Duke Ellington School of the Arts

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The Duke Ellington School of the Arts (established 1974) is a

Ranked as one of D.C. Public Schools' top high schools, Ellington's curriculum requires students earn 34% more credits than those at other D.C. public high schools.^[8] Students must maintain a minimum grade point average in both academics and the arts to be permitted to perform and, ultimately, to stay enrolled at Ellington. The school has a 99% on-time graduation rate.

Ellington's mission is to emphasize the arts as much as academics.^[9] It offers training in eight disciplines: Dance, Literary Media and Communications, Museum Studies, Instrumental or Vocal Music, Theater, Technical Design and Production, and Visual Arts.^[10]

In support of their arts program, the school offers master classes taught by accomplished artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Billy Taylor, Lynn Whitfield, and Lionel Hampton.^[8]

The school is recognized for, among other things, its award-winning Duke Ellington Show Choir. Founded by Samuel L. E. Bonds Sr. in 1986, the Choir performs all types of music including

In order to be admitted into Ellington, students must complete an admissions application and audition before a panel. Upon passing the audition students take an academic assessment test, and complete a family interview.[13]

In January 2010,

Renovation

In 2017, a three-year renovation of the school was completed. The improvements cost $178.5 million, a $100 million more than projected. The project became an example of the district's failure to prevent cost overruns.[15]

Notable alumni

Western High School

• Ruth Chew, author^[16]
• Barbara J. Fields, historian^[17]
• Ernest W. Gibson III, Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court^[18]
• Solange Hertz, Catholic author^[19]
• George Van Horn Moseley Jr. United States Army officer who served in World War II
• Thomas A. Rymer (1925–2016), Maryland state delegate and judge^[20]
• John Whelchel, United States Navy vice admiral and football coach^[21]

Duke Ellington School for the Arts

• Dave Chappelle, comedian^[8]
• Michaela Angela Davis, Essence magazine Executive Fashion & Beauty Editor, writer, author, commentator, and speaker^[22]
• Matthew Dickens, actor/singer/dancer and writer/producer/director^[23]
• R&B singer^[24]
• Denyce Graves, opera singer^[25]
• Corey Hawkins, Actor, opera singer^[26]
• Tracy Inman, dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and co-director of The Ailey School^[27][28]
• Simbi Khali, actress^[29]
• Ari Lennox, singer^[30]
• Meshell Ndegeocello, bassist, singer^[31]
• Serena Reeder, Actress^[32]
• Wallace Roney, jazz trumpeter^[33]
• trombonist, playwright^[34]
• Lamman Rucker, actor^[35]
• Adam Serwer, journalist and author^[36]
• Tony Terry, singer^[37]
• Mary Timony, musician^[38]
• Marja Vallila, sculptor^[39][40]
• Samira Wiley, Actress^[41]

See also

• Duke Ellington

References

1. ^ GNIS entry for Ellington School of the Arts;
2. ^ "Duke Ellington School of the Arts". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
3. ^ ^{a b} DCPS Profiles. Accessed January 23, 2014.
4. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
5. ^ https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/03000673_text
6. ^ ^{a b} Porter, Norma (February 4, 2010). "Ellington Community Fights to Keep School in Georgetown". The Washington Informer. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
7. ^ ^{a b c} Turque, Bill (January 17, 2010). "Ellington arts school might be moved out of D.C.'s Ward 2". The Washington Post. Washington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
8. ^ ^{a b c} Kennedy, Randy (April 12, 2006). "Dave Chappelle Spotlights Duke Ellington School of the Arts". The New York Times. KEYT-TV. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
9. ^ "Duke Ellington School of the Arts | Equitable Access to Life at a Performing Arts School" (PDF). www.ellingtonschool.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2010.
10. ^ "Duke Ellington School of the Arts - Facts". www.ellingtonschool.org. Archived from the original on December 27, 2009.
11. ^ "Duke Ellington Show Choir prepares to take their talent overseas - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
12. ^ "Duke Ellington School of the Arts Show Choir – New Frontiers 2016". Archived from the original on February 28, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
13. ^ "Admissions Process & Application". Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
14. ^ Turque, Bill (January 22, 2010). "Ellington arts school staying put for now, Rhee says". The Washington Post. Washington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
15. ^ Michelle Goldchain (August 18, 2017). "Duke Ellington School of the Arts finishes modernization $100M over budget". Curbed. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
16. ^ "About the Author". Ruth Chew. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
17. ^ Fields, Barbara Jeanne (November 3, 1991). "SO YOU WANT TO BE A HISTORIAN". The Washington Post.
18. ^ Thomas, Richard C. (1969). Vermont Legislative Directory, 1969. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 640.
19. ^ Barnes, Bart (October 30, 2015). "Nellie Hertz: Writer on theology whose husband was kidnapped in Vietnam". The Independent.
20. ^ "Thomas A. Rymer". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
21. Newspapers.com
    .
22. ^ College, Silliman; Room, Silliman Common (June 1, 2016). "Poynter Fellowship: Michaela Angela Davis". Office of Public Affairs & Communications.
23. ^ Whiskeyman, Dolores (April 9, 2002). "In 'Pearl,' Kids Reign Supreme". The Washington Post.
24. ^ "Johnny Gill to Perform in RVA". The Washington Informer. July 24, 2018.
25. ^ Smith, Tim (April 6, 2012). "Opera star Denyce Graves joins Peabody Conservatory faculty". Baltimore Sun.
26. ^ Blair, Elizabeth (April 21, 2017). "From D.C. Theater To '24': The Rise Of Actor Corey Hawkins". WAMU.
27. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved July 31, 2019.
28. ^ "Tracy Inman". Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. April 9, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
29. ^ Winslow, Harriet (August 10, 1997). "Her Small Piece of the 'Rock'". The Washington Post.
30. ^ Martin, Michael (August 25, 2019). "Ari Lennox Has Always Felt Slept On. That's What Motivates Her". NPR.
31. ^ Brunner, Rob (April 17, 2018). "Meshell Ndegeocello on Fugazi, Go-Go, and Growing Up in DC". Washingtonian.
32. ^ "At Ellington, the Many Faces of Black Struggles". The Washington Post. November 23, 2000.
33. ^ Russonello, Giovanni (March 31, 2020). "Wallace Roney, Jazz Trumpet Virtuoso, Is Dead at 59". The New York Times. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
34. ^ Parlin, Geri (November 4, 2002). "Local trombonist writes, directs play about jazz". La Crosse Tribune.
35. ^ Thompson, Cheryl W. (August 27, 2017). "Ellington grad Lamman Rucker to host a fundraiser for the performing arts school". The Washington Post.
36. ^ Swinson, Cullen (Spring 2020). "Game Changer: Peggy Cooper Cafritz". Archived from the original on June 21, 2020.
37. ^ Harrington, Richard (December 9, 1987). "Ellington Grads Top the Charts". The Washington Post.
38. ^ O'Donnell, Paul (March 2, 2016). "Mary Timony Is a Middle-Class Rock Star". Washingtonian.
39. ^ "pdf - caa-newsletter" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
40. ^ "%22Marja Vallila western High school %22 - Google Search".
41. ^ Carney, Brian T. (May 4, 2018). "D.C. native finds fame on hit show 'Handmaid's Tale'". Washington Blade.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

• Official website
• D.C. Public Schools