Other Keys
to a Successful Educational Program
Visual
and Performing Arts
The nation’s arts standards specify that “an
education in the arts is for ALL students, regardless of
their background, talent, or disabilities.” UPA believes
in the importance of the arts not only as a means to enrich
a student’s understanding of the past and present,
but also as an advanced form of communication and expression,
and an academic tool to broaden a student’s ability
to approach a problem or situation. Indeed, Leonardo daVinci,
perhaps the greatest inventor of modern times, used the
blending of art and science in his works to communicate
his learnings and discoveries in a manner that would be
commonly understandable. Scientists and physicians today
are just now realizing the tangible benefits of daVinci’s
scientific works that he conveyed originally as art forms.
Arts learning requires students to observe, analyze,
synthesize, create, and evaluate. It also draws on a variety
of intelligences and provides students with experience in
higher order thinking.
UPA believes that we will produce higher achieving, well-rounded
students by offering the performing arts and music as the
foundation of our electives program. We believe that each
student has a talent for or interest in an area of the arts.
We will encourage students to explore these interests, provided
that those students are successfully mastering their core
subjects and do not need to focus heavily on remedial instruction
in core areas. UPA will have access to state-of-the-art
facilities for the performing arts and music aspects of
our program. We will have use of a theater with a performance
stage that accommodates approximately 450 person capacity,
a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, complete television
transmission (cameras, editing, video equipment), stage
sets and storage, dressing rooms and a dance studio. To
implement the arts program, we will rely on highly skilled
Bay Area arts professionals. Locating in San Jose, we will
draw from the rich talent of professional musicians and artists
located in the immediate area. UPA will offer extensive
courses in the visual arts, performing arts, instrumental
and choral music, to allow the students to pursue their
individual artistic interests and talents.
We believe that in order for our students to be competitive
with their peers in post-secondary settings, they should
be exposed to the arts. This approach is in line with the
country’s premier high school programs and the International
Baccalaureate curriculum, which require study in the arts
as a condition of graduation.
