I. Arts Education Returns to the Classroom!

Through the leadership of Supervisor Blanca Alvarado, the County Board of Supervisors allocated $90,000 in June 1999 toward the School-Based Arts Education Initiative
sponsored by the Cultural Initiatives/Silicon Valley to raise the quality of education by developing in-school art education programs for youth countywide.

Cultural Initiatives/Silicon Valley (CISV) and the 20/21 Regional Arts Plan
CISV is charged with implementing the 20/21 Arts Plan which was approved by the County Board of Supervisors in late 1997. The 20/21 Regional Arts Plan emphasizes bringing arts education back into our children’s classrooms. Arts education plays a significant role in self-esteem, skill acquisition, student engagement, creative development, improved educational achievement, and cross-cultural understanding for at-risk youth.

CISV estimates that only 2% of all school spending is in the arts. It hopes to increase arts spending to 5%.

School-Based Arts Education Grants
The $90,000 helped launch the Greenhouse Grants programs, which are designed to establish models for high-quality innovative programming in schools. Approximately 10-20 grants will be awarded this year, ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 each to districts and/or schools that have or will commit to develop a five-year plan to incorporate one or more arts disciplines as part of the regular ongoing school-day curriculum. Over 400,000 school-aged children stand to benefit from this program annually.

The grant application process has already commenced and over 40 schools have submitted letters of intent. In mid-August, CISV held an Orientation Meeting for those schools that have expressed interested in the Greenhouse Program. The Mt. Pleasant, Alum Rock, and Franklin McKinley School Districts all expressed interest in the Grant. 

The County’s sponsorship of the Greenhouse Grants will ensure that our needy and at-risk youth are being provided with exemplary arts education programs. 

The Franklin McKinley School District received $42,225 to train all kindergarten teachers in one of the State-approved visual arts curricula. The schools benefiting from these funds include: Hellyer, Hillsdale, Los Arboles, McKinley, and Stonegate. 

The Alum Rock Union School District received $32,577 to train teachers to use the arts as a powerful literacy tool. The schools within this district that benefited include: Arbuckle, Cassell, Cureton, Dorsa, Fischer, Miller, Hubbard, Ocala, Rogers, and Slonaker.

Other Grant Opportunities
Recognition Grants will also be awarded through the Arts Education Initiative. These grants recognize and further promote excellent arts and cultural education programs that already exist in elementary schools.

II. Mexican Heritage Plaza 9/9/99!

San José experienced a joyous occasion when it commemorated the grand opening of the Mexican Heritage Plaza, built at the corner of Alum Rock Avenue and King Road, on September 9, 1999. 

The vision to build a center that would serve as a cultural showcase for the Mexican-American community of San José was championed by then Councilmember Blanca Alvarado. In 1988, the Mexican Heritage Corporation (MHC) was established, to shape this vision into a reality.

This 50,000 square-foot cultural facility had its groundbreaking nearly two years ago, and serves as an educational center where youth, families, and communities can gather to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures San José has to offer. The Plaza is a place where the community can meet and exchange ideas, a place where individuals can reflect upon and appreciate the arts, culture, and heritage of the Mexican-American community, and serve as an important milestone in the community’s efforts to promote the rich cultural diversity and history of the valley.

The Grand Opening festivities began in early-July 1999 with the Mariachi Festival and Concert series. The sound of music filled the streets, people danced, and an array of activities took place, highlighting the opening of the Plaza. The launch of the Plaza also included mini arts festivals, block parties, concerts in the parks, and tours of the facilities throughout the months of July and August. 

On Thursday, September 9, 1999, the official dedication took place, and an extraordinary fundraiser gala followed on Friday, September 10, to honor those who played a significant role in the development of this cultural masterpiece.

The Plaza, a $35 million structure found at the heart of East San José, includes a 500-seat state-of-the-art theater, a 3,500 square-foot art gallery - La Galeria, a grand plaza with three thematic gardens full of fragrant flowers, herbs, plants and trees, a multipurpose room that can accommodate up to 450 people, classrooms, and administrative offices for eight multicultural arts organizations.

Three Resident Arts groups including the San José Multicultural Artists Guild (MAG), Los Lupenos de San José, and Teatro Vision are responsible for 60% of the programming that takes place in the Theatre and the Plaza. 

La Galeria hosts various art exhibits. Its first feature was the Montoya-Montoya Exhibit, which took place between August and September. Currently, La Galeria is displaying a special exhibit as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. Dare to Dream: The Life and Work of Cesar Chavez will be shown from March 31, 2000 through March 31, 2001.

For more information on the Plaza, please call the Mexican Heritage Plaza at (408) 928-5501 or refer to the Mexican Heritage Corporation’s web site at www.mhcviva.org.