On Thursday, Feb. 24 The Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation honored Alex and Renate Dreyfoos at ‘Let the Good Times Roll’ Luncheon. Chairs Alice Randolph and Kristina Yang welcomed guests with lite bites and cocktails during a silent auction in the entrance hall at the Kravis Center. The event’s host, WPTV News Channel 5 anchor Ashleigh Walters, introduced Dreyfoos students as they performed.
Dreyfoos School of the Arts has provided an outstanding arts education in Palm Beach County for over 30 years with Alex and Renate Dreyfoos’ constant commitment. Over $1.5 million supplements the school yearly as public education funding is insufficient to support and enhance advanced artistic development. Six art areas greatly depend on the assistance from the community, business and charitable foundations. The goal is to create an advanced arts curriculum, alongside rigorous academic course work, especially one that involves talented students of all backgrounds, in turn, benefiting the community. Funding is focused on arts teachers, technology classroom supplies and materials. In a larger setting attention is paid to guest artists, artists in residence, college prep, scholarships for the further advancement of its students. Ultimately, it’s graduates attend some of the most prestigious colleges, universities, and art conservatories around the world.
“Dreyfoos School of the Arts wouldn’t be what it is today without the support of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation,” said Principal Bennett. “They have been enhancing the programs at Dreyfoos for decades and have helped thousands of students achieve their dreams by bringing opportunities for students to receive a world-class art education.”
Miles Wang, Dreyfoos School of the Arts Senior has many impressive titles and accolades. He serves as the Senior Class representative in Student Government and is the captain of the USA Debate Team, becoming the second student in the state of Florida to be representing the nation in international debate competitions, and is also the president of his school Debate team. He has given back to the community as director of finance for the nonprofit Project Dialogue and Debate, which has raised over $15,000 this year for charity through public speaking workshops, and by co-founding the mentoring organization Future Communicators of Palm Beach. He also runs community service projects as president of the Artists Reaching to Society (ARTS) club, informs his peers as the web managing editor of The Muse newsmagazine, and serves at-risk teens as a student attorney in Palm Beach County Youth Court. Miles, a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program Nominee, plans to study economics and government in college with the goal of becoming a policymaker.
Clarissa Benjamin is a Senior Violist at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. She started playing the viola in 3rd grade at the title 1 school Plumosa School of the Arts. It was there that she first fell in love with viola. From there she attended Bak Middle School of the Arts and Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Throughout her years at Bak she traveled to Chicago to perform at Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall. As a freshman she performed at the JFK center in Washington DC. To expand her experiences further, she spent many summers volunteering at Nat Cole Generation Hope. INC for summer string programs such as the FSU music camp and SPHINX performance academy. In college, she plans to continue to play music and minor in music performance and join their symphony orchestra.
Dreyfoos School of the Arts Principal, Blake Bennett, and Executive Director of the Foundation, Chris Snyder, work together to enrich the students’ education by providing funds for the arts and academics.
Dreyfoos School of the Arts ranks the No. 35 magnet high school in the nation and the No. 1 public high school in Palm Beach County.
The Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation provides support for the arts and academic curriculum at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, a public arts high school, named among the top 100 public high schools in the nation, among the ten best schools in Florida and the #1 public school in Palm Beach County. Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation, Inc. | P.O. Box 552, West Palm Beach, FL 33402 | Phone 561-805-6298 | info@soafi.org
