Passage of Prop. 28 is music to the ears of educators and students

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-A show called "Sing for your Supper" took the stage in the La Colina Junior High auditorium on Wednesday night and served as a fundraiser for its performing arts program.

And soon "The Crucible" will opens at Santa Barbara High School.

Performances like those will soon get a boost from the overwhelming passage of California Prop. 28.

It's passage will increase K-12 music, arts, dance, theatre spending by $1 billion next year.

It will become an annual source of funding equal to at least one percent of education funding.

Santa Barbara High Student tech crew members Julieta Garcia,"It means a lot because we are known for our big shows and it is really exciting and without these resources we wouldn't be able to put on what we are doing here, especially for every art program here in Santa Barbara."

Past funding has been pulled during an economic downturn.

Santa Barbara High School Artistic Director Gioia Marchese said, "It's amazing as an art teacher in the performing arts you know we are always scrambling for funding and it feels so good to be supported by the community."

The annual funding approved by 60 percent will start next year.

"We are really excited to find how that's going to flow towards us," said Marchese.

During the"Sing for Your Supper" intermission audience members bid on live auction items including a stay at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beach Resort.

La Colina Junior High Musical Theater and Chorus instructor Rachel La Commare said, "Funding in performing arts and really want to give kids an experience and get to see the arts in action, we don't really have a lot of funding for that we have to do everything ourselves."

She said 80 students took part in the production.

For information about The Crucible production between Nov. 12-19 visit sbhsca.booktix.com