Irvin Mayfield, a New Video, and a Cooking Demo!

Irvin Mayfield Inspires Homer Elementary School

Last week, the students of Homer Elementary School in Homer, LA, welcomed a very special guest to their classrooms. Irvin Mayfield, a Grammy and Billboard Award-winning jazz trumpeter, was there to see first-hand how arts integration is transforming this Turnaround Arts: Louisiana school.

As one of three Turnaround Arts schools in the state, Homer Elementary School has been adopted by Turnaround Artists like Mayfield, who seek to inspire students to pursue their academic goals through the arts, as well as draw attention to the impact the arts are having on their school's revitalization.

In 2014, the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts was selected by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to implement the Turnaround Arts initiative at three schools in the state using the Louisiana A+ Schools method of arts integration. Already the teachers and students of our Turnaround A+ Schools are embracing the arts in curriculum -- creative projects line the halls, music can be heard in classrooms, and student engagement is reaching new heights.

New Video:  Louisiana A+ Schools Students Talk Arts Integration, Academic Success, and FUN

We are pleased to present a new video featuring the students of Louisiana A+ Schools! Hear their perspectives on how arts integration transforms their classrooms, improves their academic performance, and brings out the best in students.

Free Cooking Demo on Saturday

Join us Saturday at Williams-Sonoma in Lakeside Mall for a free cooking demonstration with Chef Jason Ameen of Palace Café! Chef Ameen will be preparing Blueberry Coffee BBQ Sauce, a unique recipe featured in The Pot & The Palette Cookbook.