State of the Arts
2020-21
Legacy Visual and Performing Arts High School
June 21, 2021
Dr. Edward A. Trimis, Principal
Legacy Visual and Performing Arts High School is a student-centered, creative learning community that engages students intellectually and artistically, instilling responsible citizenship and academic rigor for college and career preparedness.

create. inspire. unify. educate.
A Message from Our Principal


Welcome to our latest Legacy VAPA State of the Arts newsletter!

This has been a year unlike any other. Though we started fully online, we had the opportunity to pivot to hybrid learning towards the end of the year (in-person and online) and were even able to move into athletics for several sports and ended the year with an in-person dance show and an in-person graduation! All the while, we developed our programs, recruited students and staff, taught to standards, and presented multiple events online. And we are now looking forward to 100% on-person school in the Fall when we will celebrate our 10th Anniversary Year!

Each year at Legacy VAPA we have a theme. In light of the current pandemic and challenge we face, our theme for this year is especially appropriate: VAPA Strong: Into the Light. Enjoy the State of the Arts and be sure to go to our website and social media platforms linked on the site at www.vapalegacy.net for more info.

Click the hyperlinks in ORANGE (or blue) to see more photos and enrich your experience! #vapasmart #artsmart
          -Dr. Edward Trimis, Principal
Congratulations to the Class of 2021
Congratulations to the wonderful Legacy VAPA Class of 2021! We are incredibly proud of these tenacious, courageous, and talented graduates! We are also so glad we were able to celebrate this milestone in-person.
Congratulations to our Class of 2021, College-Bound, Scholar Artists!
Senior Awards 2021
Honor Roll 2021
Congrats to Our Valedictorian, Mia Gordon, and Salutatorian, Evangeline Lopez!
Mia Gordon is our Valedictorian meaning she is graduating with the highest GPA in her class. During her time at VAPA, Mia has played an instrumental role in theater, academic decathlon, as our ASB President, and so much more. We wish Mia all the best on her journey as she attends UC San Diego.
Evangeline Lopez is our Salutatorian meaning she is graduating with the second highest GPA in her class. During her time at VAPA, Evangeline has made significant contributions through her writing. We look forward to seeing her bring her scripts to the big screen as she studies film at the University of Southern California.
Virtual Springfest
There's no stopping the beat at VAPA. Enjoy performances from a variety of our ensemble groups. Thank you to our performers and everyone who contributed to making a virtual Springfest possible.
Check out our video as well as the Directors Panel discussing teaching the performing arts in a pandemic!!
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Guest Artist Series
The Legacy VAPA Guest Speaker/Performer Series brings professional artists to present talks, events, and concerts for Legacy VAPA students. In this special event, on March 24, 2021, composer Sergio Barer shared his latest work and insights with VAPA's top music students.
Mariachi Corazon Hispano and Aurora Showchoir, Jazz Choir and Band Finish the Year
Celebrating Our Resilient Families
Congrats to Dr. Irene Lara and her team who presented Resilient Families Parenting Classes for our strong communities, families, and students. The Resilient Families curriculum integrates empirically supported elements of trauma informed parenting interventions to reduce the PTSD symptoms, as well as, promote safe and effective parenting practices among parents in LAUSD. The participants integrated relaxation exercises, psycho-education and skills building, time-limited journaling, and celebration in a safe environment.
Vaccinating VAPA
Throughout this school year, a number of VAPA staff and students have had the opportunity to get vaccinated for COVID-19. At this time, students 12 and older can visit any of LAUSD's school-based sites to receive a vaccination. To learn more about how to get vaccinated, you can visit https://achieve.lausd.net/covidvaccineappt.
Continuing to Find the "Leader in Me"
We are super excited and proud at Legacy VAPA High School to be a Leader in Me School! create. inspire. unify. educate. These are our pillars and we teach the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People to all of our students and stuff! We have a Lighthouse Team that are working on a few WIG’s (Wildly Important Goals) now, and will be training all of our stuff in Core 3/Academics at the end of the year. Did you know there are thousands of Leader in Me schools in 50 countries all over the world but only about 150 high schools? And we are one of the only high schools on the West Coast!
Check Out Next Year's Music Courses!
Welcoming Students Back to Campus
In April, we welcomed back students, teachers, and staff back to campus for hybrid instruction. Thank you to everyone who has made this experience possible. We cannot wait to welcome all students back in the fall.
Celebrating our Teachers and Staff
Thank you to our wonderful VAPA teachers and staff for all the amazing work they do every day for our school community. Check out these photos of us honoring our teachers and staff with some delicious lunch and treats!
VAPA Turns 10!
This upcoming school year VAPA will be celebrating 10 years of changing lives through the arts! Keep an eye out for all the celebrations to come.
VAPA Speaks
VAPA Staff and their Kids!
VAPA New Teachers!
VAPA Seniors!
VAPA Students!
More VAPA Seniors!
Legacy VAPA Aurora Jazz Choir
"Since I Fell For You"
Spring Sports Recap
What an incredible season for our Legacy spring sports. A few of our sports are actually still participating in playoffs and will continue with their commitment to our schools’ athletic programs after graduation. Our Tigers have continued to give it their all as league champions and top seeded teams in the spring CIF playoffs.

