About DA: DA in the News
Douglas Anderson’s ‘Extravaganza’ provides a showcase for the stars of the futures
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – February 6th, 2011
The public hight shool of the arts readies its 25th production the annual event with impressive bragging rights.
REMARKABLE SENIORS: Her artistic ability amazes teachers
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – May 26, 2009
Her teachers say Dimelza Broche’s sense of color is outstanding and her drawing ability is unparalleled.
“When you see her portfolio, you will be hard pressed to think of another living artist more talented,” said Barry Wilson, a teacher at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.
Douglas Anderson students shine at Jacksonville festival
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – May 21, 2009
One is a sweet story about a deaf boy who bonds with his hospitalized grandfather by dressing up in a Charlie Chaplin costume and doing a soft-shoe dance, cane and all.
The other is a funny romantic comedy, of sorts, that called for a complicated scene that involved dozens of middle-school extras during a 20-minute lunch period – no easy task, as anyone familiar with middle school can tell you.
The two short films, made by student crews at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, were among those that played at the 5 Points Theatre Wednesday night during the Jacksonville Film Festival. The evening was devoted to short films by filmmakers, students and otherwise, with Jacksonville and Florida ties.
Douglas Anderson Student surf film floods Jacksonville Beach waveriding scene with professionalism
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – May 13, 2009
Every now and then a group of high school students sets out to tackle a complicated project and occasionally they succeed. A new local surf film arrives with that success.
About 10 Douglas Anderson School of the Arts magnet school students pulled it off with their new film, “Inundation.” The 20-minute expose examines the impact of foreign-made surfboards on the local surf scene in the Jacksonville Beach area. With cogent interviews from about a half dozen of the First Coast’s top surfboard shapers and a cross-section of personalities from the local surf culture young and old, the film captures the essence of a very serious threat to a vanishing breed of craftsmen.
Douglas Anderson Students Get Star Treatment With Taylor Swift
FirstCoastNews.com – May 1, 2009
Four Duval County performing arts students will be living the life of their dreams as music stars tonight with Taylor Swift.
16-year-old Savanna Bassett, 17-year-old Arnisha White, 17-year-old Caroline Myers, and 18-year-old Tanner Lane from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts will get some close-up inspiration from country pop singer Taylor Swift tonight. [Also click here to read the follow-up of this story from Jacksonville.com]
Douglas Anderson School of Arts Student Wins Poetry Contest
News4Jax.com – March 24, 2009
For the second year in a row, Monique Henry, a student at Douglas Anderson School of Arts, has been named the statewide winner in the Poetry Out Loud recitation contest. Monique received $200, an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., and $500 worth of poetry books for her school’s library.
Students do real-life research to perform ‘Diary of Anne Frank.’
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com - February 20, 2009
About 15 students and three teachers at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts sequestered themselves in the Southside magnet school’s Black Box Theatre, coming out only for bathroom breaks, from 3:30 p.m. Friday to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5-7. The lock-in was in preparation for the school’s production of “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
Douglas Anderson Students Going to Inauguration.
WOKV.com – January 15, 2009
28 students and 5 chaperons from the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts will be in Washington D.C. for all the festivities. Their plane leaves 5:30am Sunday.
Social Studies teacher Scott Coleman organized the trip. “I just thought it was a great opportunity for students and our department to kinda get their feet wet and see the real thing in person,” says Coleman.
Traumatic situation helps student become an artist.
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – January 11, 2009
At first glance, 17-year-old Imari Bratcher appears to be a quick study.
The gifted visual arts major at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts paints with ease, creating both socially conscious and abstract works of art. It surprises no one who meets him that he plans to attend an art institute after high school and devote his life to visual studies, particularly in the field of design.
Student film highlighting plight of surfboard shapers wins praise.
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – December 21, 2008
The film Inundation, being produced by students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts’ magnet program, examines the business challenges shapers have faced since Clark Foam, the nation’s main manufacturer of foam surfboard cores, or “blanks,” collapsed in December 2005
Students tackle their mortality in Patient A.
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – September 23, 2008
The play, based on a true story, is about a young woman’s public battle with AIDS.
Kimberly Bergalis’ time in the national spotlight was unsought and unwanted. Bergalis, a Fort Pierce resident and former University of Florida student, fought a brief but public battle with AIDS before dying in December 1991 at 23. Now her short life and troubled death will be the subject of the first play of the year at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville.
Students Return to School Ready to Tackle a New Year
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – August 19, 2008
At Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Principal Jackie Cornelius stood outside, directing drop-off traffic and welcoming students back to school. A record number of students – 1,170 – were scheduled to attend Douglas Anderson this year, Cornelius said.
