Heritage Receives College Board Award

Heritage High School has been chosen as the inaugural recipient of the College Board Western Regional Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts. An application for the award was submitted by photography teacher Lee Emmert for the Immune System project at Heritage High.

"The selection committee was very impressed with how the program connects students with their community and with professional artists, " said College Board Coordinator Erica Selah.  "The Immune System is a testament to the kind of positive impact that high expectations for all students can have on their learning."

The College Board will be issuing Heritage High School a $3,000 monetary award to support the continuation of the program, and Mr. Emmert has been invited to be honored on behalf of Heritage High School at the College Board's Regional Forum in San Francisco on February 25-26, 2011.

The Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts was established in 2010 to recognize and celebrate the achievements of K-12 institutions that have implemented an arts program that promotes student learning and creativity in exemplary and innovative ways. One school per College Board region was named a regional winner. Heritage High School was chosen from applicants across the College Board's Western region, by a panel of judges that included high school and college level visual and performing arts instructors, and College Board staff.

The award is part of the College Board's Arts at the Core initiative, which aims to promote awareness of the vital role that the arts play in preparing students for college and career success. You can learn more about the award and the Arts at the Core initiative here.