Underclassmen, it’s on to continue to get better and make history. Seniors, thank you for the continued excellence and dedication to Legacy. We wish you the best in life, go conquer the world and remember to come share your success stories with our young tigers. We love you and will miss you.

Football –
Thank you for leading the way through meeting all spring sports through frequently changed safety protocols.

Girls Soccer –
CIF D3 RUNNER UP CHAMPIONS
#2 seed in the CIF Division 3 Girls Soccer Playoffs.

Girls Volleyball-
2021 EASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
#4 seed in the CIF Division 2 Girls Volleyball Playoffs.
CIF D2 semifinalist

Baseball-
2021 CIF LACS D 2 CHAMPIONS
#3 seed in the CIF Division 2 baseball Playoffs.
Won CIF Division 2 Championship defeating Wilson HS on 6-18-21

Girls Basketball-
#5 seed in the CIF Division 1 Girls Basketball Playoffs. Played Taft Charter High School in Quarter-Finals.

Softball-
2021 EASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
#7 seed in the CIF “OPEN” Division Softball Playoffs.

Boys Basketball-
2021 EASTERN LEAGUE CO-CHAMPIONS
CIF Division 4 basketball Champions
Southern California Regional Playoffs Second Round 6-17-21 vs. Washington Union 7pm
VAPA Debate
The Legacy VAPA Debate team began competing this year with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League. Freshman Leslie Zarazua started things off by competing alone as a “maverick” in her first competition in March. Normally, debaters compete as partners who take turns arguing the case, but a maverick argues alone against two opponents. In her second tournament, Leslie was joined by Emanuel Orozco. A second team competed as well, Jasmin Monteil (11) and Alondra Antimo (12). Both teams won half of their debates in the April virtual tournament. While no teams won in the June, Leslie received a LAMDL Citizenship Award for her commitment to building the Legacy VAPA Debate Team. The team will resume meeting in August to prepare to debate the 2021-22 topic: "Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources in the United States." The team looks forward to adding new members and bringing home some trophies!
Parent Request System
New parent/family request forms are here! You may also call the VAPA hotline at 323-596-7531 and leave a message (or text).
"Our students are artists, intellectuals, athletes, leaders, college bound. We are VAPA."
More VAPA Videos
Did you know there are MANY videos of VAPA events on our YouTube channel (Tiger TV). Check them out!
Informational Materials at VAPA
Go to our website for more information at www.vapalegacy.com. On the website all of our social media platforms are also linked (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, PodBean, YouTube).
Legacy VAPA VIII
VAPA Rising: Beyond Expectations
Tip Line at VAPA
Legacy Visual and Performing Arts High School is excited to offer a service for our students who see or learn about dangerous or concerning issues at VAPA and/or the Legacy High School Complex. Tips are anonymous and will be investigated by VAPA and LAUSD staff as soon as possible after being reported. Though the line accepts calls, texts are more effective. Please note another option is to report any concerns directly to Legacy VAPA teachers and staff by dropping into the office, calling 323-357-7531 or e-mailing Dr. Trimis at [email protected].

Legacy Visual and Performing Arts High School
Dr. Edward Trimis, Principal
Ms. Terri Grinner, Assistant Principal
Ms. Jeina Dadrass, Coordinator
Ines Melendez, SAA 
Local District East
Mr. Jose Huerta, LDE Superintendent
Mr. Jesus Nunez, Community of Schools Admninistrator
LAUSD
Mr. Austin Beutner, Superintendent
Contact
Legacy Visual and Performing Arts High School
www.vapalegacy.com
5225 Tweedy Bl.
South Gate, CA
323-357-7531 [email protected]
Upcoming Events
June 22-July 23: Summer School
Aug. 2-6: Showchoir Intensive/Camp
Aug. 9-12: Band Intensive/Camp
Aug. 9-13: Summer Bridge and Orientation (9th Grade)
Aug. 13: Teacher Planning day/9th Grade Orientation
Aug. 16: First Day of Fall Semester
Sept. 2: Back to School Night

Go to www.vapalegacy.net for VAPA/Arts, Legacy, & Calendars   
Go to www.legacytiger.com for Legacy Sports info
Go to https://legacyvapa.smugmug.com for photo collections
We have space at VAPA! Join us!
Legacy Visual and Performing Arts HS:
Preparing students for college, career, and life through the arts.