Douglas Anderson grad up for Tony award
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – June 13, 2008
Daniel Breaker, a Douglas Anderson School of the Arts graduate, has Step 1 planned out in case he wins a Tony Award tonight. He isn’t worried about what to say. He’ll have plenty of support there – one of his teachers from Douglas Anderson will be outside Radio City Music Hall in New York, cheering him on.
First Coast Teen Crafts Top Water Conservation Message
First Coast News – June 5, 2008
Andy Leverett who attends Douglas Anderson School of the Arts had the top entry in a contest promoting the importance of water conservation sponsored by the St. Johns Riverkeeper.
Douglas Anderson wins big honor from Grammy Foundation
First Coast News - May 20, 2008
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts is being recognized by the Grammy Foundation for being one of the top performing arts school in the country. [Watch video]
Not pop stars, but they’re the best on guitar
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com - February 20, 2008
His students were “horrible” at selling chocolate. So Don Casper launched the Great Guitar Gathering 15 years ago to raise funds for the guitar program at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. It started on a small scale, using local talent and attracting an audience of about 200.
‘You’re looking old’ is what they hope to hear
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com - February 16, 2008
Many teenagers try to act older than their age, but two Douglas Anderson School of the Arts students have been acting like they’re in their 90s.
School of the Arts showcases performers
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com - February 2, 2008
Most students wonder if they’ll use their education outside the classroom. For students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, education and application will come together this evening in one night of student films, operettas, Broadway-style numbers and more known as Extravaganza.
Local Teacher Gets National Attention As Teacher Of The Year
News4Jax.com - February 2008
Ace Martin has already been the subject of a documentary for his work at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Now, he’s in the spotlight again as a top teacher.
They don’t run off to join the circus – they’re it
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com - January 16, 2008
When she heard the circus was coming, Rachel Jones had her dad rig a 30-foot rope in the backyard of their East Arlington home. She was so determined to hone her skills that she climbed it every day. That was last summer and now the 16-year-old junior at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts is in intensive rehearsals for – ta dum – the circus.
Theater classes tackle youths’ real-life challenges
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com - December 27, 2007
“You made your decision the first time you picked up the needle,” she said, an anguished expression on her face. His decision? To choose drugs over her. As a result, she told him, the drugs are taking over his life, and it’s killing her to watch it happen. The confrontation was a scene in an issue-based theater class at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Teacher Bonnie Harrison started the innovative class when she came to the Southside magnet arts school four years ago.
‘Look Homeward, Angel’ features students at Douglas Anderson
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com - November 14, 2007
Several Beaches students are featured in the provincial coming-of-age story Look Homeward, Angel, which opens Thursday on the Main Stage Theatre at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.
Sure-footed future?
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – June 6, 2007
On stage or at practice, all eyes drift toward Landes Dixon, his balance, his form and his perfect dancer’s physique: long legs, long arms, long neck, short torso. The 17-year-old seems at peace as he strides across the floor, his silent step unfaltering, his posture perfect.
N.Y. film fest likes what it sees in ‘Chops’
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – May 4, 2007
New York loved Jacksonville’s Chops, a documentary on the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts jazz band’s trek to victory last year at a nationwide band competition at Lincoln Center. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival Monday night, and was met with a big standing ovation.
D.A. senior will conduct symphony orchestra
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – April 28, 2007
Tom Haller, director of recording arts at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, was serious when he told Emily Esposito of Fruit Cove she’d been nominated by the faculty to conduct the symphony at its annual Palencia Pops concert.
Theater and History Combined at Douglas Anderson
First Coast News – November 13, 2006
Students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts learned a lesson in both theater and history from the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. Students this week are putting on their production of “Cabaret.” The musical production is set in Germany before World War II. [Watch video]
Douglas Anderson Wins Award
First Coast News – April 4, 2006
The Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has won yet another Grammy Signature Schools award making it number six. The Grammy Foundation is recognizing 42 altogether with the local arts schools one of three nationwide to earn the Gibson Guitar grant. That grant is a five thousand dollars donation to the music program. [Watch video]
Douglas Anderson Celebrates 20 Years
First Coast News – February 2, 2006
The Douglas Anderson School of the Arts is celebrating a milestone of 20 years as the city’s premiere center for nurturing the arts. A Douglas Anderson tradition, the production called, “Extravaganza” will be held on Friday, February 3rd at the Times Union Performing Arts Center. [Watch video]
For the love of the arts
The Florida Times-Union / Jacksonville.com – January 29, 2006
To understand the success of Douglas Anderson School for the Arts, you have to meet Principal Jackie Cornelius. She speaks with intensity and passion about Jacksonville’s arts high school with words such as “risk-taking,” “camaraderie,” “discipline” and “humanity.”