A year ago, the Jessye Norman School of the Arts - Eastside Atlanta celebrated its first anniversary. The school has a mission to develop student artists to become creative, caring, visionary, and responsible citizens through the transformative power of the arts. Jessye Norman, an American opera singer and recitalist, was a native of Augusta, Georgia. I asked Soyini Coke to tell us about the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, and she spoke about the school in Augusta, Georgia, which was founded in 2003 and has since expanded its programming to Atlanta.
Coke goes on to explain that the program uses the Arts to drive literacy and academic excellence. She speaks about the students writing poems and plays. They even created a theme song for the season. The school located on Atlanta’s eastside is for students from elementary to high school. This resource is to ensure that all children have access to high-quality arts training and performances no matter their background or experience.
The school is running an ongoing campaign to raise funds that will enable more students to participate. The school currently operates from the Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross on Columbia Place in Decatur, GA. You can support the students and the school by visiting their website www.jnsa2.org. The school will host their winter program in December.