Winners are Angela Gottschall, Janet Barker, Safini Convey, Colfax Avenue Elementary and San Marino High School

LOS ANGELES — The Music Center of Los Angeles County, a national leader in arts education, announced the winners of the 26th Annual BRAVO Awards on February 27, 2008 at a gala dinner at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. The BRAVO Award honors teachers and schools for exemplary education in the arts. The awards are an integral part of the Music Center’s leadership in supporting quality arts education for all students.

Colfax Avenue Elementary in Valley Village and San Marino High School in San Marino tied for the school award and each received $5,000. Janet Barker from Parras Middle School in Redondo Beach and Safini Convey from Mount Washington Elementary in Los Angeles tied for the generalist award and each received $2,000. Angela Gottschall from Hale Middle School in Woodland Hills won the arts specialist award and received $4,000. All winners also received a Bravo sculpture designed by artist Bill Crutchfield.

The gala dinner, emceed since the events inception by acclaimed producer/director Garry Marshall, showcases the hard work and dedication these educators have given to their students’ arts education, their profession and their communities.

In addition to the BRAVO Awards, the evening recognized the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) for their vision and commitment to strengthen arts education. "School districts play an essential role in establishing the policies and providing the resources needed to make arts education a priority and a reality for all students," states Mark Slavkin, Music Center Vice President of Education. "No other large urban district nationally has achieved this same breadth, depth and sustained commitment. The LAUSD is truly a national leader in the field."

The Music Center BRAVO Award was established in 1982 to recognize teachers and schools for innovation and excellence in arts education. The BRAVO Awards honor educators who use the arts to revitalize teaching, enhance student achievement and foster self-esteem, teamwork and cross-cultural communication and understanding.

The 2008 BRAVO Awards Program is made possible, in part, by a grant from The William Morris Agency. Teacher cash awards are generously donated by Robert Haft, Elinor Turner, Grace Labatt and Sue Tsao. The BRAVO Awards Program is a project of Club 100, a group of dynamic women dedicated to supporting arts education programs at the Music Center. Club 100 dues and donations provide support for the BRAVO Awards gala. Joan Boyett and Marjorie Bender are Club 100 co-presidents and 2008 Bravo co-chairs are Sheila Poncher and Janice Wallace.