Grant for
High School for Recording Arts
Year
2015
Program
Community Creativity Cohort
Amount
$100,000
Term
10 months
The Big Idea
When local artist/rapper David TC Ellis realized that young, African-American men were skipping school to hang out at his recording studio in downtown Saint Paul, he decided to use their passion for the music business to reengage them in learning, and transformed the studio into a chartered high school. The High School for Recording Arts offers its 280 students, some of the most at-risk teens in the Twin Cities, a culture of acceptance and creativity. Beyond exploring music, media and the entertainment industry, students earn diplomas and acquire skills that prepare them for life.