Schenectady High School School’s John Sayles School of Fine Arts(JSSFA) was recognized by New York State Alliance for Arts Education (NYSAAE) on Friday, March 20,  just one week before they head to the Kennedy Center to perform. 

Jeremy Johansen, director of NYSAAE, honored the students and staff for receiving the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education Award earlier this school year.  Student performers also performed a dress rehearsal of the performance they will deliver on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington, DC on March 27.

In September, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts announced that JSSFA, just one of five schools in the country and the only one in the state, was selected to receive the national award that recognizes outstanding fine arts programs.   

With the award came an invitation to perform on the Kennedy Center stage.  The JSSFA students and staff held fundraisers all year including bake sales, cook-offs, sold t-shirts and asked for community donations so they could accept the invitation to perform on the big stage in Washington.

The JSSFA is scheduled to present a 25-minute variety program that will salute the “Big Band Era.”  A JSSFA jazz combo, vocal group and dance group will perform. 

Peg Normandin, house principal of JSSFA, said raising the funds for the upcoming trip took huge effort and it could not have happened without the community support.

“This is a great opportunity,” said Normandin.  “It’s not everyday that a school receives an invitation to perform at the Kennedy Center.”

NYSAAE nominated the John Sayles School of Fine Arts for the national award.

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