Duke Ellington School of the Arts

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The Duke Ellington School of the Arts [1] is a high school located in Washington, D.C. dedicated to arts education. One of the high schools of the District of Columbia Public School system, it is named for the American jazz bandleader and composer Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899–1974), himself a native of Washington, D.C.

The school educates talented students who are considering careers in the arts by providing intensive arts instruction and strong academic programs that prepare students for post-secondary education and/or professional careers. Arts programs include dance, literary media, museum studies, instrumental music, vocal music, theater, and visual arts; academic programs include English, social studies, world languages, mathematics, and science.

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts offers pre-professional arts training in a creative, challenging, and nurturing environment that inspires our students to achieve their highest potential. Students come to Ellington for the exciting opportunity to express themselves as artists while challenging themselves to expand their knowledge in the classroom. Ellington students value tremendous skills they gain and the overall sense of achievement they get from their years at Ellington. Through their hard work, dedication, and the support of fellow students and caring instructors, our students grow into mature artists as they prepare to succeed in higher education in their future careers.

The school developed from the collaborative efforts of Peggy Cooper Cafritz, for many years a member of the D.C. School Board of DCPS and Mike Malone, a veteran Broadway, off-Broadway, and classical dancer, who were co-founders of Workshops for Careers in the Arts in 1968. By 1974 this workshop program had grown to become the [Duke Ellington School of the Arts] at Western High School, an accredited four-year public high school program combining arts and academics.

1 Mission
2 Students and faculty
3 Academics
4 Arts
5 College acceptance
6 Application process
7 Famous alumni
8 External links
9 See also

[edit] Mission

To nurture and inspire passion for arts and learning in talented students who might not otherwise have an opportunity to develop their artistic skills. We ensure that our students are prepared for post-secondary education and/or careers in the arts by offering an intensive arts-based program. We prepare our students to become productive citizens in our global society through our strong focus on community service.

[edit] Students and faculty

Ellington currently serves almost 500 students in grades 9-12 from all over Washington, D.C. The academic faculty is fully credentialed and includes seven Fulbright Scholars, award-winning writers and musicians, various Ph.D's, and DCPS's only National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) in Young Adulthood English/Language Arts.

[edit] Academics

Ranked as one of [D. C. Public Schools'] top high schools, Ellington's curriculum demands that students earn 34% more credits than those at other D. C. public high schools. Several programs are firmly in place to support students, providing extra tutorial assistance for those who may be struggling. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average in both academics and the arts to be permitted to perform and, ultimately, to stay enrolled at Ellington. This focus results in a 99% on-time graduation rate and over $1.5 million in college scholarships.

[edit] Arts

Ellington is the place for aspiring young artists to refine their skills and flourish in one of eight pre-professional disciplines, including Dance, Literary Media, Museum Studies, Instrumental or Vocal Music, Theater, Technical Theater, and Visual Arts. Students study with renowned artists who are skilled teachers who take personal pride in guiding the artists of tomorrow as they reach their full artistic and creative potential.

[edit] College acceptance

Over 95% of Ellington students are accepted to our nation's most competitive universities and conservatories each year. Currently, Ellington students are studying at Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, The Juilliard School, Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, and Howard University, among many other institutions. This is a particularly remarkable achievement given that some of our students arrive at Ellington with only elementary-level reading and math skills.

[edit] Application process

Schedule an audition. Auditions are held before a selected panel.
Submit a completed Admission Application Form. Please note that applications will be provided at auditions.
Schedule an Academic Placement Test.
Submit past academic and attendance records and two letters of recommendation.
Attend an interview.