The nation’s arts standards specify “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 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 has access to state-of-the-art facilities for the performing arts and music aspects of our program. We 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 rely on highly skilled Bay Area arts professionals. Located in San Jose, we draw from the rich talent of professional musicians and artists located in the immediate area. UPA offers 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.