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Hello ASA Alumni!
I hope this message finds you well and filled with fond memories of your time at Arizona School for the Arts. As we approach an exciting milestone in the life of our beloved school, I want to take a moment to reflect on our shared journey, celebrate the achievements of our alumni, and share some important updates with you.
Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Arizona School for the Arts! Thirty years ago, ASA opened its doors with a bold vision to provide a dual focused college preparatory and performing arts education that nurtures creativity, innovation, and academic excellence. Today, we stand proud of the extraordinary impact we've had on the lives of countless students, and we owe much of that success to the talented and dedicated alumni like you who continue to carry the ASA spirit into the world.
As we celebrate this significant anniversary, we are reflecting on our history and looking forward to the next chapter. Throughout this year, we are planning a celebratory Showcase event in May at the illustrious Orpheum Theatre. We are excited to connect with alumni like you to celebrate the incredible legacy we’ve built together. Be on the lookout for more details in the coming months, as we would love for you to be part of this momentous occasion.
Executive Director Search Update
As many of you know, ASA has been in the process of searching for a new Executive Director, a key leadership role that will guide our school through its next phase of growth and innovation. I am pleased to share that we are making significant progress in this search and have been working closely with a search committee to identify a leader who embodies the values, vision, and commitment to the arts that define ASA.
While the process has been thorough and thoughtful, we remain committed to finding the right individual who will continue to elevate ASA’s mission and lead our community with passion and purpose. We expect to have more information to share with you in the coming months, and I want to thank all of you for your continued support during this important transition.
Stay Connected
As we celebrate our 30th anniversary and look ahead to the future, I encourage you to stay connected with ASA. We love hearing about the incredible things you are doing in the world, and we invite you to share your updates with us for future newsletters and alumni events. Your accomplishments inspire our current students and remind us all of the power of an ASA education.
Thank you for being an essential part of the ASA community. Whether you graduated last year or twenty years ago, you remain an important and valued member of the ASA family. Here’s to another 30 years of excellence, creativity, and connection.
Warmest regards,
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Leah Fregulia
CEO/HEAD OF SCHOOL
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Michal Paris Davis
Class of 2009
We are so excited to welcome Michal Paris Davis back to Arizona School for the Arts as a new member of our Administrative team this Fall. Along with her considerable musical talents, Michal brings a wealth of business operations experience to our campus as she takes on the role of Recruiting and Enrollment Specialist for her alma mater.
With an eye towards streamlining the enrollment process and expanding the use of our SIS system, Michal will apply her experiences at national companies such as Zenefits, Zipwhip, and TomboyX to improve the family experience as we continue to foster a "Culture of Excellence" at ASA.
We know that you graduated in 2009, but what is your ASA story? At what grade did you begin at ASA and what were your first, and then growing impressions of the school as it was back then?
I was definitely the loud, fun and weird kid at my elementary school. I performed in my grade school talent show 3 times in one concert because no one else had signed up for the show. I was on the swim team for years and a parent recommended ASA to my mom who had never heard of ASA before. At this time, there used to be a line of parents camping outside of the school to apply and I just happened to get chosen from the lottery, not knowing how difficult it was to get in!
I would've been a totally different person had I not been part of ASA- we were the shiny performers, the goofs, the academically competitive and we were celebrated for it. I have always felt that I may have been lost without ASA- specifically without performing and being encouraged to excel.
You received your BA from Arizona State University, Barrett the Honors College-ASU Herberger Institute. What was your major and what were your goals after college?
When I went to ASU, I was already doing professional theatre at Phoenix Theatre and theaters in the valley. I studied Theater with the goal of professionally performing for the rest of my life.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MICHAL!
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ALUMNI UPDATES:
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Taromina Falsitta ('24) is attending Catholic University-Tucson Majoring in Business, Economics, Analytics, Ethics & Theology in Business and Minoring in History, Political Science & Physiology after spending the summer in Washington, D.C. as a National Journalism Intern at the National Press Club. She gained useful experience writing 4-5 short stories daily on telecommunications issues on Capital Hill and broadband access.
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Samantha Howard (‘07) is a Physicist and an active duty Major/O-4 in the United States Air Force. After receiving her undergrad degree at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado, Samantha attained her MS and PhD in Applied Physics from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio.
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SungHo Kim (‘17) came for an ASA campus visit this October to see one of his favorite teachers, Maria Simiz! As a member of the very first 5th grade class to start at our school, SungHo was amazed by the changes to campus, but also remarked that in the essentials that matter most, ASA is the same.
Please keep us and your fellow alumni up-to-date on your current projects and achievements, both personal and professional, whatever you want to share. Submit your latest to the Alumni Class Note form.
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As Leah Fregulia mentioned, Arizona School for the Arts is celebrating our 30th year providing students with an excellent college prep education informed by the performing arts. ASA’s dedication to its mission is the north star through campus moves and changes, faculty and staff additions, and grade level expansions, and our alumni are the legacy of that mission and the eyes and ears of the school’s growth.
We would love to see what you saw, so we have a challenge for you, a friendly competition among our alumni classes: send us your pictures! The class with the most usable pictures submitted by the April issue of Pigeon Post will win bragging rights PLUS all members of that class who submitted photos will be entered into a drawing to receive a voucher for a free item from ASA’s new online store…check out that alumni merch!
