearly half of the students rely on financial aid and 
scholarships to attend this marvelous institution. The Chicago Academy 
for the Arts demonstrates an incredible commitment to higher education, 
with 97 percent of students continuing onto top colleges and 
conservatories.
  The Chicago Academy for the Arts shines as a beacon for students 
pursuing both strong academic and artistic training so that they can 
become the future leaders in their disciplines. I congratulate them on 
their impressive accomplishments, and I hope they break a proverbial 
leg on Saturday.

                          ____________________