Happy Holidays!
As year 2009 comes to a close and all of us prepare for the new year 2010, we want to take stock of the accomplishments of the Academy of Special Dreams this year to benefit the special needs community. Our goal this year was to increase community support for the many adult artists with special needs who want to express their artistic talents in the Arts.
We began with the re-launch of our website, https://www.specialacademy.org/, which is now easier to navigate and features improved functionality. We also joined Twitter so that everyone could easily follow the work of the Academy of Special Dreams (https://twitter.com/specialacademy).
The Academy of Special Dreams sponsored 17 adult artists with disabilities by showcasing their creative talents in the Arts on the Special Academy’s website. We also sponsored a gala reception for “Vive The Special DREAM Art Exhibition 2009″ which 75 people attended at the Alhambra High School Library. During the reception the Special Academy awarded six cash scholarships to young adults thanks to the generosity of the Woo Education Foundation. Another accomplishment this year was making a dream come true for a cancer survivor by producing her first ever music video. Finally, this Fall 2009 the Special Academy sponsored a dinner for a small group of artists with disabilities in a local restaurant in Alhambra, California.
While the Special Academy’s mission is to encourage, promote and showcase the artistic expressions of adults with special needs, we will continue providing support for our special needs adults in many other ways. This holiday season we will be sponsoring toy drives and dinners for 10 families with disabilities. Earlier this year, Michael Dergar, President & CEO, and Liz Woo, Advisory Board member, went into the San Bernardino Mountains to plant trees.
We have many goals to accomplish for the upcoming year 2010 including an open call for fledgling filmmakers to participate in “Vive The Special DREAM Short Film Festival 2010″ in which we will be providing up to 10 cash scholarships in the visual arts as well as providing a small scholarship for a creative writing contest in a local high school in the San Gabriel Valley.
Thank you for sharing a part of your life with the Academy of Special Dreams! With your support, we strive to create a more accepting and inclusive world for all people, regardless of disabilities. For more information about how you can contribute to our mission, please contact Jerry Ruiz directly at JJR@specialacademy.org or 323-253-7380.
Sincerely,
The Academy of Special Dreams