FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAGUNA BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONTACT: ANAKAREN UREÑO
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT
949-497-7700 EXT. 5232 | AURENO@LBUSD.ORG

July 17, 2025

Festival of Arts awards $20K in grants to Laguna Beach schools for arts education

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — The Festival of Arts (FOA) Foundation awarded $20,500 in grant funding to support student arts programs at Laguna Beach High School and Thurston Middle School. The funding enhances programs in ceramics, visual art, photography, and theatre by providing students access to professional-grade materials and hands-on learning experiences that strengthen connections to the broader arts community. The grants were awarded as follows:

Laguna Beach High School Ceramics – $5,000

Laguna Beach High School Art – $5,000

Laguna Beach High School Photography – $4,000

Laguna Beach High School Theatre – $4,000

Thurston Middle School Theatre – $2,500

The grant contributes to opportunities for Laguna Beach High School theatre students to participate in local and state-level competitions, including the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) Festival, California State Thespian Festival, and the MACY Awards. 

“The support of the FOA Foundation has allowed us to nearly double the number of students who attend local theatre competitions,” said LBHS Theatre Director Meghan Minguez-Marshall. “These opportunities provide valuable performance and technical skill development, while also encouraging collaboration with other high school theatre programs.”

LBHS students in the visual arts program will now have more opportunities to work with the kinds of tools used by working artists in the school’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Visual and Commercial Arts pathway. The funding will be used to purchase items like jewelry-making equipment for working with metals and sewing machines for exploring textiles, so students can take on more complex and creative projects. 

“Funding from organizations like the FOA Foundation opens the door for students to explore unfamiliar techniques, new materials, and discover entirely new ways to express themselves,” said LBHS Art Teacher Shelley Juhl-O’Brien.

Grant funding from the foundation brought the spring 2025 production of Annie KIDS at Thurston Middle School to life. Costumes, props, and detailed staging helped transform the performance into a professional experience for both students and audience members.

“The middle school theatre program creates a strong bridge to high school, giving students the skills and experience they need to confidently continue performing at LBHS,” said Thurston Middle School Theatre Teacher Alexis Karol. “The support of the foundation enriches our programs at an important point in their growth as learners and performers,” she concluded.

The continued investment of the FOA Foundation reflects a community that values the arts and actively supports the young artists in LBUSD schools. This summer, that support is on full display as student artwork is featured at local festivals, including Booth #103 at the Sawdust Festival. LBUSD students are also participating in the Pageant of the Masters, Art-A-Fair, and the Festival of Arts. Families and community members are encouraged to visit these local festivals and stay tuned for a districtwide celebration of the arts in LBUSD this spring. 

To learn more about the Laguna Beach Unified School District, visit www.lbusd.org. Stay connected by following @LagunaBeachUSD on Instagram and subscribing to the district newsletter (www.lbusd.org/itsawrap) for the latest news and updates.

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