Please send your scanned or digital photos with your name, graduating class, and the who, what, when, and why of the picture to alumni@goasa.org. If you do not have the ability to scan your photos or negatives, you can send them to the Alumni Relations Coordinator, Carolyn Smith, and she will scan them and get them back to you. Your pictures may be used throughout the year in social media posts.
Let’s see your ASA memories!
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MAKING CONNECTIONS
Who do you know?
Some of the most impactful relationships in the development of ASA -- as a campus, an artistic influence, a community cornerstone -- have to do with introductions. Someone introduced to ASA person-to-person or through a performance could be a demonstrative help in furthering ASA’s mission.
As an alum you are a walking embodiment of that mission, so it is especially meaningful when you can introduce Arizona School for the Arts to a person or organization who agrees that the performing arts is an essential part of educating the whole student. There are two ways that your community connections can be helpful in the next phase of ASA.
First, sponsorships for the Department Series, Signature Series, and Showcase performances come in all sizes and are important contributions to the annual fund. These sponsorships have a direct impact on the arts education of our students as they help pay for music, play rights, costumes, instrument purchase and maintenance, dance floor maintenance, and so much more. Sharing our Sponsorship Kit and making an introduction of a company’s decision maker to ASA’s Development & Marketing Director, Leslie Religioso, can be extremely helpful.
Next, ASA has a one time opportunity to complete our campus with more performing, additional classroom, office, and rehearsal space plus additional parking for our own students and the downtown Phoenix youth arts community. Both the church next door and the lot on the corner of our block at 2nd Street and McDowell are for sale, one or both of which can be put to better use for youth arts education rather than overshadowing our campus with large apartment blocks. From past experience, ASA stakeholders likely have the connections, access, and expertise to come together and to find a way to purchase at least one of the available parcels and build the next essential space that our students, faculty, and programs need and deserve. Leah Fregulia recently held a town hall meeting explaining the origins of this goal (at 4:21 minutes) and the current steps for 2024 (at 14:28 minutes). We invite you to watch the recording of the meeting and if you are interested in more information or if you know of a connection that may be helpful to this project, please contact Leah.
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IT'S ENROLLMENT AND TAX CREDIT TIME! | |
As we stated previously ASA alumni are the personification of the benefits of an ASA education, so you are the best people to recommend your alma mater to potential students. The application portal for the 2025-2026 school year is open and we are seeking potential students who will thrive in the ASA environment. For those of you in the Phoenix area, please encourage families in your orbit with school age children to visit our enrollment page; it is full of information including FAQs, sign-ups for tours and shadow days, and even information about our alumni! At our most recent Open House, ASA alum Victoria Garcia brought her daughter and submitted an application for her to join the 5th grade in the Fall. The application period ends on January 22nd with the lottery being held on January 27th…which will be here much sooner than you’d expect! | |
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Can you believe that we are heading into Tax Credit season? Now is the opportune time for Arizona residents to make an easy donation that benefits you as well as school clubs and Life Skills programs. The Tax Credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your Arizona state income tax burden and can be used by all Arizona residents, not just those with students at ASA. Single individuals may donate up to $200 and married couples can donate up to $400.
Full details can be found on the ASA website’s AZ Public School Tax Credit page where you can also see a video of students speaking about the importance of extracurricular activities in their school experience. In September, the Student Honorary Board Members also collected some quotes to share with the Board, including:
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SIGNATURE SERIES PERFORMANCES | |
Fall Main Stage Musical - Gypsy | |
Phoenix Center for the Arts
1202 N. 3rd Street | Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Friday, December 13, 2024 | 7:00pm
- Saturday, December 14, 2024 | 7:00pm
- Sunday, December 15, 2024 | 2:00pm
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Camelback Bible Church
3900 E Stanford Drive | Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
- Tuesday, December 17, 2024 | 6:30pm
- TONIGHT!
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UPCOMING
Masterworks
Camelback Bible Church
3900 E Stanford Drive | Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
- Tuesday, February 11, 2025 | 6:30pm
Spring Main Stage Play - A Night of Love and Betrayal: An Evening of Short Plays
Phoenix Center for the Arts
1202 N. 3rd Street | Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Friday, April 4, 2025 | 7:00pm
- Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 7:00pm
- Sunday, April 6, 2025 | 2:00pm
Spring Dance Recital
Ballet Arizona | Dorrance Theatre
2835 E Washington Street | Phoenix, AZ 85034
- Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | 6:30pm
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STAY CONNECTED: If you have a new address, an update about yourself, or an inquiry, we would love to hear from you! Click here to submit an Alumni Note or send an email to alumni@goasa.org.
STAY INFORMED: If you have classmates with whom you are in touch but we may not be, please forward this newsletter to them and let them know we would like to hear from them! Sign-up to join our alumni mailing list via the Alumni Connection Links at goasa.org/alumni.
JOIN THE ASA PARENT ALUM FACEBOOK GROUP: This group is for parents or caregivers of Arizona School for the Arts alumni only and is not open to student alumni (unless they are now parents of alumni), current ASA students, or other relatives of ASA alumni. Join now!
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Arizona School for the Arts inspires creative thinkers and leaders through providing an innovative concentration in college preparation informed by the performing arts. | |
© 2024 Arizona School for the Arts | | | | |
